Is It Better for Guinea Pigs to Be in Pairs? (The Honest Truth)

If you’re going to get a guinea pig, how many should you get. Are guinea pigs better in pairs? Or should you just go with one?

Yes, guinea pigs should live in pairs. Guinea pigs are herd animals, meaning they need the company of their own kind to be healthy. Studies have shown that most guinea pigs who live in pairs are happier and healthier than those who live alone. They form strong bonds with their partners and have happier, relaxed lives.

There are a lot of factors to consider when it comes to pairing guinea pigs. Keep reading to find out.

Is It Better For Guinea Pigs To Live In Pairs?

It’s generally recommended that guinea pigs live in pairs. This is because they form strong bonds and enjoy living together, sharing food and treats. If a guinea pig lives alone, it can get lonely.

Guinea pigs are herbivorous animals that live in groups for protection. They need to be in big groups to feel safe. In the wild, they move around in big herds to stay safe.

Pet guinea pigs still have that instinct.

They’re still social animals that get easily depressed when they’re alone. Having other guinea pigs around gives a will to live.

The benefits of guinea pigs living in pairs are:

• Companionship
• Less picky eating – the company helps them develop healthy eating habits
• More active – they chase each other around the cage and play together

Pairs of guinea pigs are necessary when adopting one. They will bond and have a relationship for life. They will be able to play together, share food, and cuddle together.

In order to pair guinea pigs, there are three factors to consider:

• Gender
• Individual characteristics
• Age

Gender

When it comes to pairing guinea pigs, gender matters most. This is because pet parents don’t want to have to worry about a bunch of baby guinea pigs running around. So, it’s common for people to pair same-sex cavies.

Sows (females) and boars (males) tend to have different characteristics based on their gender. Generally, sows are less temperamental than boars. However, this only applies during the time when boars are adolescents.

Older male guinea pigs are also known to be sweet and more open to cuddles than sows.

There is also the danger of boars impregnating sows if they’re paired together.

Guinea pig’s pregnancies aren’t a good idea for two reasons:

• Almost one-third of pregnancies in pigs end in the death of the mama and sometimes the babies too.
• There are many guinea pigs available for adoption. It’s better and more ethical to adopt than breed.

So, if you’re planning on getting piggies, get the same sex. Or if you lost one and need to introduce a new piggie, get another of the same sex.

Individual characteristics

Individual characteristics should be compatible so that they can bond quickly. If guinea pigs don’t bond, they will constantly fight. These fights can easily be fatal if blood is drawn.

Now, let’s look at why you need their characteristics or temperament to be compatible.

Pigs have a hierarchical relationship where one pig is dominant over the others. This is similar to how you might act with your boss or older siblings.

You want to pair animals together that can quickly establish a hierarchy. You don’t want the fight for dominance to last too long because they can get pretty rough and a piggie can get injured.

For easier pairings, here are matches you can look at:

• Timid/Bold
• Playful/Solemn
• Loud/Quiet
• Picky Eater/Big Appetite

There are many other things you can look at. The key is looking at which personalities are more likely to fit into the dominant/submissive roles.

Age

Age will also determine the hierarchy, especially in the case of boars. Boars go through adolescence at 8-12 months old. At this time, there is a sharp increase in testosterone.

This is why boars tend to be aggressive. Testosterone makes them act in an aggressive way. This can upset the balance of relationships between boars that are bonded together.

What happens is that each boar, or at least the submissive one, will want to fight for domination. This tends to lead to very serious fights that sometimes end up in separation.

You should not get boars of the same age. They should not go through adolescence at the same time.

Although large age gaps seem ideal, it doesn’t always work out that way. Sometimes it’s easy for pairs to get along, but in other cases the pairs don’t want to be together. So it might be better to get a pair with a small age gap, not necessarily a large one.

How Many Guinea Pigs Should You Keep? (Pet Parents Weigh-In)

Ideally, you should keep two guinea pigs. A pair of guinea pigs are easy to manage and friendly to the pocket. But if you have more resources, you can keep more than two.

I wanted to find out the ideal number from guinea pig parents. So, I manually surveyed 198 guinea pig owners to find out how many piggies they had.

