Guinea pig companionship by chinchillas and degus?

[Wayfarin]

Hey folks!
The question I'm asking here is probably out of curiosity mostly.
It came to my mind because we have a single male guinea pig. He's oppressive towards females and aggressive towards males, and neutering him won't change that.
Our current consensus is that we should just keep him alone. He takes well to human interaction, better than any guinea pig that we've kept in communally. He's currently our only guinea pig.
I've heard that some people keep male mice with soft-fur rats to prevent breeding. They seem to be able to bond somewhat, even though they are not even in the same genus.
I was wondering if something like this might sometimes be true of guinea pigs. In particular, I was wondering if chinchillas and degus could have value for decent companionship.

Now, I'm aware that different species of rodent should not be allowed to share the same living quarters 99% of the time.
Accidents can happen, fights over space can occur, or one animal can eat too much of the other's food and become nutritionally unwell.
My question is only referring to out-of-the-cage floor times and play times. Would it be benefit, or for the worst, if guinea pigs and chinchillas/degus were allowed to roam together?
Perhaps it would be acceptable, but would it be of value to the guinea pig?
Please note that I do not have degus or chinchillas. This is sort of just out of curiosity.
I know that there are many cases of interspecies companionships.
Just because two species can't communicate doesn't mean that the presence of another species is nothing but a stress factor.
Also, perhaps the most important form of interspecies communication for them, which is fear or anger, CAN be communicated, because both will teeth-chatter when displeased.

Before anyone freaks out, please note that I don't take guinea pigs lightly, so I'm asking this not out of an irrational selfishness. I don't currently keep different animals with guinea pigs,
so if I believe that interspecies tolerance is possible, it's not just to justify the way I keep my pets. I just think that this is one of those things that turns people off without being proven false.
Any input is free to be given, for other people's benefit as well.
Thanks! God bless!

 

[HooahArmy]

Hey there! I just saw your post and would like to help you answer with the help of my friend, Hashmina, who currently lives with a guinea pig clan, bunny, chinchilla troupe, and other critters in Cairo, Egypt. Her family has kept guinea pigs and other rodents for several decades, thus I consulted with her since I saw your question unanswered for so long.
Truth is, the best pal for a guinea pig is another guinea, even when just during play. Guinea pigs acknowledge they are prey creatures and communicate best with other guinea pigs. When placed near another small mammal, even something we see as harmless as a rabbit, the guinea pigs become nervous after some time, since they are unable to tell if the other critter is a friend or foe. Her guinea-buddies have sniffed at bunny cages, but in defense, the bunnies have tried to bite through the cage, thinking the same about the guinea pigs. Degus, she states, can be very defensive and skittish around unfamiliar-smelling creatures.
In one accident she had while changing bedding, a chinchilla slipped through the dividing bars of a pen and met up with a male guinea pig. The male guinea wasn't sure what to think of the chinchilla until he decided it was best to be amorous. Hashmina thought it was cute that they sniffed one another for a moment, then nuzzled. However, in the next, the male guinea attempted to mount the chinchilla, and all heck broke loose.
Separating two fighting small mammals is very difficult and stressful for the creatures. My friend received bites that needed stitches. She attempted to use a broom and eventually separated the brawlers, but sadly during the process, the guinea pig broke his paw and also needed treatment for bites he sustained. The chinchilla needed antibiotics as well and was covered in permanent bald patches from scarring. Only two minutes elapsed before the fight began. The money spent for Hashmina and her animals' medical bills was over 2000 US dollars.

In summation, the best thing one could do for a lonely pet is to house them with others of their kind. Male guinea pigs (aka. boars) can happily live in a community with other boars they trust, and do so in the wild. If your guinea friend is lonely, your best bet is to slowly introduce him to another male guinea, extra slowly since you know he's aggressive. Some of my friend's male guinea pigs live alone, because they simply are a tad bit too naughty, and sometimes their personalities just have it that they like to be alone.
Attempting to bond your critter with another species is a risk, as fights that break out are nearly impossible to break up and can be dangerous to both you and the critters. Critters can't speak to voice their intentions, and hence it can be very easy for them to interpret another as a predator. Critters of the same species are much less likely to do so.
Hopefully in the future, you can find a fellow guinea-pal for your guinea-buddy if you would like to do so and can have the patience to slowly allow him to bond. However, since he is known to be persistently aggressive, he could be one of those bachelor males who simply like to be kept that way.

 

[Dry Desert]

Hey folks!
The question I'm asking here is probably out of curiosity mostly.
It came to my mind because we have a single male guinea pig. He's oppressive towards females and aggressive towards males, and neutering him won't change that.
Our current consensus is that we should just keep him alone. He takes well to human interaction, better than any guinea pig that we've kept in communally. He's currently our only guinea pig.
I've heard that some people keep male mice with soft-fur rats to prevent breeding. They seem to be able to bond somewhat, even though they are not even in the same genus.
I was wondering if something like this might sometimes be true of guinea pigs. In particular, I was wondering if chinchillas and degus could have value for decent companionship.

