How Many Guinea Pigs Should You Get? (Time to Find Out)

It’s finally time… You’re getting a guinea pig! But how many should you get? And should you get two of the same gender?

You should get at least two guinea pigs to start with. If you have the resources to care for more, then you can get more. Make sure you think about things like space, feeding, and cleaning.

If you can care for a lot of piggies, then go ahead and get as many as you want. Just make sure you take care of them all.

In this blog post, I’ll tell you all you need to know about pairing guinea pigs.

You’ll also find out why guinea pigs typically shouldn’t be alone.

How Many Guinea Pigs Should A Beginner Get?

You should have at least two guinea pigs if you’re a beginner. Two guinea pigs are more than enough for a beginner to handle if you’re just learning how to properly take care of them.

Plus, most guinea pigs are social creatures and they need companionship to be happy. If you don’t pair them with at least ONE other guinea pigs that they LIKE, they can get depressed and even stop eating. So, it’s very important that you have at least two guinea pigs from the start.

Having two guinea pigs isn’t too hard to take care of.

Actually, it’s not much different than just taking care of one. Plus, you’ll learn more about your cavies’ personalities, because you’ll be able to observe how they interact with each other.

How Many Guinea Pigs Is Too Many?

You can have as many guinea pigs as you want, as long as you can take care of all of them. This includes providing them with a safe environment and a balanced diet. Plus, you should have the money to take them to the vet when they need advanced medical care.

Before you dive into adopting a herd of guinea pigs ask yourself a few questions:

• How big is your house and space? Do you have room to accommodate more than two guinea pigs?
• What’s your lifestyle like? If you’re on the go constantly, then you might not have time to take care of more than two guinea pigs.
• Do you have the money to take care of more than two guinea pigs? Hay, food, bedding, enrichment toys, and unexpected vet bills can add up quickly.

Ultimately, there’s no right answer to how many guinea pigs you should get. It all depends on your individual circumstances.

Just make sure that you’re prepared to take care of as many guinea pigs as you adopt.

How Many Guinea Pigs Should Live Together?

Guinea pigs should have a minimum of two living together. They’re typically social animals and do better when paired with another compatible guinea pig.

If you have enough space, you can have more than two living together. What matters is that you should not have just one pig.

Keeping guinea pigs together is a fun experience. They will feel safer and be more active.

In the wild, guinea pigs stay together in large groups. You’ll give them that feeling if you keep a lot of them together.

Plus,, you’ll learn a lot about their behaviors. You’ll get to experience many fun things with your piggie-pack.

How Many Guinea Pigs Do People Have? (Pet Parents Weigh In)

Most piggie owners have around 2 to 5 guinea pigs. That’s the majority.

To further my point, I conducted manual research on 192 guinea pig owners. This survey was to find out how many guinea pigs they own.

And what did I find out? Well here you go:

• Many piggie owners have just a pair of guinea pigs. Some want more piggies but can’t get them due to factors like space and vet bills.
• Some piggie owners have around 3 to 5 guinea pigs.
• Others have up to 10 guinea pigs.
• I found a few piggie-obsessed owners with up to 15 piggies.
• Surprisingly though, a handful of them have just one guinea pig.

Let’s get a little more professional.

From my analysis, here’s the number of guinea pigs most people own:

13% (45 piggie owners) have just one guinea pig. Most of these people have reasons for having one cavy. Some lost their second piggie.

Some other people have very old piggies that they want to spend time with. They also don’t want to stress them by trying to bond them with another cavy.

40% (77 piggie owners) have a pair of guinea pigs. This is what most piggie owners have. It’s not too much to cater for and it’s the ideal number for beginners.

32% (61 piggie owners) have about 3-5 guinea pigs. These are mostly people who are hooked after having their first pair.

15% (29 piggie owners) have more than 5 guinea pigs. Some of them have as many as 10 and even 15 cavies. You’re free to say these people are experts since some have had piggies for almost a decade.

Can Guinea Pigs Live Alone?

Yes, guinea pigs can live alone. If you provide your cavy with constant care and a balanced diet, it can survive alone. Honestly though, guinea pigs really shouldn’t live alone.

Piggies like to be around other piggies; they’re social animals. If you keep your piggie by itself, it might get sad and depressed.

If a cavy is left alone, it will usually lay down and not care about anything. If this happens, the cavy might not want to eat food. This can lead to the cavy losing a lot of weight and becoming sick.

It is generally a good idea to not leave your furry friend alone. Get them at least one friend. You can keep your cavy alone in its cage, but it should have at least one other cavy for company next door.

Can Guinea Pigs Live Alone Happily?