Here are the findings from my survey:

• 75 respondents (38%) kept two guinea pigs. Many of these piggies had been adopted from the rescue center. Some of them were already bonded. Others were siblings while other pairs were father/son or mother/daughter. For those who weren’t bonded, owners did the introduction themselves. In some cases, a companion died so they introduced a new piggie to the remaining one.
• 43 of the respondents (22%), had four guinea pigs. In most of these cases, it was same-sex groups. A few were one male and three females. For the male and females group, the boar had been neutered.
• 30 of the respondents (15%) had six guinea pigs. The groups were made of pairs of bonded piggies. Some of these parents had adopted them. In some cases, new pairs had been introduced over time.
• 20 respondents had 8 guinea pigs. For these pet parents, they had an enclosure outside or a dedicated room. According to many of the parents, the guinea pigs got along and didn’t fight. The enclosures were very large with plenty of toys so the guinea pigs were entertained.
• 14 respondents (7%) had one guinea pig. In some cases, the pair had died so they kept one. While some parents bought one at the pet store, some owners had tried to pair the remaining piggie unsuccessfully and left it alone.
• 10 of the respondents (5%) had a trio. They were either three boars or three sows. Of the boars, many of them were either past adolescence or under the age of adolescence. There was a pair of old boars with a baby boar.
• 6 of the respondents (3%) had more than 8 guinea pigs. Most of them were either 10 or 12. The owners had rescued many of them. For some, they adopted from the rescues and had resources and space to keep all of them.

Many parents had different experiences, but some of the same issues came up.

Here are some highlights:

• If you need to keep more guinea pigs, you should have a larger enclosure. This ensures that your piggies have enough space to move around.
• Regular vet visits are important and expensive. One parent said it cost him $60 every time he went to the vet. If you keep a lot of guinea pigs, it will be expensive.
• Food is also a large expense. Guinea pigs need lots of hay. You need to give them a fresh batch every day.
• Their bedding also needs to be spot cleaned daily. If it’s wood shavings or paper, it needs changed every three days or so. Then you should deep clean the cage at least once a week.
• The more guinea pigs you have, the more expensive it is.

You can start with two guinea pigs, but make sure you can take care of all your piggies comfortably because piggies can be adorably addictive. Don’t bite more than you can chew.

You don’t want to find yourself in a situation where you can’t take care of your little friends. This means making sure they have hay every day and that you can take them to the vet if they need it.

Can Guinea Pigs Live Alone?

Guinea pigs can live by themselves, but it’s not ideal. Guinea pigs are social animals and get lonely if they’re by themselves. Company is important for their health.

In rare cases, some cavies have been so traumatized or have such a dominant personality that they fight with every guinea pig that their pet parent tries to introduce to them.

If you have to keep them together, it’s better to put them in separate cages in the same room. That way, they can be happy neighbors instead of miserable roommates.

Is It Ok To Have Just One Guinea Pig?

It’s only “okay” to have one guinea pig in certain situations. Ideally, all guinea pigs should live with a piggie friend – either as cage mates or neighbors in an enclosure where they can see, smell, and chat with each other.

But, sometimes, life happens like:

• A guinea pig is rescued from a dangerous situation and you can’t take care of any more.
• You (or a reputable rescue) has tried to pair your guinea pig with another without success.
• One of your guinea pigs has passed away. Instead of getting a new one and continuing the cycle of piggie death and replacement, you decide to avoid that situation.
• Your living situation won’t allow for more than one guinea pig.

If any of these situations apply to you, then you should do your research on how to give your guinea pig the best life possible.

If you’re only going to have one guinea pig, it’s important to learn about what they need to be happy and healthy.

Piggies that live by themselves need more time and attention than piggies that live with a friend. They get lonely more easily.

This means that you need to be prepared to spend several hours every day playing with, petting, and cuddling your single guinea pig. Spoiling that piggie can help prevent loneliness and depression, which can lead to serious illness.

Do Guinea Pigs Feel Lonely If They Live Alone?

Yes, guinea pigs can feel lonely if they live alone because most guinea pigs are supposed to live with other guinea pigs.

Guinea pigs that live alone may be less playful and confident.

You won’t be able to spend all your time with your piggie. So they will need some company. Having a pair of pigs will help keep them company.

Can Guinea Pigs Live Alone Happily? 

Yes, some guinea pigs can be happy living alone. This happens when they have had a bad life or if they were not introduced to other guinea pigs well. Sometimes they will reject any attempts to bond with others.

Guinea pigs have different personalities, so some of them can live by themselves and others can’t stand being alone.

Watch this video for a summary on why guinea pigs need to live in pairs:

Can Guinea Pig Die Of Loneliness?

Yes, guinea pigs can die if they feel lonely enough for long enough. Loneliness impacts their health negatively, which can lead to them losing their appetite. If they don’t eat, they will eventually die.

A lonely guinea pig can become very sad. They will refuse to eat or drink, and they’ll stop grooming themselves. You might find them hunched in a corner.

