About Jenny Atkins Expertise If your guinea pig has stopped eating, is having fits, looks puffed up or listless, is bleeding, has lost weight suddenly or is squeaking in pain then please, do not delay in taking him/her to a vet. Preferably a specialist small animal or exotic pet vet, but don't worry if you can't find one.
If you suspect your guinea pig is pregnant, has mites, is losing hair or you have a question about diet, cages, toys, exercise etc then look at my past answers before you ask your question, as it may save you time.
Otherwise, go ahead and ask me a question! My areas of expertise are in how to choose your guinea pigs, where to get them from and what you need before you bring your new pets home. I can also help with general care and dietary questions, with treating common illnesses (especially skin complaints), pregnancy and baby guinea pigs (though I do not approve of purposeful 'at home' breeding), and how to introduce two males.
I'd recommend The Really Useful Guinea Pig Guide by Myra Mahoney and Piggy Potions by Peter Gurney to all guinea pig owners - these books will tell you everything you need to know to ensure your guinea pigs have happy and healthy lives. I practically memorised these before I was allowed my first guinea pigs as a teenager!
Experience I absolutely love guinea pigs, and I think they make brilliant pets for the right owners. They are incredibly sociable animals and should always be kept in pairs, or a larger group (females only). If you spend lots of time with your guinea pigs, they will become very tame and friendly little creatures. I am very much a pet owner, and provide answers based on my personal experiences with my pet piggies, and what I've learned from books along the way. I'm not a breeder or a vet, so I can't answer questions about breeding, breeds or complicated illnesses. I have kept both boars and sows, and have had my share of unexpected newborns in the early days. I've had a total of 11 guinea pigs over the years - all adorable in their own way - including my current two boars (Almeida and Simba) whose cage has pride of place in my living room. When you have guinea pigs you learn something new about them every day!
Education/Credentials 2:1 Honours Degree in Creative Arts with English
Question Hi there, I bought two little males and shortly after bought a female. As i know the boys will fight over her if shes in with them i keep the boys in a separate cage from her (They're also bickering just sensing shes in the same room)I'm trying to workout how the desexing works.. if I just get her desexed will the boys still fight? I'm guessing I need both males desexed and leave the girl as normal??
Basically I just want them all to be able to be in the one cage and not fight..or hump her to death.
Thanks so much for your time.
Answer Hi Mischa,
Sorry it has taken me a while to get back to you - I've been very busy at work!
Two males will always bicker when they first meet, as they need to establish who will be the dominant pig and who will submit before they can get along. The presence of the female will be exacerbating the situation and making them less likely to settle down.
Having the female neutered will mean she can not fall pregnant - but it will not make the males leave her alone. Nothing will do that, as them being neutered will simply mean that they shoot blanks - so to speak - they will still have their urges and try to hump her!
Neutered males can live in harmony with females, but just one male in a cage with one or more females. If you want to keep the boys together, they will get on best un-neutered, but then, the female cannot be with them. Basically - two males and a female will not work out. You will need to keep them separately, with the males unable to smell he female. Sorry if this is bad news. Perhaps you could get another female to live with your girl, and have two pairs?
