Can Three Male Guinea Pigs Live Together? (Find Out Now)

Some pet stores will sell you a trio of boars who look like the adorable creatures you have ever seen. Are you wondering if three male guinea pigs can live together?  

As a rule of thumb, three male guinea pigs shouldn’t live together. The chances of bonding them successfully are very low – especially when they reach adolescence. At that point the sharp increase in testosterone will lead to new rivalry. The formerly calm trio will turn aggressive as they fight for domination. 

Trio boars have a very low success rate. There is usually the likelihood of one boar being left out of the group. Or you could end up with three single boars who refuse to bond with others. 

In this post, I’ll go over why pairing three male guinea pigs together is a BAD idea, other possible pairing ideas, and how to introduce your piggies for better bonding.  

Shall we?

Can Three Male Guinea Pigs Live Together?  

Typically, three male guinea pigs can’t live together successfully, because of conflicts involving dominance – especially during their “teenage years”. The success rate of lasting pairings of three boars is pretty low. There’s also a chance that all three will fall out and you’ll need to house them separately.

From 6 to about 15 months old, male guinea pigs have a huge testosterone spike. This surge in testosterone can trigger big changes in their behavior, and they can become aggressive toward each other.

To avoid fighting and possible injuries, it’s best not to house three male guinea pigs together. If you already have a trio of boars, you’ll need to be extra vigilant during this time, and may need to separate them if they start fighting.

If you have your heart set on keeping three guinea pigs together, you’re better off choosing two females and one male. The female-male pair will bond and the third guinea pig will be friends with both of them. This is the best way to set up a threesome that actually works.

Now, I love hearing what other guinea pig owners have to say about boar trios, so I surveyed guinea pig parents. The purpose was to find out if their trio of boars bonded successfully or not. Here’s what I found out.

20 (21%) were successful in pairing the trio boar while 85 (89%) were unsuccessful.  

Not a big shocker, there.

Many people said that trio boars tend to fail more than succeed. People tried different methods of bonding trio boars.

Successful Male Trio Bonding Situations

• Introduced over time and they warmed up to each other and lived peacefully. 
• Baby boars were introduced to an older male who lived alone  
• Three brothers who grew up together. One was younger than the other two.   
• Father and two sons. They got along really well even after adolescence.  
• Four boars lived together and one died so three remained and continued living peacefully.  

Failed Male Trio Bonding Situations

• The group was bought as a trio from pet stores. Some pet parents weren’t sure if they were related. They fought after adolescence and had to be separated.  
• Three brothers grew up together (all the same age) and started fighting after they hit adolescence.  
• An older boar who got along with a pair of baby boars until the younger boars experienced puberty and fought for dominance.

DISCLAIMER: The pairings listed above aren’t hard and fast indicators for whether trio boar bonding will succeed or fail. They’re examples from the survey. 

Important Survey Takeaways

For the successfully bonded trios, pet parents said that large enclosures were necessary. They helped reduce the tension and fighting. It also helped to have three of everything. From food to water to bedding.  

The main reason for unsuccessful pairs was the spike of hormones during early boar teenage. Teenage in boars is between 4-14 months. The hormonal spike starts at 4 months and lasts for 6 months. It happens again in the weeks between 8 to 10 months. During this period, bonds can get broken, and the fight for dominance starts again.  

Sometimes brothers who have always gotten along can start fighting all of a sudden. Usually, this is when one of the brothers goes through a hormonal spike. This phase is tricky and can easily lead to a break in previously happy bonds.

The main solution pet parents used was separation to different cages and rehoming. They bought three separate cages for the boars. Then kept them near each other so that they could hear and smell each other.  

Many pet parents discourage grouping three boars together. They warn that fighting is likely to happen and to be prepared for it.

How Many Male Guinea Pigs Can Live Together?   

The recommended number of male guinea pigs that can live together one, large cage is 2. Two male guinea pigs can form one of the best bonds in guinea pig grouping.  However, some people have herds of 8 or more males – sharing a very large enclosure.

