New Here>>>Introdicing a new rabbit to my Gp thats been on his own for 2 years. - Paw Talk

Pheobe · #1 02-01-2009, 07:50 AM

Hello,
I am hoping for some help.
I have a male guinea pig who has been on his own for about 2 years and my partner has suggested why dont we get a rabbit to keep him company.

Is this a good idea if he has been on his own for that length of time and if its ok what sex of rabbit would be suitable male or female to put with him?

Any replys i would be very greatful for.
Thankyou in advance.

Cazsamps · #2 02-01-2009, 08:42 AM

Please dont get a rabbit to go with him. Get another guinea pig for comapny if you want him to have a friend!
A rabbits diet differs from a guinea pigs,if they are together and have a squabble the rabbit could seriously hurt your piggy (rabbits stamp their back legs as i am sure you're aware and if it stamps it on your piggy its gonna cause a lot of damage!)

I am not being rude but why do people assume its ok to house 2 totally different species of animal together? You wouldnt house a chinchilla and a rabbit together or a rat and guinea pig it's just insane!!

VanillaRat · #3 02-01-2009, 09:49 AM

Bad idea!
Rabbits can seriously injure or kill guinea pigs.Plus their diets differ.
I really don't understand why people do it!

Get another piggy for him!
Guinea pigs are social and like being with their own kind!

**Dragonrain** · #4 02-01-2009, 12:47 PM

Hello

I agree with what everyone else said - rabbits and GP's have diffrent diet requirments and rabbits have been known to serously injure or kill GP's. Also, rabbits are expensive (especially for vet care) and you should do lots of research before you decide if they are the right pet for you.

http://www.petwebsite.com/article_re...Do%20Not%20Mix

marmalade · #5 02-01-2009, 10:23 PM

"I am not being rude but why do people assume its ok to house 2 totally different species of animal together? You wouldnt house a chinchilla and a rabbit together or a rat and guinea pig it's just insane!!"

You have to remember that people are just animals too. If what you say is true, then people shouldn't live with dogs or cats. Or dogs and cats shouldn't live together in the same house. I'm aware that they have VERY differing dietary needs, but if there were a rabbit of similar size to a guinea pig and their diets were monitered closely, then it might not be as "insane" as you think. Ive heard countless stories of rabbits and cavies living in perfect harmony.

I've never housed the two together but if the animals were appropriate for eachother, could each have sufficient diets etc. then i dont see why not. You run a risk by putting two animals together no matter which way you do it.

Scris129 · #6 03-30-2009, 05:38 PM

yeah searously dont get a rat please, on the cost of your guinea pig. just get another guinea pig

Jennicat · #7 03-31-2009, 08:37 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by marmalade


	"I am not being rude but why do people assume its ok to house 2 totally different species of animal together? You wouldnt house a chinchilla and a rabbit together or a rat and guinea pig it's just insane!!" You have to remember that people are just animals too. If what you say is true, then people shouldn't live with dogs or cats. Or dogs and cats shouldn't live together in the same house. I'm aware that they have VERY differing dietary needs, but if there were a rabbit of similar size to a guinea pig and their diets were monitered closely, then it might not be as "insane" as you think. Ive heard countless stories of rabbits and cavies living in perfect harmony. I've never housed the two together but if the animals were appropriate for eachother, could each have sufficient diets etc. then i dont see why not. You run a risk by putting two animals together no matter which way you do it.

That's just it -- they're not appropriate for each other. It's nearly impossible to keep their diets separate, and even a rabbit the same size as a guinea pig can easily injure the guinea pig seriously enough to die through play. (An adopter once recounted how her binkying rabbit slammed it's back feet into her guinea pig and cracked his ribs, one of which penetrated his lung and caused him to have to be put to sleep)

You do run a risk keeping any two animals together, but the risk between like sized carnivores with similar social structures is much different and easier to control than two herbivores in a small and enclosed cage.

