One, Two, Three or More?

You may be wondering why guinea pigs always come in pairs or in groups. It is always suggested that you have more than one guinea pig. And you may be wondering why.

This is good to heed because guinea pigs are very friendly animals who like being around other fellow guinea pigs. They cannot stand being alone, and getting only one pig might get them depressed.

Guinea pigs need attention, and if you have just one, your guinea pig is going to get lonely very fast, and cry for your attention more often. If he or she has a partner or playmate to keep them entertained, you don’t have to spend quite as much time with them.

Pairing Off

Now that you know that you should have more than one guinea pig to keep as pets, the next question is how many pigs is ideal and what sex should they be?

If you’re going to just get a guinea pig, sex doesn’t matter too much. By nature, female guinea pigs are going to be more docile and less active, while their male counterparts are going to have more energy and need more exercise.

There is a myth that a pair of males will kill each other in one cage. There is not truth to this.

This will only hold true when they are cramped in one cage, without their own personal space. So give them enough room for themselves.

One thing that should be avoided is having two males and one female as this might turn into a bloody battle. The males will compete for possession of the female, and if one of them wins, the loser will end up being ostracised and isolated.

It is a good idea to get two female guinea pigs, as they will not cause any serious harm to each other. Just the typical girly-fights.

A male and a female in the same cage will actually get along best. The female acknowledges that the male is dominant, and the male accepts the female as his, and act peacefully towards her.

In fact, this union will be so harmonious that you have to get ready to have more guinea pigs in your home.

The girls will carry their babies for two months, after their female cycle of eighteen days. Be prepared for lots of babies as guinea pigs are known to have lots of offspring.

Keeping The Peace

Normally, your neighborhood pet shop carries at one or two cages of guinea pigs. There is never any shortage for these little creatures as they produce so much babies and they are such popular pets.

You might get so excited that you will want to get one pig from each cage you see. Don’t do this unless you want to have a chaotic and fighting bunch. To keep the peace and order, get pigs from the same cage.