Would it be safe to introduce a new guinea pig to my female guinea pig that I...

[carla]

...have had for a year? My husband said that because she has been alone for over a year, getting her a friend might not work out too well since she has been the one getting all of our attention. What if I got her a baby guinea pig? Would she be able to raise it?

 

[CourtneyJo]

No way! Not a baby guinea pig. They get sort of crazy living in those cages all by themselves and it's not that she cares if something else gets your attention; in fact, she could care less. It has to do with territory.

If you get a male that is adult also it might work out. She will most likely bully another female and the female may not be able to fend back.

My brother had a guinea pig female and after a year or two introduced a male. They got along and had babies. After the first night we woke to find her having ate all the babies and the dad. It was sick! They don't finish them either. She just ate them enough to kill them. I guess she decided she wanted to be single!

I would suggest keeping her by herself until she dies.

 

[Very General]

No. In fact she would probably kill it. No one will take a nursing pig away from its mom and sell it.

 

[Guinea Pig Lover]

Probably not. In reality, she would probably boss the baby around.

You can check online at petfinder.com and search for guinea pigs available near you. Most guinea pig rescues will let you leave your guinea pig there for a few days and they will try out different possible friends for your guinea pig. Not all guinea pigs get along just because they are social though. Keep in mind it may take a while to find that perfect partner for your guinea. If she is not spayed, make sure she's paired up with a female, or a male who is neutered.

Good luck with your search!

EDIT: The above person is wrong. She will not kill it. Hamsters are more likely to kill babies, or even their partners. Guinea pigs are not violent. Also, as long as you're spending at lest 2 hours a day with the guinea pig, there is no need for a friend!

 

[Carol]

Female guinea pigs do not fight as often as make pigs do.

Introduce them in a small space such as the bathroom so they can not run away from each other. Line the floor with towels so if a fight does start you can just throw the towel over the naughty one and break up the fight. Do this for at least 3 days so they really get used to each other, put in a bowel of water and pellets so they can learn to eat together. On the last day take the older ones cage and clean it and wash the entire cage with a vinegar and water mix so it make the cage smell more neutral also.