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It’s hard to believe The Humans brought home little Dot six months ago on July 2012. Dot’s been a HappyCavy for over half a year, and her introduction story has been a challenge, to say the least.
Since Dot’s welcoming to HappyCavy, she has been living a very comfortable life inside her separate quarters, a separation made necessary after she suddenly attacked Buttercup after three days of getting along with The Herd.
But the time has come to make a decision as to a permanent living situation for Dot. And, as The Humans tell me, the verdict is in: Dot will be living separately from Hammy, Feebee, and Buttercup for the foreseeable future.
This decision was not easy for The Humans. Dot is the first guinea pig who has not been introduced without conflict since The Humans’ got their first guinea pig, Piglet, and The Humans will be the first to admit to making stupid mistakes during the process. But the decision to keep Dot permanently separated just makes sense.
The thing is, Dot gets along just fine with her sisters when they are separated by a cage grid, but once they are together, the chattering and rumble-strutting is too much to bear.
Many resources about how to introduce guinea pigs will tell you to avoid interfering with an introduction process, even if sounds and behavior become aggressive, because it’s important for the pigs to work out dominance on their own. But how does one decide if guinea pigs just can’t live together? At what point is permanent separation necessary?
Dot Has a New Home…
…With VIP ramp access! Read the story, see the photos:
– Dot Gets a Guinea Pig Ramp
The Humans pinned their decision on one vital question:
“Is there a reasonable expectation that, if Dot is successfully introduced to The Herd, she will not make another attack when The Humans are out of the house?”
The answer is, absolutely not.
There is no way either Human would feel comfortable leaving Dot alone while she’s with the rest of The Herd. She may seem to get along for a short time if introductions are successful, but a fight could break out at any moment if a Human was absent for even just a few minutes.
How To Decide If Guinea Pigs Can’t Live Together
If you’re dealing with a tough round of introductions, or you can’t decide if your pigs should be re-introduced or separated permanently, ask yourself:
“Can I guarantee no attacks, no bruises, no scratches?”
If you can’t answer “yes”, we feel it is better to separate than to be sorry.
Read more about Dot’s guinea pig introduction story!
– Dot: A Guinea Pig Introduction
– Dot: Separated
– Dot Introduction Suspended
– Dot The Guinea Pig: An Update
– Buttercup’s Lip and Dot’s Re-Introduction Plans
– Dot: A Continuation of the Guinea Pig Introduction Process
Dot’s New Digs
Sometime early next near, The Humans will be re-designing the HappyCavy Forever Home to provide more room for Dot and the other guinea pigs. More news will arrive in 2013!
Share Your Story
Did you go through a difficult introduction process? How did you handle it?
Do you have a guinea pig family living separately?
will dot ever get a friend in her side?
Solitary pigs are solitary, she really does seem happier solo. Perhaps if Herd dynamics change and there’s a personality shift, they all may get along. But only time will tell…
I have two boars. I got a friend for Peanut when he was a year old, Zorro, the cutest little 4 month old piggy. They got along for 3 months, then Zorro decided that he was going to be the dominant pig, which was not a problem for Peanut, if it haven’t been because he is very sensitive about his back and flinches at the slightest touch. Now they just casually rumble stutter through the bars to each other, and oh how they love to cuddle together when they are picked up together (actually they can’t be picked up separately without the one in the cage screaming). I would love for them to get along.
Aww! I wish the little fuzzies would get along, too 🙁