Aging Boar - To Introduce A Cage Mate Or Not?

[JenniferJ]

Hi

I'm new to GPF but think it's fantastic - lots of info!

I have Bertie who is approx 4 years old and has always lived alone. I got him from the adoptions at Pets at Home and believed that it would be difficult to introduce another boar so kept him on his own. I'm wondering whether I did the right thing but am concerned about introducing a friend now as he's showing signs of aging and I don't want to stress him out by introducing a younger piggie. On the other hand I wasn't sure whether it might perk him up a bit?!

Does anyone have advice on whether to leave Bertie in peace or get him a friend?

I don't know if it makes any difference but I am awaiting delivery of a new house for Bertie due later this week (swapping to C&C cage and fleece bedding from shavings) so ideal time to introduce if I'm going to but also already potentially stressful for B moving home.

Thanks in advance for ideas and suggestions.

Jen

 

[DM030819]

My Anselmo lived alone for a while after he fell out with his cagemate. He was 5 years old and seemed perfectly happy.

I was approached by a friend who had to regime her boar. We paired him with Anselmo and they both loved it. He was much more energetic.

I think it's alway worth giving him a chance. If you use a good guinea pig rescue then they can help you try to bond him with a friend.

 

[Wiebke]

Hi

I'm new to GPF but think it's fantastic - lots of info!

I have Bertie who is approx 4 years old and has always lived alone. I got him from the adoptions at Pets at Home and believed that it would be difficult to introduce another boar so kept him on his own. I'm wondering whether I did the right thing but am concerned about introducing a friend now as he's showing signs of aging and I don't want to stress him out by introducing a younger piggie. On the other hand I wasn't sure whether it might perk him up a bit?!

Does anyone have advice on whether to leave Bertie in peace or get him a friend?

I don't know if it makes any difference but I am awaiting delivery of a new house for Bertie due later this week (swapping to C&C cage and fleece bedding from shavings) so ideal time to introduce if I'm going to but also already potentially stressful for B moving home.

Thanks in advance for ideas and suggestions.

Jen

No piggy is ever too old for company. I know of 6 year old single boars that have found late happiness with a companion.

The best way to find a friend of Bertie's liking is by dating him at one of our recommend rescues that offer this service to boars. If you can get on the waiting list of one of the few rescues that offer residential dating, the better, as that means that Bertie could be paired up with another similar aged adult boar. However, the jey to any successful boar bond is not age, but mutual liking and character compatibility.
If you please added your county your your details (as you are obviously UK based), we can help you further with more specific recommendations. Click on your username on the top, then go to personal details and scroll down to location. This makes it appear underneath your username and avatar to the left of every post you make. We have got members and enquiries from all over the world.

By using one of the rescues we can guarantee for, you will be in experienced hands and any companion you come home with is fully quarantined and healthy. You also have the rescue to fall back of during the whole life of their adopted piggy. It means that you do not have to conduct a quarantine and the bonding yourself, and you come home with a new friend only of there has been success.

Guinea Pig Rescue Centre Locator

 

[JenniferJ]

No piggy is ever too old for company. I know of 6 year old single boars that have found late happiness with a companion.

The best way to find a friend of Bertie's liking is by dating him at one of our recommend rescues that offer this service to boars. If you can get on the waiting list of one of the few rescues that offer residential dating, the better, as that means that Bertie could be paired up with another similar aged adult boar. However, the jey to any successful boar bond is not age, but mutual liking and character compatibility.
If you please added your county your your details (as you are obviously UK based), we can help you further with more specific recommendations. Click on your username on the top, then go to personal details and scroll down to location. This makes it appear underneath your username and avatar to the left of every post you make. We have got members and enquiries from all over the world.

By using one of the rescues we can guarantee for, you will be in experienced hands and any companion you come home with is fully quarantined and healthy. You also have the rescue to fall back of during the whole life of their adopted piggy. It means that you do not have to conduct a quarantine and the bonding yourself, and you come home with a new friend only of there has been success.

Guinea Pig Rescue Centre Locator

Thank you.

I'm nervous to upset Bertie and wouldn't want to put him through unnecessary stress at this stage of his being.

