Rabbits And Guinea Pigs Together?

[Mrs H]

I've just adopted a 9 month old rabbit from a friend who could no longer look after him. I've wanted some guinea pigs for ages and thought that I could get one to keep my rabbit Steven company. I've read up on it and asked many people and the response it very mixed with one website saying that the rabbit could be too agressive towards the guinea pig. Does anyone have any past experience of putting these two animals together?

 

[snoopyfrench87]

I've just adopted a 9 month old rabbit from a friend who could no longer look after him. I've wanted some guinea pigs for ages and thought that I could get one to keep my rabbit Steven company. I've read up on it and asked many people and the response it very mixed with one website saying that the rabbit could be too aggressive towards the guinea pig. Does anyone have any past experience of putting these two animals together?

hello Mrs H

Its nice to hear that you have chosen to take on the rabbit

However it is not a good idea to get the guinea pigs to live with the rabbit,
Sadly the animals basic needs are not identical and one would suffer. Guinea pigs have very different dietary needs requiring large amounts of fresh fruit and veg to acquire the correct amounts of Vitamin C. compared to the diet of a rabbit that is a bulk feed of hay to aid their specialist digestive process and the occasional greens to supplement their diet.
It is important that rabbits are fed a ready mixed meal that does not give them choice to pick out the sugary sweet seeds - as these will make them ill in large quantities. rabbits should be fed a pelleted mix that is scientifically made to ensure that each pellet contains the correct balance to keep the animal healthy - this stops picky eaters. However this also means the food is not suitable for guinea pigs.

Also rabbits do grow large (what breed is Steven?) and they are likely to injure the guinea pigs when they get excited.
Guinea pigs and rabbits do not share many behavioural similarities beyond being herd/pack and flight animals. They do not understand each other intricate means of communication meaning that they could injure each other if they misread their reactions.

I have kept guinea pigs for 15 years and i have owned rabbits for 7. I have had rabbits and guinea pigs living in the same hutch - however they had separate quarters divided by reinforced mesh that meant they could see each other as company but not reach each other meaning i could control their feeding etc. this also meant that they were used to each other company and when allowed out to run around the garden they did not attack each other or see each other as a threat.

I hope this helps - if you would like any other help feel free to message me; i will check back to this post. I have a lot of personal experience with small mammals; I have completed a national diploma in animal management and i am doing a degree in behaviour and welfare.

good luck!

 

[LIL860]

My auntie has a large bunny i think she has hare in her as she has very large ears she put two male guinea pigs in wth it and they get along great. The rabbit snuggles up to the guinea pigs and licks their heads

 

[Colin_T]

we used to keep rabbits and guinea pigs together. But you have to watch the male bunnies coz they like to hump anything, even male guinea pigs

 

[stevyba]

I watched an episode of jimmies farm the other day and they had rabbits and guinea pigs in the same area... somone reported them to the RSPCA and they came along and insisted that the two were seperated

 

[Mrs H]

Thank you very much for that info. No one has made it very clear why you cannot put them together and this does make perfect sense. I suppose its the luck of the draw for people that have successfully homed both together and must have had both very friendly.

I honestly don't know what breed Steven is, but hes getting very mischievious and I wouldn't want to get a guinea pig and chance them not being compatible.

Another question, does nutering animals calm them down a bit? Steven is getting really naughty. I'm not sure if the fact that I let him run around the lounge is contributing to his behaviour (he is a house rabbit), but he just chews everything (carpet, anything left on the floor, the sofa, your clothes if he can reach you) and sometimes nips when you hold him for a long time. I'm not sure how to re-act to when he bites. Is it best to put straight him back in his cage? or just ignore it?

Thanks for your help.

 

[Colin_T]

sterilising males does help calm them down especially if it is done early on. If you leave the animal for too long they don't calm down anywhere near as much.
Male dwarf rabbits in particular can become a real handful unless they get nutted.

Rabbits and other rodents need to chew on hard things to wear their teeth down otherwise the teeth grow too long and can cause problems.
Use a hard pellet rabbit food and offer him plenty of carrots and apples.

 

[dzsigmond217]

Its so weird for me to see this post! Just yesterday I went to a pet store that had a bunny and guinea pig together and I never would have even thought to put them together! Snoopyfrench sounds like she knows what she's talking about nutrition wise tho and is probably right!

 

[guineapigqueen]

Its been changed recently in most Pets At Home stores not to keep them together and recommend that they dont.
I am a guinea owner, have kept them for around 9yrs now and I also own two rabbits, I have studied in Animal Care also. I have in the past let them run together in the outdoor area but they never lived together.

I personally wouldn't put them together due to the different dietary requirements etc but I know of people that have kepts pigs and rabbits together without any issues. It really depends on the hutch size you have, how sexual your rabbit is towards the pig and how large he is.

Emma x

 

[newfishy]

my sister had a female rabbit and a female guinea pig together for the longest time, but the rabbit was also a dwarf. they got along ok because they had been raised together sence they were babies.

but if the nurtition is a huge issue perhaps its not the best idea, unless you got a side by side hutch and it would still allow them the company.