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. In the company of compatible conspecifics, they can chat, play, and cuddle up close, but even if individuals do not choose such close proximity, the presence of other piggies being around helps provide security, therefore contributing to good welfare. It is 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 in a pair but just be mindful that males who have grown up together since babies, may begin to fight on reaching adolescence, but emphasis is on may here; it is not to say that they will. Males above 2 years old generally maintain their bonds (this is based on the experience of a rescue colleague). Reputable rehoming centres will give advice on individual characters and suitability. If fighting has occurred, it could well be due to a health issue or that the environment is not appropriate. With any grouping, we can help promote and maintain affiliative social interactions between guinea pigs by providing interesting environments, with access to water in different locations, well distributed food with equal foraging opportunities for all the guinea pigs in the group, and plenty of space to explore, incorporating plenty of refuge/hiding areas, essentially allowing natural guinea pig behaviour. Encouraging agency will promote positive affective states.
**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. Recent research has emphasised the value of familiar companionship to guinea pigs. Good rescue sites will not rehome already 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 abandoned or neglected, 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!
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 option of course is adoption. Some owners fear that new buddies will fight, this is simply solved by bonding the right way, selecting suitable bonding candidates, essentially 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 a pair of guinea pigs who are already bonded; if your piggy bonded with these piggies, there could then be the possibility of going to a new home together. The RSPCA for example has fostering opportunities. Or it may be appropriate to adopt an older guinea pig as a companion, depending on the age of your piggy. Responsible ownership is always emphasised, but unless you intend to continue keeping guinea pigs long‑term, there may come a point where you need to consider what is genuinely best for a lone guinea pig in your care. The welfare of the guinea pig must come first. In this specific circumstance, a reputable rehoming organisation could be contacted to see whether they can find a suitable home where the guinea pig can live with an appropriate companion(s). Discussing with knowledgeable sources such as guinea pig savvy vet professionals and rehoming organisations can help make informed choices. If you are considering adopting or rehoming a guinea pig, make sure to research the organisation well to check their policies and credentials.
Arlo and Theo, two bonded piggies. 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; if you are adopting piggies and they have to travel from one home to another, the travel is stressful, then they experience a new environment, which is also scary, so patience and time is needed to allow them to adjust and become familiar with their new environment. A good rescue will always ask for the guinea pigs to be returned to their care if any problems arise, such as one guinea pig finding themselves being dominated too much by another; if a piggy is prevented from drinking or eating and is always hiding away from the other dominant piggy, this negatively impacts that individual's wellbeing and an informed choice will need to be made with the help of professional and knowledgeable sources.
