boars or sows

Question
QUESTION: i have 2 male guinea pigs around 7/8 months old and my dad is going to make them a very big cage and i was wondering if i got 2 more boy would they start fighting and if so
i thought if i got the my boys neutered i could get 2 female for them.
would  i then hafe to separate the two boys to go with a girl each? or could they all stay together?
i would really be grateful for the help

ANSWER: Hi Cara,

If you have the boys neutered they will be able to stay together, with females. Perhaps a nicer idea would be to get your Dad to build a chicken-wire/mesh partition in their new cage, and keep the males on one side and the females on the other. They'll be able to interact, but won't be able to physically touch each other, and your boys won't need to go for the snip.

I wish I could answer your question about keeping four unneutered males together! I have been wondering this myself as my boyfriend and I have two males (15 months & 6 months old) and want to build them a new cage now the younger one is almost fully grown, and would love to be able to get two new piggies to keep them company. I think it is generally believed that groups of males fight for dominance - and whilst it's easily to establish a 'top pig' within a pair, it is very difficult and causes piggies to take sides in a larger group.

The reason I am not convinced is that we introduced the 6-month old to the 15-month old when they were aged 6 weeks and 10 months, as sadly the older one had just lost his brother. This worked fine, as, if one piggy is much smaller, it submits to the bigger one and the pecking order is established. I don't see why this would not be possible with new piggies - as long as they are both young. I can only presume that whilst the top pig can easily assert dominance, the other three will fight to establish an order amongst themselves. I'd suggest you ask some of the other experts on here, ring up some breeders, and search online ... then compare answers.

Sorry I couldn't be of more help, and let me know what you decide to do!

Best wishes,
Jenny.

---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: thanks for replying

i have decided i will get my boys neutered so they can get a some female friends.

i have another question if you don't mind well here it is
when i give my boy floor time i hafe to put lot of pillows and peices of wood down so they don't hurt them self but they keep on finding ways to escape how do i stop them from doing this?

ANSWER: You can't! Guinea pigs are very inquisitive and it's only a matter of time before they'll find their way into trouble. I put my sofa cushions on the floor for my piggies to play on - to stop them wandering around the living room at free will and nibbling on wires and hiding under things, but after a few minutes they'll inevitably realise they can jump off and I'll have to continuously grab them and return them to safety.

You can buy indoor play areas (just like the play pens you use for children) so if you have some spare cash, it might be worth thinking about getting one. Also, try putting food in the middle of the 'safe area' for them - whilst it lasts, it will keep them from wandering.

If you are going to get your boys neutered, make sure you take the time to find a good vet. It's a risky operation and guinea pigs are very sensitive to anaestehtic. Once they've been done, you will have to wait for a month before you can introduce them to any females. A list of accredited small animal hospitals is available on the 'find a vet' website, or try contacting the Cambridge Cavy Trust.

Thanks for keeping me updated :o)

Jenny.

---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: thanks for your help
I'm going to search for a vet that had a high success rate before getting them done if not i may hafe to get 2 more boys
1 more question
my guinea pig night keeps getting scabby lips what should i do about this?
thanks for taking the time to answer my questions :)

Answer
Hello again :o)

Yes - do make sure you do your research. If it's not ridiculously far away, I'd suggest you enquire at the Cambridge Cavy Trust's Small Animal Hospital. It's the headquarters of the british association of rodentologists, which means it's full of guinea pig experts and would without a doubt be the safest place to take your boys to be neutered. I also know that Reading Guinea Pig Rescue has a very good local vet that people travel from all over the UK to take their piggies too. So perhaps try those.

Do you feed your guinea pigs fruit? It's quite acidic and can cause mouth ulcers and scabs if you feed your piggies too much. Always cut fruit up small so it doesn't irritate their lips too much, and try to stick to one or two portions a week. And veggies the rest of the time! If you don't feed them fruit, let me know, and I'll scratch my head for other possibilities ...

Jenny.