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Should I Choose A Male Or A Female Guinea Pig?


Guinea pigs make great pets, whatever the gender. The secret lies in getting the right combination.

If you already have guinea pigs, newcomers should be of the same sex, or neutered, to prevent unwanted litters. It’s best to keep guinea pigs in same-gender combinations, so that you won’t have to neuter them. Any operation is stressful and risky for a guinea pig.


Guinea pig genders
Keeping same-gender groups of Guinea Pig prevents you being overrun with baby GPs!

Introducing New Guinea Pigs

When homing more guinea pigs, avoid introducing sows to unneutered boars if the females are over one year old and haven’t had babies before. It is very risky for these sows to get pregnant, as their hip bones will have hardened by this age, and that makes it difficult for them to deliver pups, and can prove fatal.

So, always ensure you’re 100% certain of the gender of all the guinea pigs involved.


Guinea pig genders
Male or female? Make sure you know the genders of all your guinea pigs

An all-female group of guinea pigs is a popular choice. You’ll get very little trouble or conflict in such a troupe. All-male groups are a popular choice too, and after a bit of jostling to establish the hierarchy, they’ll get on just fine. If they’re from the same litter, that’s ideal, as they will have sorted out pecking order already.

For more tips on introducing guinea pigs, take a look at the introducing guinea pigs section of this Guide.

Customer Images

Comments

Kacee, 8 January 2020

Hello What Names Is Male & A Female Names.


Victoria, 10 September 2019

Very helpful very cute pictures


Kayte, 9 August 2019

Kylie - guinea pigs get very, very sad if there is only one of them. Look into getting a pair from a rescue where you can get a better deal. Also, guinea pigs need a lot more room than pet stores say! Consider building a cage. Most people make a C&C cage. Look it up online! On YouTube, you can learn a lot about piggies. I listen to Saskia of the Los Angeles guinea pig rescue the most. She knows a lot!


Guineapiglove543, 6 July 2019

Which gender of guinea pig is more social?


Marcie, 22 May 2019

Either one is good, but they are pack rodents, which means they do better with another one. Why don't you ask your parents to match another guinea pig to the one you buy as part of your early Christmas, or birthday present. Just remember to keep them the same gender.