Is It Cruel to Have One Guinea Pig?

Guinea Pigs are very social animals. They’re a prey species, and in the wild would live in large colonies to help protect one another and make sure resources stay abundant. If you were to keep a single guinea pig, it wouldn’t be able to find comfort within its home. It can lead them to becoming depressed or developing health issues in relation to stress.

How Many Guinea Pigs Should You Keep?

You should always keep guinea pigs in pairs at the minimum, whether that’s guinea pig sows or guinea pig boars, and UK law recognises this need. Even so, sometimes pairs aren’t enough; it’s common to see people keeping large groups of guinea pigs. When it comes to these animals, it’s more the merrier!

Can You Keep 2 Female Guinea Pigs Together?

Keeping two female guinea pigs is the most ideal grouping for these rodents. Female guinea pigs will not fight amongst each other over resources the way unneutered males would. Their hormones also work well together so they won’t lash out and fight with each other. If you want to have a large group of guinea pigs, potentially surpassing 4 guinea pigs, then having all female guinea pigs is the most effective way of doing so.

Can You Keep 2 Male Guinea Pigs Together?

Keeping male guinea pigs together can be a little more challenging as they are much more prone to fighting if something isn’t quite right. It’s highly recommended to have neutered males in any grouping. Having male guinea pigs neutered will prevent unwanted pregnancies and help keep hormones in check.

You should never keep two male guinea pigs alone if they are unneutered. There is a high risk of them fighting over territory and resources. This type of conflict could lead to severe injuries for both animals and may lead them to both being emotionally distressed.

On the other hand, you can house two neutered males together with almost no issues. It’s also recommended that you house male siblings together, as they would be more inclined to get along, but this isn’t completely necessary.

Is It Better to Have 3 or 4 Guinea Pigs?

Some countries have now made it illegal to buy a single guinea pig.

There are even companies that loan out their piggies to make friends with elderly pigs if their partner has died.

While keeping guinea pigs in pairs is the minimum, many could say that is still not enough. Having three guinea pigs will give them more opportunities for social interaction and can allow them to feel more protected in their environment. This would be amplified with four guinea pigs too.

Yes, there would be slightly more work in making sure they get along, and it does pose the potential for fighting to occur but with the proper introductions, this shouldn’t be a deterrent.

Is 4 Guinea Pigs Too Many?

It depends on what situation you’re in. If you have an already established group of three guinea pigs, then it might be wise to leave them how they are. Introducing new animals can be stressful and there isn’t a guarantee they will happily accept a new member.

However, if you want to have four guinea pigs at once, perhaps a sibling group, then that shouldn’t be an issue at all.

Make sure you consider the sexes of the guinea pigs, having more than two male guinea pigs, being neutered males or not, can still cause an imbalance within the group, especially if there are fewer female guinea pigs present than males.

Remember, although your guinea pig will get lonely on its own -

Don’t fall into the trap of overcrowding. Too many guinea pigs will cause the same issues as having too few.

How to Put 2 Guinea Pigs Together?

When introducing two or more guinea pigs together, the most important thing to remember is patience! They are living animals after-all. If you rush an introduction, then you’re bound to start a fight.

The first step is to put them in the same area, but with a barrier. You can place their runs side by side or have a mesh barrier in their shared room. This will allow them to start communicating and familiarising themselves with each other’s scent.

If they’re showing positive behaviours, the next step is to have them interact in a neutral setting. A separate room or run. They will need enough space to move around freely, and it’s a good idea to put some treats or food in with them, so they can start to co-exist more closely. You should repeat this step over a period of time, possibly a few hours a day if all is going well.

If they keep showing positive behaviours, then they are ready to move in together. When removing the barriers, make sure to keep a close eye on them just in case. Guinea pigs tend to bond quickly, so when introduced correctly, there’s no doubt they will be good friends.