Yes, guinea pigs can live alone happily. Some guinea pigs have been traumatized by life experiences that make them violent around other piggies. Others have such dominant personalities that it’s hard to find a friend that can put up with them.

But, even these piggies need companionship and interaction.

And that’s where you need to come in. Be prepared to spend a lot of time with your piggie if you don’t want to get it a friend (or if you’ve tried to get them a friend, but it didn’t work out).

You’ll need to give your fur baby plenty of love, attention, and playtime.

If you think you can commit to this, then go ahead and get just one guinea pig. But, if you’re not sure, then get your piggie a friend.

Can Male Guinea Pigs Live Alone?

Yes male guinea pigs can live alone. Although they shouldn’t be, you can keep a male piggie alone if it’s necessary. For example, a very aggressive male guinea pig would be better left alone.

Now, alone doesn’t necessarily mean that your guinea pig should be the only guinea pig in the house.

Lots of piggies do well with other guinea pigs as “neighbors” in separate cages instead of “roommates” sharing the same enclose.

That way, the guinea pigs get all the benefits of companionship WITHOUT the risk of fighting, bullying, and blood shed.

Most guinea pigs should live with another guinea pig. But there are some exceptions, like what I mentioned before.

I hope you understand this. Now on to the next one.

Do Guinea Pigs Get Depressed By Themselves?

Guinea pigs are social creatures by nature, so it’s not surprising that they can get depressed when they have to live alone.

Without another guinea pig to interact with, they can become withdrawn and listless. In extreme cases, they may even stop eating and waste away.

Thankfully, there are a few simple things you can do to help your guinea pig feel better.

• Try to spend more time playing with them yourself.
• Provide plenty of enrichment opportunities like extra floor time outside of their enclosure, hay stuffed toilet paper rolls, boxes stuffed with shredded paper, etc.
• Sing and talk to your little friend often. You’d be surprised how much of a difference it makes in getting a guinea pigs to trust you.

Bonding with your guinea pig is important, but for most guinea pigs it’s not a substitute for having another piggie around.

If your guinea pig is showing signs of depression, you should strongly consider getting them a friend as soon as possible.

Is 3 Guinea Pigs A Good Number?

Yes, three guinea pigs can be a good number depending on the pairings. A neutered boar with two sows can be a good pairing. You can keep three female pigs together too.

If you already have two male guinea pigs that are getting along well, DON’T try to add a third.

There’s A LOT of social proof that those types of pairings usually end in disaster. Usually with ALL of the guinea pigs falling out with each other.

Is It Better To Have 1 Or 2 Guinea Pigs?

It’s better to have two guinea pigs. Having a companion is important for your guinea pigs’ mental health.

If you don’t have a good reason, you shouldn’t get just one piggie. Reputable rescues will often give you a bonded pair of piggies or help you match up your single fur baby with a good friend.

Pretty cool, right?

It’s important to have more than one guinea pig. Most rescues will tell you not to get just one.

If you’re a busy person, don’t get just one guinea pig. You will need to spend a lot of time with the guinea pig and be it’s companion since they don’t have a friend.

Is It Better To Have 2 Male Or 2 Female Guinea Pigs?

It’s better to have two female guinea pigs than having two males. The best piggie combos are two females or a neutered boat and a sow. Two males can be a headache unless they’re brothers.

Even as brothers, they need to have been together for a while or else they might still fight a lot.

But for females, it’s much easier to get along. One of the pairs may assert dominance over the other but that’s okay.

Can Two Male Guinea Pigs Be In The Same Cage?

Yes, two male guinea pigs can be in the same cage. It’s recommended that they’re brothers. They should be bonded before they’re six weeks old.

Also, try not to keep a female close to them. The scent of a female can lead to fights and disrupt their relationship.

Are Male Guinea Pigs Nicer Than Females?

Yes, male guinea pigs are nicer and friendlier than females. Your male piggie is more likely to let you carry him around than a female is.

Many owners say that male guinea pigs are more outgoing and easier to bond with than females. Although males can be aggressive to each other, they love their owners.

Final Thoughts

Two. It’s better for you to have two guinea pigs to start off with. Better for your guinea pigs and better for you.

Guinea pigs are easier to care for if you adopt already bonded pairs. If you’re a busy person, you don’t have to split your head open worrying about them.

You can go out with confidence knowing that you won’t meet a half-dead piggie when you get back.

If you’re getting more than two piggies, make sure that you don’t mix a bunch of males with females. That’ll lead to a bunch of fighting and fall outs as they try to mate with the females.

And now matter house many guinea pigs you get, please make sure that you can properly care for ALL of them.

So, how many guinea pigs do you have? Let me know in the comments below.