I bought a baby guinea pig last week.. I think she's about10-20 days old. I have had another female for about 19 months. Unfortunately, I have had to cut the quarantine of 2-3 weeks short due to unpredicted circumstance.
I introduced the two on a blanket, as the wise internet told me to, and the new one (her name is Heidi) was absolutely beside herself in pleasure. The older, Sophie, was far more apathetic. Heidi, instead of climbing on top to declare dominance, climbed UNDER Sophie, who basically couldn't have cared less. After about a half hour of sniffing back and forth, and happy chortling with some wheeks, I decided to put them into the cage together. They have two dishes of food and two of water, just in case they decide one is "theirs"... I added a bunch of hay... And now they're just hanging out, munching on Timothy hay and carrots, seemingly happy to have company! Heidi isn't bothering Sophie much at all now, though even when she was, Sophie just sorta went "meh" and wandered away.
My question to you is: Is this too good to be true?
The internet had me prepared for battles for dominance, chattering, rumblestrutting... I've had none of this.
Notes:
- This is my first guinea pig introduction.
- Sophie, in my experience, is extremely calm. Good with travel (I'm a student... she comes to my mom's with me more than I'd like to have to make her). Good with handling, good with kids, good with my bunny, and so on.
- I don't know Heidi NEARLY as well as I'd have liked to before introducing them. Please, I understand the need for a quarantine before introductions, but a week was all I had due to circumstance, as mentioned.
Thoughts?!
I introduced the two on a blanket, as the wise internet told me to, and the new one (her name is Heidi) was absolutely beside herself in pleasure. The older, Sophie, was far more apathetic. Heidi, instead of climbing on top to declare dominance, climbed UNDER Sophie, who basically couldn't have cared less. After about a half hour of sniffing back and forth, and happy chortling with some wheeks, I decided to put them into the cage together. They have two dishes of food and two of water, just in case they decide one is "theirs"... I added a bunch of hay... And now they're just hanging out, munching on Timothy hay and carrots, seemingly happy to have company! Heidi isn't bothering Sophie much at all now, though even when she was, Sophie just sorta went "meh" and wandered away.
My question to you is: Is this too good to be true?
The internet had me prepared for battles for dominance, chattering, rumblestrutting... I've had none of this.
Notes:
- This is my first guinea pig introduction.
- Sophie, in my experience, is extremely calm. Good with travel (I'm a student... she comes to my mom's with me more than I'd like to have to make her). Good with handling, good with kids, good with my bunny, and so on.
- I don't know Heidi NEARLY as well as I'd have liked to before introducing them. Please, I understand the need for a quarantine before introductions, but a week was all I had due to circumstance, as mentioned.
Thoughts?!