[Gpdd] MISC - rabbits and guinea pigs

[a.mills at portset.net]

Hello

Someone wrote asking whether it would be possible to get a rabbit to live with their male guinea pig.  Rabbits and guinea pigs living together is a very controvercial subject.  Some people say no way, some say they're o.k.  Myself, I'm somewhere in between.  I've had quite a bit of experience of them living together and as far as I'm concerned there's no hard and fast rule.  A lot depends on the temperament of the rabbit.  Many rabbits, particularly large ones, are just too boisterous to live with guinea pigs.  Even some smaller ones are not suitable.  One thing that I think is very important is that if they do live together the guinea pig should have somewhere to hide, preferably something like a tube that the rabbit can't get into.  This will give them somewhere to go if the rabbit becomes too much of a nuisance.  In my experience, the best rabbit to live with a guinea pig is a female netherland dwarf.  Male netherlands can be very lively and keep trying to mate with a gui!
nea pig which is obviously not good.  However, in my experience female netherlands are usually fine with guinea pigs.  Again, I would not always say this is the case.  Although mine have been fine it might not be the case with some.  Funnily enough, I've just had an experience concerning a rabbit and guinea pig.  One of my guinea pigs had been living with a male lionhead rabbit for about 2 years.  Suddenly, the rabbit began making a nuisance of himself and wouldn't stop trying to hump the guinea pig so eventually they had to be separated.  Last week I got the guinea pig a little guinea pig friend and they're getting on fine.  The new boy is an all brown rex.  The older boy is 4 years old now so I think has calmed down and this is why he's accepted his new friend so easily.  Personally, I think your best bet would be to get a baby male guinea pig as a friend for your older male.  You say you are afraid they'll fight, but in my experience introducing a baby to an older boy usu!
ally works very well.  You should get as young a baby as possible, preferably between 4 and 6 weeks old.  I've kept guinea pigs now for about 17 years and have done this many times.  It's very unusual for it not to work.  Yes' there will be dominance displays to begin with but these will generally ease off within a very short time.  I've never had anyone injured during an introduction and find that they soon become friends.  If you're really set on a rabbit, I'd go for a female netherland.  Provide the pig with hiding places, just in case and keep a very close watch on them to be sure that they're getting on.