COVID-19 alone guinea pig with a pandemic going on

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Kash

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Hello,sadly my one year old guinea pig passed away yesterday from a respiratory problem .her cage mate is left without a guinea pig.I don’t know what to do because I am unable to adopt because of corona virus.Is there any advice on keeping her happy for the mean time?(she is an outdoor guinea pig and my little sister is allergic to the hay)
 
I’m so sorry you lost your little piggy. Take this time to grieve. Piggies ‘get over’ loss quicker than us humans do. As long as she is still eating and being a guinea pig then you’re okay. Have a read of the thread below for how to care for a single (and bereaved) piggy
Looking After A Bereaved Guinea Pig
Single Guinea Pigs - Challenges and Responsibilities
I’d also say get your name on the list of (local) rescues ready for when they’re open and carrying out adoptions and bindings again.

I would have suggested moving her indoors but if your sister is allergic to hay then it’s not really feasible. Could you bring her inside during the day for some run time and to spend time with you? Or you place her outside in a play pen and sit with her?
 
So sorry for your loss.
It’s good that you are thinking of your other piggy’s needs while you are grieving yourself.
@Siikibam has given you great advice
 
Thankyou,I got a baby guinea pig(7weeks old) yesterday and things haven’t gone smoothly.They we’re separated by a grid over night and seemed fine.my one year old guinea pig kept biting on the bars in an attempt to get to her.So I put them in the same cage and my one year old started chasing and nipping her continuously .it looked very aggressive and she didn’t seem happy.There wasn’t any teeth chattering .My new baby is tiny and could easily be walked over by my older one.What do you suggest I do to successfully bond them?
 
Character compatibility is the key when it comes to bonding piggies. By buying a piggy rather than being able to date, you do run the risk of failures but it is important to understand what are normal dominance and bonding behaviours. Some may look aggressive, but chasing and well placed nips are dominance not necessarily aggression

Did you just put the new baby into the cage or Did you do a neutral territory introduction?

Sows: Behaviour and female health problems (including ovarian cysts)
Bonding and Interaction: Illustrated social behaviours and bonding dynamics
Dominance Behaviours In Guinea Pigs
 
I put my 1 year old in the new ones cage
 
Kash said:
I put my 1 year old in the new ones cage
Click to expand...

So assuming then it was a new cage seeing as you got the baby yesterday, then it was a neutral territory?
What you can’t do is put a piggy into another piggy’s cage where territories have been set up as it will be seen as a territory invasion and lead to problems

I have edited my post above to put in guides to help you decipher what is normal dominance and normal behaviours when bonding. Chasing, mounting etc will occur, it isn’t aggression. These behaviours will continue for around two weeks after the introduction in order for them to establish their relationship.
 
Piggies&buns said:
So assuming then it was a new cage seeing as you got the baby yesterday, then it was a neutral territory?
What you can’t do is put a piggy into another piggy’s cage where territories have been set up as it will be seen as a territory invasion and lead to problems

I have edited my post above to put in guides to help you decipher what is normal dominance and normal behaviours when bonding. Chasing, mounting etc will occur, it isn’t aggression. These behaviours will continue for around two weeks after the introduction in order for them to establish their relationship.
Click to expand...
Ok thank you very much.When should I try again?or should I wait till she is a bit bigger?
 
Kash said:
Ok thank you very much.When should I try again?or should I wait till she is a bit bigger?
Click to expand...

Try again now. They will need to be in a bonding pen for a few hours before moving into their thoroughly cleaned out cage together. The cage they are to live in together needs to not smell of either piggy

Don’t wait until she is bigger. She is too young to be alone and needs to be with an older piggy to learn and have company
 
Piggies&buns said:
Try again now. They will need to be in a bonding pen for a few hours before moving into their thoroughly cleaned out cage together. The cage they are to live in together needs to not smell of either piggy

Don’t wait until she is bigger. She is too young to be alone and needs to be with an older piggy to learn and have company
Click to expand...
I am going to try tomorrow morning because it is getting a little bit late
 
Be sure to read through the guides before trying again. And make sure that you thoroughly clean out their cage so it doesn’t smell of either of them.

It may look worse than it is, but you can’t interrupt ‘mild dominance‘, of which there will be.
 
Do you think it might be fear aggression?because the older one chases and nips at the younger one.the older one also tries to bite the bars in an attempt to get to her
 
If it’s fear aggression then it would have displayed itself with her previous cage mate. You need to do the bonding the correct way - neutral territory.

Nipping and chasing is normal dominance. The top pig is letting the other know who’s boss. Nips shouldn’t break skin, they’re more a warning. If baby is squeaking and running away then that’s submissive squealing and not pain.
Bonds In Trouble
 
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