Now, I'm aware that different species of rodent should not be allowed to share the same living quarters 99% of the time.
Accidents can happen, fights over space can occur, or one animal can eat too much of the other's food and become nutritionally unwell.
My question is only referring to out-of-the-cage floor times and play times. Would it be benefit, or for the worst, if guinea pigs and chinchillas/degus were allowed to roam together?
Perhaps it would be acceptable, but would it be of value to the guinea pig?
Please note that I do not have degus or chinchillas. This is sort of just out of curiosity.
I know that there are many cases of interspecies companionships.
Just because two species can't communicate doesn't mean that the presence of another species is nothing but a stress factor.
Also, perhaps the most important form of interspecies communication for them, which is fear or anger, CAN be communicated, because both will teeth-chatter when displeased.

Before anyone freaks out, please note that I don't take guinea pigs lightly, so I'm asking this not out of an irrational selfishness. I don't currently keep different animals with guinea pigs,
so if I believe that interspecies tolerance is possible, it's not just to justify the way I keep my pets. I just think that this is one of those things that turns people off without being proven false.
Any input is free to be given, for other people's benefit as well.
Thanks! God bless!

If he's quite happy interacting with humans, leave it like that.
The bonding will become stronger the more interacting there is.
He probably just prefers human company to that of its own kind.

 

[Wayfarin]

Hey there! I just saw your post and would like to help you answer with the help of my friend, Hashmina, who currently lives with a guinea pig clan, bunny, chinchilla troupe, and other critters in Cairo, Egypt. Her family has kept guinea pigs and other rodents for several decades, thus I consulted with her since I saw your question unanswered for so long.
Truth is, the best pal for a guinea pig is another guinea, even when just during play. Guinea pigs acknowledge they are prey creatures and communicate best with other guinea pigs. When placed near another small mammal, even something we see as harmless as a rabbit, the guinea pigs become nervous after some time, since they are unable to tell if the other critter is a friend or foe. Her guinea-buddies have sniffed at bunny cages, but in defense, the bunnies have tried to bite through the cage, thinking the same about the guinea pigs. Degus, she states, can be very defensive and skittish around unfamiliar-smelling creatures.
In one accident she had while changing bedding, a chinchilla slipped through the dividing bars of a pen and met up with a male guinea pig. The male guinea wasn't sure what to think of the chinchilla until he decided it was best to be amorous. Hashmina thought it was cute that they sniffed one another for a moment, then nuzzled. However, in the next, the male guinea attempted to mount the chinchilla, and all heck broke loose.
Separating two fighting small mammals is very difficult and stressful for the creatures. My friend received bites that needed stitches. She attempted to use a broom and eventually separated the brawlers, but sadly during the process, the guinea pig broke his paw and also needed treatment for bites he sustained. The chinchilla needed antibiotics as well and was covered in permanent bald patches from scarring. Only two minutes elapsed before the fight began. The money spent for Hashmina and her animals' medical bills was over 2000 US dollars.

In summation, the best thing one could do for a lonely pet is to house them with others of their kind. Male guinea pigs (aka. boars) can happily live in a community with other boars they trust, and do so in the wild. If your guinea friend is lonely, your best bet is to slowly introduce him to another male guinea, extra slowly since you know he's aggressive. Some of my friend's male guinea pigs live alone, because they simply are a tad bit too naughty, and sometimes their personalities just have it that they like to be alone.
Attempting to bond your critter with another species is a risk, as fights that break out are nearly impossible to break up and can be dangerous to both you and the critters. Critters can't speak to voice their intentions, and hence it can be very easy for them to interpret another as a predator. Critters of the same species are much less likely to do so.
Hopefully in the future, you can find a fellow guinea-pal for your guinea-buddy if you would like to do so and can have the patience to slowly allow him to bond. However, since he is known to be persistently aggressive, he could be one of those bachelor males who simply like to be kept that way.

Yeah, it would be terrible if a fight broke out. I would ALWAYS be there to supervise, but even in that case I would not always be able to prevent a bite from occurring. Degus are much smaller than male guinea pigs, and I can imagine that one would be traumatized if our big male tried to mount him/her.

If he's quite happy interacting with humans, leave it like that.
The bonding will become stronger the more interacting there is.
He probably just prefers human company to that of its own kind.

Yeah, I'll probably just leave him be. He's pretty old for a guinea pig, already, and adopting a degu would not be worth it if it would cause him or the degu more stress than enrichment. He's been pretty vicious toward even our female guinea pig, probably just for mating reasons, so I can barely picture him getting along with another male, although it's a nice thought. He might be able to get along with a baby male, but I don't want to have to deal with the separation anxiety caused by our older male's passing, when it inevitably comes sooner.
He is indeed very courageous and comfortable around humans. He's actually more bold now that he's the only guinea pig.
He's just an amazing rodent, that Buford.

(He kinda looks like a degu, too.)

 

[Wayfarin]

Is there any way to keep guinea pigs and degus safely in the same room?
(Not the same cage.)

