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Dot: When Guinea Pigs Can’t Live Together

Published: 12/12/2012 | Author: HappyCavy | Updated: 3/5/2024

Guinea pigs separated in cage

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.

Guinea pig plush pink princess chair

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?

Join us in the comments

About HappyCavy

HappyCavy is the Internet's only three-webcam broadcast from inside the home of three female guinea pigs in Portland, Oregon.

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About This Guinea Pig Website

HappyCavy has been online since June 2009 with Hammy and Piglet. In October of 2009, a sweet, fuzzy cavy named Bitsy joined the webcam broadcasts.

Feebee and Buttercup were welcomed to the HappyCavy Forever Home as friends and co-conspirators in January 2011. Dot joined us on July 2012. Winnie and Rosie joined on February 8, 2015 and June 6, 2015, respectively. Sisters JuneBug and Baby Roo joined August 16, 2019, and Dollie came to us on February 15, 2023. Annie was the last pig to arrive on December 17, 2023. Find out more about the HappyCavy guinea pigs.

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