I'm in Loughborough, Leicestershire so looking at the list of rescues on the link you gave that would be Honey Bunnies?

Jen

 

[Wiebke]

Thank you.

I'm nervous to upset Bertie and wouldn't want to put him through unnecessary stress at this stage of his being.

I'm in Loughborough, Leicestershire so looking at the list of rescues on the link you gave that would be Honey Bunnies?

Jen

Yes, Honeybunnies are a very experienced rescue, so you will be in safe hands there. My Caron was adopted from there.

Here are our travelling tips. I have been on the train for over 3 hours with piggies aged between 7 weeks and 9 years old to either adopt them or help get them into a sanctuary. The 9 year old was in fact travelling all the way from the Channel Islands to Liverpool with her companions in the course of an emergency. I did the leg from Peterborough to Coventry with six piggies, two of which have been staying with me for the reminder of their lives. The old lady lived for another several months with her 6 year old 'toy boy' husboar, who'd travelled with her.
The 7 week old baby is still with me, now coming up to 6 years of age...
Adoptees of mine have come from as far as Scotland, the North East, Mid- and South Wales, the South Coast, West and South Yorkshire although the majority are more local.
Travelling with guinea pigs

If necessary, take a separate box with you for the journey home and introduce them again on neutral ground before moving them into the clean, neutralised and rearranged cage so Bertie does not feel invaded and the new companion doesn't feel like he has strayed into hostile territory.
Illustrated Bonding / Dominance Behaviours And Dynamics

 

[JenniferJ]

Yes, Honeybunnies are a very experienced rescue, so you will be in safe hands there. My Caron was adopted from there.

Here are our travelling tips. I have been on the train for over 3 hours with piggies aged between 7 weeks and 9 years old to either adopt them or help get them into a sanctuary. The 9 year old was in fact travelling all the way from the Channel Islands to Liverpool with her companions in the course of an emergency. I did the leg from Peterborough to Coventry with six piggies, two of which have been staying with me for the reminder of their lives. The old lady lived for another several months with her 6 year old 'toy boy' husboar, who'd travelled with her.
The 7 week old baby is still with me, now coming up to 6 years of age...
Adoptees of mine have come from as far as Scotland, the North East, Mid- and South Wales, the South Coast, West and South Yorkshire although the majority are more local.
Travelling with guinea pigs

If necessary, take a separate box with you for the journey home and introduce them again on neutral ground before moving them into the clean, neutralised and rearranged cage so Bertie does not feel invaded and the new companion doesn't feel like he has strayed into hostile territory.
Illustrated Bonding / Dominance Behaviours And Dynamics

Thank you very much. I'll contact HoneyBunnies and see what they say.

 

[Redribbon]

Wow, you're near to me Jennifer - I'm in Rothley!
My pig Frank is middle aged and is alone. His previous cagemate died two years ago and he's always been happy.

 

[JenniferJ]

Thank you for your reply.

My Anselmo lived alone for a while after he fell out with his cagemate. He was 5 years old and seemed perfectly happy.

I was approached by a friend who had to regime her boar. We paired him with Anselmo and they both loved it. He was much more energetic.

I think it's alway worth giving him a chance. If you use a good guinea pig rescue then they can help you try to bond him with a friend.

 

[Skittypigs]

Hi

I'm new to GPF but think it's fantastic - lots of info!

I have Bertie who is approx 4 years old and has always lived alone. I got him from the adoptions at Pets at Home and believed that it would be difficult to introduce another boar so kept him on his own. I'm wondering whether I did the right thing but am concerned about introducing a friend now as he's showing signs of aging and I don't want to stress him out by introducing a younger piggie. On the other hand I wasn't sure whether it might perk him up a bit?!

Does anyone have advice on whether to leave Bertie in peace or get him a friend?

I don't know if it makes any difference but I am awaiting delivery of a new house for Bertie due later this week (swapping to C&C cage and fleece bedding from shavings) so ideal time to introduce if I'm going to but also already potentially stressful for B moving home.

Thanks in advance for ideas and suggestions.

Jen

It's worth a try, any piggie should have the chance to have their own company, x