Here are the factors to consider when matching your boars:

• Age (best matches are younger boars with older boars). It’s almost always a disaster when boars reach their hormonal teenage years together. But, if they are introduced when one is very young, and the other is much older – they will likely become buddies for life.
• Temperament: It’s very difficult to bond two (or even three) dominant-seeking boars together. The best matches are two submissive boars, or one submissive and one dominant boar.
• Mutual Liking: Two boars who are indifferent to each other won’t bond well. The best matches are two boars who actively like being near each other, grooming each other, and sleeping touching each other.
• Environment: You have to make sure that the cage is HUGE, that there’s two of every toy, two food bowls, and two water bottles. A small cage will create too much competition and stress for two boars – let alone three.

The stereotype of boars being aggressive is due to their hormonal spikes. But, after 15 months or so, they calm down and get along better with each other (and probably even you!). This is when they will start to show their cute and cuddly side.

How Do You Introduce Three Male Guinea Pigs? 

If you’re introducing three male guinea pigs to each other, there’s a few things you’ll need to do to increase the odds of them bonding together well.

1. Take your time introducing them. Don’t just toss them into one big cage together – at least not at first. Start by letting them see, hear and smell each other through the bars of their cages. Do this for a few days (or weeks) – depending on whether you have to quarantine any of them first. House them in separate cages or in a huge cage with grids separating them.
2. Time for a face-to-face meeting. Make sure it’s in a neutral environment – like a bathroom or laundry room. Add a pile of hay for them munch on. By neutral, I mean that it’s an area that hasn’t been claimed by any of them as their own territory. This is important because if you put two boars together in one of their cages, the resident boar will be too stressed to bond with the new guy.
3. Let them explore each other. Keep an eye on them for signs of aggression like chasing, mounting or biting. But try not to interfere with regular dominance behaviors like rumble strutting. These are all part of the bonding process.
4. Give them time to work out who’s in charge. Once you’ve put them together in a neutral environment, leave them be for a few hours (or even overnight). This will give them time to get used to each other’s scent and figure out their social hierarchy.
5. Time to move in. If all goes well, and you notice them sleeping next to each other or grooming each other – it’s time to let them share a cage. Start with a large cage (at least 10 square feet) and add tons of hiding places (with at least two exits), hay, food, water, and toys.
6. Monitor their progress. Even if they seem to be getting along great at first, keep an eye on them for the first few days or weeks. Aggression can flare up at any time – especially during mealtimes or if you (God forbid) tried to bond three boars in their teenage years.
7. Have a backup plan. If they just can’t seem to get along, you may need to house them in separate cages – at least for now. This doesn’t mean that they’ll never be friends. It just means that they need more time to get to know each other.

Bonding guinea pigs requires a lot of patience and the nerves of a bomb defusal expert. It’s sometimes hard to know whether guinea pigs are playing or fighting.

Plus, you have to remember that you shouldn’t interfere with the bonding process unless blood has been drawn from a fight. Other than that, you have to let them work out their social hierarchy on their own.

A rookie error – and an honest one at that – is to separate the piggies before they’ve worked out who the “boss pig” is. If you do, and bring them back together, the whole process has to start all over again.

Not fun for you or the piggies.

Other Things To Remember When Trying To Bond 3 Male Guinea Pigs Together

Bonding two guinea pigs is one thing, but adding a third to the mix can be quite tricky. Here are a few other things you should remember when trying to bond three guinea pigs:

• Monitor their behavior so that you can separate them if the fighting escalates. Positive signs are grooming each other, eating together, and cuddling/sleeping together.  
• One of the main negative signs is serious injuries and bleeding. Also, constant teeth chattering, and constant hiding from each other. Bullying or ganging up on one, and preventing one piggie from eating or drinking is not good.  
• If they bond, you will see that they will get along quite fast and play and share food. You could even find them cuddling. Mounting is normal since they’re trying to establish dominance.  
• The introduction is best done in one go. Doing it over and over again can be stressful to boars. So don’t separate unnecessary and allow them to stay together and form bonds. 

Can You Keep Three Brother Guinea Pigs Together?   

No, you shouldn’t keep three brother guinea pigs together. Although they start out pretty well as babies, when they hit adolescence, and their personalities can turn aggressive (that testosterone spike, remember?). And then there ends up being a lot of fighting and potential fall outs.

Brothers are quick to turn on one another after hormone spikes during puberty so it will get messy.  These are the main reasons three brothers might not get along eventually:

1. They’ll Hit Those Tricky Teenage Years At The Same Time  

When they’re babies, three brothers can look so cute and get along really well. However, if they’re the same age, they will hit adolescence at the same time. It. Will. Be. A. Nightmare.

