Guinea pig sitting questions
I will be "guinea pig sitting" for two boars over Christmas. I have two sows already. I know that they need to stay 100% separate at all times, but I"m wondering about some other stuff. For instance, should they be in the same room, where they'll be able to see/hear/smell each other, or should they stay in different rooms? Also, when I give them floor time, can I do it in the same area (at different times)? Basically, can they know about the other pigs, or should they stay in totally different areas?
Ok, thanks. The boars are both pretty mellow (I took care of them a few months ago, before I had my own piggies) so I doubt that they'll go crazy when the sows are in heat.
I used to foster only boars, because I was unsure how they would react in the presence of sows. As it turned out, there was no need to worry, and currently I have six of my own boars and five foster sows. At the most the boars find the sows an entertainment and visit them once in a while. They usually only say hello through bars, and the more testosterone driven boars spend a little more time beside the female cages, "singing" and rumblestrutting. They never, ever turned aggressive because of females who were housed in separate cages.
Frankly speaking, I had once boars who were not aggressive towards each other even when visited by a spayed sow. They all were very polite.
Frankly speaking, I had once boars who were not aggressive towards each other even when visited by a spayed sow. They all were very polite.
Two follow-up questions: First, at what age do sows start going into heat? Mine are around 5.5-6 months; do they go into heat at such a young age?
Also, could the boars make the sows more irritable or anything? The boars are the most well-paired pigs you'd imagine; never any squabbles, rumblestrutting, etc, but my girls don't get along super well (Lots of rumblestrutting from the dominant one, squealing/"arguments", etc. Could the girls be bothered by the boys? I don't want to disrupt what seems like a pretty fragile peace between them.
Also, could the boars make the sows more irritable or anything? The boars are the most well-paired pigs you'd imagine; never any squabbles, rumblestrutting, etc, but my girls don't get along super well (Lots of rumblestrutting from the dominant one, squealing/"arguments", etc. Could the girls be bothered by the boys? I don't want to disrupt what seems like a pretty fragile peace between them.
Ok. I tend to be a bit nervous :) There will be another person watching all four of them for a couple days, so I want to make sure they won't go crazy for her, either (she doesn't know much about piggies).
Yes, total separation is the most important thing! Their cages are a few inches apart and I don't see any way that anything could happen. The girl who's watching them for me is super responsible and I know she won't let anything happen, so I'm not too worried.