|
The second thing you want to watch out for is putting a fertile male in with a fertile female. Unless you want to open up a guinea pig farm and deal with over four litters of little cavies a year, make sure that at least one, if not both male and female are neutered. This said, a male/female combination could work very well. The male will be dominant and the female will remain fairly docile.
Another good pairing of cavies is two females. While they may squabble at first and from time to time over food and water, they will generally get along pretty well. A group of females can easily get along with a neutered male.
Some people advise placing a young male cavy in with an older male cavy. This situation may be peaceful for a while, but when the young male reaches adolescent maturity, you may have a war on your hands.
Whenever you add a new cavy to your guinea pig’s home, expect that they will tussle among themselves until they have established dominance. After that, they will usually become good friends.
GENDER MIXING SUMMARY
No
Yes
Fertile Males & Females
(unless breeding)
Neutered Male with Female(s)
Two Males
(sometimes an exception is made if raised together from infancy, or if great difference in age)
Two or More Females
Three or More Males
Sexing a Guinea Pig
A word of warning: Always make sure of the gender of your guinea pig before you buy it. This process is called, “sexing” the guinea pig. Do not rely on the word of the pet store clerk. Many times they do not know themselves. Cavy gender is not readily apparent, so you much follow this procedure to determine the sex of the animal:
1. Gently pick up the guinea pig and examine its genital area.
2. If you notice a puckered spot, press gently just above the genital area.
If the cavy is a male, his penis will protrude.
3. For young animals, look at the rectum area.
If you see a donut shape, this is the male’s testacies.
The idea of sexing a guinea pig makes most people a little uncomfortable, so you are not alone. Nevertheless, please do not rely on the word of the pet store sales clerk! Otherwise, you may have a herd of guinea pigs on your hands before you know it. Another pitfall to watch out for when purchasing a guinea pig from a pet store is the possibility of purchasing a pregnant female. If you choose to buy your pet from a well-respected breeder with years of experience, then you can trust them to know the sex of the animal and to tell you if a female is pregnant or not.
Guinea Pigs Previous Page (6)
|
|
|
|