Guinea pigs experience adolescence from 4 months to 14 months. As male guinea pigs go through adolescence, their testosterone levels rise. This makes them want to be the dominant one in their group. They’ll become aggressive and jockey for position. This can lead to fighting.

If you have three brothers who are going through adolescence together, there’s a high chance that there’s going to be lots of squabbling and maybe even fighting between them. And I’m talking real fighting (like flying balls of fury), not just the “I’m the boss” kind of fighting.

You might even have to rehome one or two of them because they can’t get along anymore. Or even have to separate all three. This will result in serious injuries that can force you to separate them for good.  

2. They Haven’t Been Properly Matched

You don’t automatically get along with your siblings just because you’re related, right?

Guinea pig relationships are based on a hierarchy that determines who’s boss. The most submissive guinea pigs are at the bottom of the totem pole, and the most dominant guinea pigs are at the top.

If you have three brothers who are all about equal in terms of dominance, that can lead to some serious fighting because they’ll all be vying for the top spot.

You might not even know that your guinea pigs have these hierarchies because they can be really subtle. For example, one guinea pig might let the others eat first or might give up his spot on the hayloft to another guinea pig.

But trust me, they’re there.

And if you have three brothers who are equally dominant (or submissive), that’s a recipe for disaster.

3. They Don’t Like Each Other

Sometimes three brother guinea pigs don’t get along, because they just don’t like each other. This tends to manifest more clearly during those teenage years. But, you can sometimes see subtle signs earlier than that.

Remember…in the wild, piggies have a wide selection of potential friends. But, in our homes, we’re pretty much choosing their friends (or mates) for them.

So, it’s not unusual for three brother guinea pigs to not get along because they just don’t have that “spark” with each other.

If you have three brother guinea pigs and they don’t seem to like each other, it’s best to rehome one or two of them – or even to have them live as neighbors in separate cages.

Trying to force them to get along will just result in lots of fighting (and maybe even bloodshed).

How Much Space Do Three Guinea Pigs Need? 

Three guinea pigs need a minimum of 10.5’ square feet. However, the recommended space for three piggies is 13’ square feet.  

The table below shows the best cage size for the number of guinea pigs in square feet.

# of Guinea Pigs	Size Of Cage
1 piggie	10.5 square feet
2 piggies	10.5 square feet
3 piggies	13 square feet
4 piggies	16 square feet

It’s important to know that when it comes to boars, the larger the space, the better. Testosterone spikes cause boars to be very territorial. Large spaces help reduce fights.  

Can You Have Two Male Guinea Pigs Together?

Yes, you can keep two male guinea pigs together. In fact, this is one of the best ways to keep cavies happy and healthy. Make sure that they like each other and that their temperaments are compatible – like two cavies where one is naturally dominant while the other is more laid back.

Usually, you’ll want to avoid two male guinea pigs that are the same age. Instead , choose one that’s older and one that’s younger to minimize fighting. Typically, the younger guinea pig will submit to the older one.

If you want two piggies that are the same age, opt for two older males that have made it past the tricky teenage years. At this point, boars are a lot more calm and cuddly.

With patience, planning, and careful supervision, you can successfully keep two male guinea pigs together.

Is It Okay To Have Three Guinea Pigs?  

Yes. In some cases, it’s okay to have three guinea pigs. As long as depend on the gender, age, and temperament of the piggies being grouped. Here’s some things to consider when grouping three guinea pigs:

1. Cage Size 

Piggies need a lot of space. Large spaces allow them to roam and establish territory. As long as you provide your piggies with a large space, three guinea pigs can get along well together.  

2. Food, Water, and Bedding  

Make sure you have enough supplies like huts, food bowls, water bottles, and hay to accommodate three guinea pigs. Having more than one of each item will help reduce fighting over resources.

To be specific, make sure you have three of everything. Every cavy should have its own so that they don’t fight for one. For example, if a guinea pig is chased from a hideaway, then there’s another one for him to go to.

Also, keep the supplies slightly away from each other so that the guinea pigs have to move around to get what they want. This will help reduce fights because hoarding will be minimized.

