Companion for GP

BobaTheGuineaPiglet

BobaTheGuineaPiglet

Junior Guinea Pig
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Hey all!

i want to adopt another piggie for my lone male guinea pig. He is 3 months old. I was wondering if I could place his new companion in the same cage as him from the get-go
 
I believe that a 3-week quarantine period is mandatory for a new piglet.
Please refer to this guide: Importance Of Quarantine
Stress from moving to a new environment can also lower the body's defenses, making your piglet more prone to becoming ill.
I hope that this helps! :)
 
BobaTheGuineaPiglet said:
Hey all!

i want to adopt another piggie for my lone male guinea pig. He is 3 months old. I was wondering if I could place his new companion in the same cage as him from the get-go
Click to expand...
Hi... no you cant just pop a new pig in with your existing one..... as above, they will need to be quarantined... please see the guides on here re bonding, sorry cant link on my phone.
 
Hello,

It's great your thinking of getting a companion for you lone guinea pig. He's likely to be much happier that way.

I'm afraid it's not as straightforward as finding a other guinea that you like the look of and popping them in the cage together though. This guide might be a good place to start:

Adding More Guinea Pigs Or Merging Pairs – What Works And What Not?

In the same bonding and behaviour section of the forum there is also a specific guide about boars that you should read if you haven't already. It would also be helpful to take a look at the one on dominance behaviours before introducing any new guine pigs.

Are there any guinea pig rescues near you? They may well be able to help and support you in finding an appropriate partnership.
 
I agree with the above. Putting the new pig into the old pigs' cage would be a very bad idea. The old pig will see it as invasion of their territory and that way lies trouble!

I would strongly suggest you to a rescue that offers boar dating so your piggy can choose a friend of his own. He'll soon be starting his teenage phase (4-14 months of age), and it can be a trying time even for the more solid of boar bonds. Have a read of the links below.
Please can you add your location (county/state/country) to your profile so we can more easily tailor info to you.

A Comprehensive Guide to Guinea Pig Boars
Vet Locator
 
hello! Thank you for your response. I have checked shelters around me, and there are no piggies up for adoption. I live in the Sacramento County, USA, California.
 
Have you checked further afield?
 
Yes, within a 50 mile radius. There is a guinea pig rescue nearby about 15 miles away, but unfortunately they are closed due to COVID.
 
Hello

Can you wait until the current restrictions are lifted and you have more options?

I would also suggest, if you haven't already, ringing or emailing any local animal shelters or rescues that you find rather than just going by the website because:
  1. quite often, websites are not up to date and/or they do not list singles anyway; and
  2. these organisations often work together so if they can't help, they may be able to recommend another person or organisation that can.
I understand that finding rescues and adopting piggies can be quite tricky in some areas of the US but there seem to be a good number of guinea pig owners in Cali (including on this forum) so hopefully we can find someone that can help you!

You may have already done this but, if not, take a look at the rescue lists, placement forum, and other linked lists on this Guinea Lynx page: Guinea Lynx :: Rescue Organizations

@Mo & Stubbins & Vani I recall you are located somewhere in California, anything you can recommend near Sacremento?
 
Yes, I can wait until restrictions are lifted! I just want my piggie to have a buddy asap so he won’t feel lonely :no: I also do not know when would be the right time for me to adopt since he will be entering his teen phase soon, and I want him to be as comfortable as possible. Any advise on that?
 
BobaTheGuineaPiglet said:
Yes, I can wait until restrictions are lifted! I just want my piggie to have a buddy asap so he won’t feel lonely :no: I also do not know when would be the right time for me to adopt since he will be entering his teen phase soon, and I want him to be as comfortable as possible. Any advise on that?
Click to expand...
Teenage months can make it a little more tricky to bond them. Hence the recommendation of a rescue that does boar dating. They're experienced with bonding and can see which could likely be a good companion for him, and most importantly he is able to pick out a friend himself rather than have one chosen for him. It's all about character match rather than age or anything else.

I would email the rescues and let them know that you're looking for a friend for your piggy, including the closed one.
 
Hi! :)
I am a few hours from Sacramento, but I do know of the California Northern Cavy Rescue, as recommended above, as well as the Los Angeles Guinea Pig Rescue (that would be about a six-hour drive, though)
I hope that this helps! I am sorry that I cannot offer more advice! :)
 
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