Cavy Companionship
Image courtesy of Coseley Guinea Pig Rescue and Sanctuary, England, UK.
Suitable Social Groupings
Guinea pigs are sociable animals; their wonderful, rich vocal communication is evidence among other factors of their sociality; they have their own communication, guinea pig company provides them appropriate interactions that they understand between one another, living together they can chat, play, and cuddle up close, but even without such close proximity, the presence of other piggies being around provides security, and therefore promotes good health and welfare. So guinea pigs should be kept together and it's generally found that compatible guinea pig social groupings are as follows:
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Females in pairs* or larger groups.
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A female and a male pair* - the male must be neutered though to prevent breeding.
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Or a group of females with a male who has been neutered. Do not put more than one male with a female or group of females - this will result in fighting and injury.
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Males can live together but there is a possibility that they will fight when they get older.
*A caveat here is that if you decide to give a home to a guinea pig pair, when one dies the other will be left alone. This is an important consideration, you would then need to think about finding a mate for him/her as it is not fair to leave them lonely, without trying to find new buddies for them. This is one of the reasons why some people advocate for groups, rather than pairs. If you are looking to provide a home to guinea pigs and you visit piggies available for adoption at a rescue centre, it is important not to break up bonds that already exist between piggy friends in existing pairs or groups. Good rescue sites will not rehome bonded piggies separately. In the past, guinea pigs were often kept with rabbits, but this is actually detrimental to the welfare of both species, they shouldn't be kept together; rabbits and guinea pigs need the company of their own kind. Guinea pigs can be injured or bullied by rabbits, or fatally exposed to a bacteria that rabbits may carry.
Avoid breeding
There is currently an animal welfare crisis in the UK, partly driven by illegal breeding and lack of regulation of pet ownership. Due to a significant increase over the last few years in guinea pigs who have been surrendered or dumped, rescue services have been inundated with homeless piggies - these piggies are waiting in rescues for kind, forever homes. There is just no need for unnecessary breeding of guinea pigs. Mummas and babies need specialist care and female guinea pigs' lives can actually be put at risk if bred at the wrong age. There are also certain types of guinea pig who should not be bred due to genetic disorders e.g. 'satin syndrome' and 'lethal white'. If you are thinking of giving piggies a home, please consider animal charities in your area to adopt, such as the RSPCA hubs and branches, or reputable independent rescues. Responsible rescues will identify the sex of the guinea pigs in their care properly, so that you can be sure you will not end up with more piggies than planned! The Same Star Sheep Sanctuary, UK, and Coseley Guinea Pig Rescue and Sanctuary, UK, helped me to find buddies for my piggies.
Finding buddies for your piggies
Arlo and Theo - a successful bonding. Image courtesy of The Same Star Sheep Sanctuary, Norfolk, England, UK.
You may find yourself in a situation whereby one of your piggies has passed away and this leaves a lone guinea pig; I have found myself in this very situation. They may suffer if kept alone but there are various opportunities to help your piggy find a new buddy (or buddies), the first of course being to adopt other piggies. Some owners fear that new buddies will fight, this is simply solved by finding the right companion/s, which good rescues will help you do with bonding expertise. Other owners fear perpetually owning piggies - depending on the circumstances, there may be the option to foster/adopt an older guinea pig as a companion, or fostering a pair of guinea pigs, for example the RSPCA has fostering opportunities, or there may be the option to rehome your guinea pig with an animal charity. It depends on the health/welfare status of the individual of course. If you are considering adopting or rehoming a guinea pig, look for animal rescues/charities in your area and inquire with them.
Arlo and Theo having some indoor time. Image courtesy of The Same Star Sheep Sanctuary, Norfolk, England, UK.
Domestic guinea pigs are all individuals, with different characters, some are more sociable or tolerant than others - you can’t simply place random individuals together and assume they’ll get on – it’s vital to introduce potential buddies the right way - this is known as 'bonding'. 'Bonding' should be done with the help of someone who is knowledgeable and experienced. Be mindful that introducing guinea pigs who don't know each other can be stressful for them, or if you are adopting piggies and they have had to travel from one home to another, the new home will be new and potentially very scary, so patience and time is needed to allow them to adjust and become familiar with the new environment. A good rescue will always ask for the guinea pigs to be returned to their care, if any problems arise such as 'bullying', whereby one guinea pig may find themselves being domniated too much by another. For example, it is a serious issue if one is prevented from eating enough and is always hiding away from the other.