When a guinea pig stops eating, it will get into a serious condition called gut stasis. This is when the gut stops moving. The guinea pig’s gut needs to constantly move for it to be healthy.

Gut stasis can cause sudden death in guinea pigs.

What If My Guinea Pigs Fight?

If your guinea pigs start fighting, you should separate them right away. Fights can cause serious injuries to your guinea pigs. After you separate them, find out what caused the fight. This will help you see if the problem can be fixed. If it can’t, you might need to separate some of the guinea pigs for good.

Separate Immediately

Separation should be immediate because they can easily injure each other. These injuries can blind them or cause even more serious damage. Some guinea pigs even lose their legs in fights.

Put them in different cages if you have them. If you don’t, you can just use a divider to split the cage in two. Separation is necessary for your piggies to cool down.

In fact, most piggies calm down after separation and are able to be reunited. However, there are cases where separation has to be permanent.

Sometimes, even if the guinea pigs are fighting, they can get anxious when they’re separated. So you might need to keep them in a place where they can see each other.

Identify The Cause

You need to find the cause of the problem in order to solve it. Your pigs might be fighting over territory, or one might be getting bullied. Once you know what is causing the fights, you can work to resolve the issue.

You can also learn if you need to separate them permanently.

Another important factor to remember is that guinea pigs are very territorial. So, the cause of their fights might be because they’re sharing things. For example food bowls, toys, huts, etc.

You will need to buy one of each type of toy and feeding bowl for your guinea pigs. Guinea pigs can be cute, but they don’t like sharing. It may surprise you, but it’s true.

Think About Permanent Solutions

It is important to find a permanent solution to prevent future fights from happening. Sometimes, guinea pigs who used to get along well can start fighting. This is often the case with boars.

When boars go through adolescence, they might fight for dominance. This can lead to a break in the previously established relationship. If these fights are serious, they might need to be permanently separated.

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

There is no real comparison between male and female guinea pigs. Male guinea pigs can be just as cute and cuddly as female guinea pigs when they are older.

Some people say that boars are more affectionate than sows. Sows are known for their soft temperament. But every guinea pig is different, according to piggie parents.

You can get any type of guinea pig you want. Guinea pigs have different personalities, which don’t depend on their gender.

You only need to prepare for your boar when they are adolescents. After this, they will become much calmer.

Can 2 Female And 1 Male Guinea Pigs Live Together?

It’s possible for 2 female and 1 male guinea pigs to live together. This is a popular combination of guinea pigs. But this will only work if the male or females have been neutered. In many cases, the male gets neutered.

This is to prevent the male from impregnating the two female guinea pigs. As I said before, pregnancy isn’t recommended for female piggies.

Their bodies might not be able to handle it. Plus, there’s plenty of piggies up for adoption that would be soooo happy to have a good home.

A trio of 2 females and 1 male is typically a good pairing  for two reasons:

• It’s similar to the wild where a herd has several females and one male.
• Female guinea pigs are calmer in the presence of a male guinea pig.

Can Two Male Guinea Pigs Be In The Same Cage?

Yes, male guinea pigs can be in the same cage together. If they are introduced well, they will bond and have a strong relationship.

If you match them well, two male guinea pigs can give you years of joy. Actually, I wrote a lot about the subject in the posts: 10 Simple Ways to Keep Male Guinea Pigs Happy Together and Can Three Male Guinea Pigs Live Together? (Find Out Now). You might want to check them out.

Many piggie parents have these pairs. Boars calm down a lot after adolescence and become the best little furballs you could ever have.

Are Male Guinea Pigs Nicer Than Females?

Social proof shows that male guinea pigs are nicer than females in their older age while females seems to be nicer to their humans when they’re younger.

Each gender has its own set of good qualities. And you have to consider the personality of individual guinea pigs, too.

Some male guinea pigs have bolder personalities, which can make them better pets. Female guinea pigs are calmer and make great pets too.

Final Thoughts

To conclude, let’s summarize some points of the article:

• It’s better for guinea pigs to be in pairs. They’re herd animals and should not be living alone.
• You can keep more than two guinea pigs. But remember to have them in pairs so that one isn’t left out.
• Typically, trios aren’t a good pairing. Many don’t succeed in bonding.
• It’s important for guinea pigs to bond. The introduction has to be done properly. Bonded piggies will live in harmony sharing food and playing together.
• Whether male or female, guinea pigs are great pets. They have individual traits that make them even more endearing.
• If your guinea pigs fight, separate them. This will prevent injuries and help them calm down. Remember to AVOID using your bare hands when you separate them.