Chinchi · #8 03-31-2009, 09:37 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by marmalade


	"I am not being rude but why do people assume its ok to house 2 totally different species of animal together? You wouldnt house a chinchilla and a rabbit together or a rat and guinea pig it's just insane!!" You have to remember that people are just animals too. If what you say is true, then people shouldn't live with dogs or cats. Or dogs and cats shouldn't live together in the same house. I'm aware that they have VERY differing dietary needs, but if there were a rabbit of similar size to a guinea pig and their diets were monitered closely, then it might not be as "insane" as you think. Ive heard countless stories of rabbits and cavies living in perfect harmony. I've never housed the two together but if the animals were appropriate for eachother, could each have sufficient diets etc. then i dont see why not. You run a risk by putting two animals together no matter which way you do it.

You can't compare dog and cat to rabbit and GP.

The dog has been domesticated trough a couple of thousand years. The domesticated dog (Canis lupus familiaris) is bread to live with us, and they have a flock structure that is a bit like ours, so it makes sence to live with dogs.
Cats are not that social (not looking at lions), but we are talking a house or appartment, not a cage. I'm not quite sure abot how long we've had domesticated cats, but this is also for a very long time.
If the cat and dog don't want to talk, they can get away from each other, this is not the case when you have two animals in one cage.

If you look at where they come from, the GP and rabbit don't eaven come from the same places. The GP is social, but the rabbit lives in colonies.
They do not know how to read each other - and the list could go on.

Yes, you can keep a GP and rabbit together.They might be fine for a couple of years, but eaven if the animals don't hurt each other, they will be stressed, and die too early.

This goes for other animals as well... You just don't mix species. Let the zoos do this, they have the space, and know what they are doing. The avrage person just don't have the space to mix species

Jess · #9 03-31-2009, 07:27 PM

Its a very bad idea to mix species like that... I dont even let my guinea pigs and rabbits play together, let alone live together in a small space.
Not only can a rabbit accidentally kill a pigger like the others have mentioned, and they have very different diets, but its very frustrating for both species to be around eachother, because they dont have even close to the same body language. They cant communicate to each other if they want to be alone, if they are angered by something the other has done, ect. and it just spells out disaster. When my rabbit Smudge interacts with an animal (and other human) that accidentally offend him in "rabbit language" without even knowing, he gets very upset, and is kind of rough on them.
Now imagine a 1.5-2 pound guinea pig that has just made a 5 + pound rabbit very mad... It wont turn out very well for the pigger.

marmalade · #10 04-02-2009, 10:27 PM

"You just don't mix species. Let the zoos do this, they have the space, and know what they are doing. The avrage person just don't have the space to mix species"

You guys brought up some good points, but I'm pretty sure no one one here is trying to toss a bunch of species together and hope for the best. There HAVE been successful housings of the two species together (and not just GP and rabbit) I wouldn't try it and am not advocating trying it, but to say that its INSANE is pretty harsh, I think. Jess, you mentioned that they don't have the same body language, but people and rabbit's dont either. Also, making general statements like "They WILL be stressed and die early" isn't very fair either. Most likely, maybe, possibly perhaps, but no one on here knows what is exactly going to happen in a situation like that. Judging by what I just read, I guess it isn't a good idea, and this isn't even my post. I wasn't trying to single anyone out, but its just tiring sometimes.

Kendalle · #11 04-03-2009, 12:15 AM

There have been successful cases but there also have been horrible accidents that can be prevented.

People and rabbits and gp's don't have the same body language, but people tend to learn rabbit body language and act accordingly, where animals tend to react and not rationalize and reason. People can force a rabbit to listen, if they don't want the rabbit to bother them they put the rabbit in its cage, if they want to play with the rabbit they take it out.

It is better to get a friend of the same species for social animals, and best to leave unsocial animals as single animals.

Jennicat · #12 04-03-2009, 06:34 AM

Yes, if you are a person and you have the same intellect as a guinea pig, you have much bigger problems on your hand. People are (as a species) adaptive and intelligent and able to learn things like other species' body languages. My guinea pigs still haven't learned that peeing in the food bowl ruins the food.

piggieslave · #13 08-10-2009, 09:08 PM

I've always heard that it can be super dangerous to put guinea pigs with rabbits. Rabbits are too strong and can kill a piggy....I wouldnt chance it personally.