3. Personality 

As long as you select three piggies with matching personalities, you won’t have any issues. Pick one with dominant traits and others with submissive traits. They’ll bond quickly. They should also have matching likes.  

4. Proper Introductions 

 When it comes to guinea pigs, first impressions are everything. Make sure you do a slow and proper introduction. This will help the piggies get used to each other’s smells, sounds, and sights gradually.

If you mess up this part of it, then you’ll have to start from scratch. Or you’ll be forced to separate your piggie due to constant fighting.  

5. Good Guinea Pig Pairings

For a trio, it’s important to pair the piggies well so that they can bond easily. Here’s some of the best pairings:

• A neutered male with two females – this is actually a pairing that works quite well. Female piggies have been observed to get along better in the presence of a male piggie. Also, male guinea pigs are very happy with two female piggies since they feel like ‘king of the territory’.
• Three females – Females can make good trios since they’re not at risk of hormone spikes. They’re tamer than boars and can form bonds. One sow will be dominant and the other two subservient. 
• 2 males in a cage and 1 male in a nearby cage. The two males will bond while the third male will enjoy the company of the other two without fighting. Guinea pigs get comfort just by smelling and hearing each other so this pairing also works.  

How Many Male Guinea Pigs Can Live Together?  

At the very least, 2 male guinea pigs can live together. At most, you can have up to 8 male guinea pigs living together. Make sure you match their personalities and that they’re bonded in pairs.  

Here’s the basic requirements to ensure male piggie groupings get along well:

• Large Space: They’ll need a large enclosure to reduce chances of fighting. Remember that guinea pigs are social creatures and love to roam around. They also like to establish their own territory.
• Adequate Resources: Make sure you have enough food, water, and bedding for all the piggies. It’s important that they don’t have to fight over resources. Place several heaps of hay in different parts of their run – either in hay feeders or in piles on the floor of the cage. This way one piggie doesn’t hog all of it.
• The Proper Mix: Choose a mix of boars that have both dominant and submissive personalities. This will help reduce the chance of fighting.
• Proper Introduction: Do a slow and gradual introduction so that they can get used to each other’s smells, sounds, and sights. Let them figure out their social hierarchy. If you give them enough space, time, and pair them by personality, then they’ll figure it out
• Lots of playthings: Give them lots of toys, places to hide, and tunnels they can burrow. To reduce the chances of fighting, make sure you have one of each (toys, huts, food bowls, water bottles, beddings). 

Can Male and Female Guinea Pigs Be Housed Together?  

Yes. Male and female guinea pigs can be housed together. However, they will need to be neutered. Neuter the male or the females to prevent pregnancies that are dangerous for piggies.  

One of the best groupings is one male with two or three female piggies. This makes for one of the best groupings, because it simulates what would happen in the wild. Females tend to get along better when there’s a male around and males are happier with two or three females.

But NEVER put two males and one female together. The two boars will fight for the female whenever she’s in heat These kinds of fights tend to get very rough and cause serious injuries.  

Can You Separate Bonded Guinea Pigs?  

Yes, you can separate bonded guinea pigs. It’s not ideal, because there’s always a chance that they might lose their bond. But, bonded piggies might need to be separated in case of: injury, pregnancy, fighting, bullying, or illness.

You can do this by putting them in separate cages or partitioning their shared cage. You could also rehome one of the piggies.  

Monitor the two piggies to see if they’re doing okay. If they’re too anxious, make sure you keep them close to each other but in separate cages.  

Things To Remember About Three Male Guinea Pigs Living Together

• The success rate of boar trios are very low. Although pet shops like selling them. 
• Unsuccessful bonding could happen with boars who had been getting along or new boars being introduced to each other. 
• The main cause of trio boar’s falling out is a hormonal spike that happens during their teenage. 
• If the fighting endangers the lives of your trio boars, separate them. Watch for signs like constant teeth chattering, injuries, one piggie preventing others from feeding, isolation, and hiding. 
• You can separate your trio but still, keep them near each other. This way they can still benefit from each other’s company.
• Give your three male piggies a lot of space. Ensure your enclosure meets the requirements for guinea pig cages. The rule of thumb is the larger the space, the better. 
• Have three of everything for your three male guinea pigs to reduce the chances of fights. Whether it’s toys, beds, huts, or water bottles. Also put several piles of hay in their cage, not just one big pile.