 

[HooahArmy]

Is there any way to keep guinea pigs and degus safely in the same room?
(Not the same cage.)

Same room should be okay as long as the critters don't come into contact with one another and you keep mind when changing litter or bedding. Each type of critter has its own unique bacteria biome that could sicken others if saliva, feces, or urine were to swap. My friend Hashmina (from the above post of mine) has a mini-breeding program at her home and keeps the critters in hutches all on one shed due to space constraints. The second risk you may need to be aware of is escapees! Amorous or curious critters may nip on paws or ears through the cages if they are kept on the ground.

 

[Wayfarin]

Same room should be okay as long as the critters don't come into contact with one another and you keep mind when changing litter or bedding. Each type of critter has its own unique bacteria biome that could sicken others if saliva, feces, or urine were to swap. My friend Hashmina (from the above post of mine) has a mini-breeding program at her home and keeps the critters in hutches all on one shed due to space constraints. The second risk you may need to be aware of is escapees! Amorous or curious critters may nip on paws or ears through the cages if they are kept on the ground.

Yikes, that's pretty severe. I am careful not to exchange bacteria between my guinea pig and bearded dragon lizard, although I intend to keep them in the same room.
And I knew that rabbits could be an issue, but not degus, since they are closer relatives.

In the very least, the disease thing is not an issue with dogs and cats, right?

 

[Wolf135]

You say the guinea pig is oppressive to females, how?

I used to breed guinea pigs and the males used to chase the females cuz they wanted to mate.

 

[HooahArmy]

Yikes, that's pretty severe. I am careful not to exchange bacteria between my guinea pig and bearded dragon lizard, although I intend to keep them in the same room.
And I knew that rabbits could be an issue, but not degus, since they are closer relatives.

In the very least, the disease thing is not an issue with dogs and cats, right?

All animals carry diseases and pathogens of some sort, humans included. When housing multiple species together, and while having pets, it's always a safe bet to be cautious when working with bedding material, litter boxes, or anything else that may come in contact with bodily fluids or excreta. Mouths on both humans and animals can also be dangerous, so be careful as well not to allow any critters to nip one another, or you. Sometimes, young children like to nibble or lick pets (like dogs), and such is an example of how a human pathogen may sicken an animal. Every living critter is a vector for pathogens, so you can never be too safe!
Dogs and cats can be housed around other animals, as long as no one is biting or getting too close to feces of anybody of a different species.

 

[Wayfarin]

All animals carry diseases and pathogens of some sort, humans included. When housing multiple species together, and while having pets, it's always a safe bet to be cautious when working with bedding material, litter boxes, or anything else that may come in contact with bodily fluids or excreta. Mouths on both humans and animals can also be dangerous, so be careful as well not to allow any critters to nip one another, or you. Sometimes, young children like to nibble or lick pets (like dogs), and such is an example of how a human pathogen may sicken an animal. Every living critter is a vector for pathogens, so you can never be too safe!
Dogs and cats can be housed around other animals, as long as no one is biting or getting too close to feces of anybody of a different species.

I don't think that people can prevent dogs and cats from nipping each other, or us. Both animals just love to nip. Even dogs and cats that get along nip each other.
But I don't think that anyone wants dogs foraging in cat litter boxes, so keeping them away from the feces makes sense.

 

[Wayfarin]

You say the guinea pig is oppressive to females, how?

I used to breed guinea pigs and the males used to chase the females cuz they wanted to mate.

He was sexually obsessed with our now deceased female, but he didn't seem to like her. He guarded his food around her and behaved territorial.
Her teeth actually became a little overgrown, apparently because of his food guarding.
And he was less than depressed after her passing, or at least that's what it looked like.

 

[Wolf135]

He was sexually obsessed with our now deceased female, but he didn't seem to like her. He guarded his food around her and behaved territorial.
Her teeth actually became a little overgrown, apparently because of his food guarding.
And he was less than depressed after her passing, or at least that's what it looked like.

Sounds like hes very territorial, mine were never like that to females only to other males.

 

[Wayfarin]

Sounds like hes very territorial, mine were never like that to females only to other males.

"Buddy" was her name, and Buford was so territorial with her that I am almost not even certain of her sex.
However, Buford behaved even worse when we tried to introduce him to Bear, who was certainly a male guinea pig.
Buford and Buddy were housed together, but Buford and Bear were never housed together after their terrible introduction.

 

[Wolf135]

"Buddy" was her name, and Buford was so territorial with her that I am almost not even certain of her sex.
However, Buford behaved even worse when we tried to introduce him to Bear, who was certainly a male guinea pig.
Buford and Buddy were housed together, but Buford and Bear were never housed together after their terrible introduction.

That's so strange to me, I mean my boys would have their occasional scuffles but they could be housed together.

Here's a pic of mine, father and son while being brought food.

Father on right, son on left, both were from my previous litters.

 

[Wayfarin]

The father guinea pig looks just like Buford.
I thought you hacked into my computer and stole a picture of him.