Companion for old lady pig?

[Gianetta]

Hi everyone, first time user here. Two weeks ago one of my five year old female piggies died suddenly. Her lifetime companion, Elsie, seems fine health-wise but very quiet - she seems to be spending all her time in her bedroom. Do you think she's too old to adapt to a new companion? I've looked in books about guinea pigs but they all seem to say different things about whether non-related guinea pigs can be introduced to each other. Any advice?

 

[sophiew (EAGPR)]

Hello, welcome to the forum and sorry to hear about the loss of one of your pigs.

I would think it's worth a try, to introduce her to another sow. Perhaps, given her age, you could find a pair of sows in a local rescue, and make a trio - that way if one dies, you've still got a pair left (depending on what space you've got).

Look on the rescue pages, there's lots of pigs needing homes - where abouts do you live?

Sophie
x

 

[Laure]

Hi there ands welcome to the forum.
First of all I am sorry for your loss. I too lost one of my piggy last year and she was 5 1/2 and her companion (same age) got depressed on her own so much so that she almost stopped eating. I got her 2 young friends and the change was immediate. Unfortunately she died last week but I know that having friends for the last year made all the difference for her.
All piggies are different so your might not be so accepting of new comers but if you go to a rescue they might let you bring her along to try her with a few mates?

 

[piggiesforever]

Hello and welcome

In my opinion it is never too late to introduce a new friend, piggies genuinely thrive when kept in pairs or more. I have successfully introduced a 4 year old boar to a new friend and by all accounts sows are much easier to bond

 

[Goldie]

Hi and sorry for the loss of your piggy.

I am sure that the other piggy is missing her. Sows are usually acceptable to other sows, but I have to say that it depends on personalities. They are usually fine with a young, non dominant sow but I did have an occasion when putting two adult females together that all hell let loose. If you have a piggy that gets afraid or feels threatened, then it may attack the other. Usually not, though.

Anyway, perhaps you could contact a local rescue and take your piggy along to see if she will bond with another adult sow or two. Let her choose her own companion and I am sure that the rescue will be very happy for you to do this.

Let us know how you get on.

 

[Gianetta]

Thanks for your replies - they make me think I should try finding Elsie a new friend. Anyone had any experience of rescue centres in Yorkshire?

 

[Gianetta]

Elsie now has a new companion - Tessa, a three month old I got from the local Pets at Home "adoption centre" this afternoon. They've been together in the playpen on my spare bedroom floor for about 3 hours and so far they seem to be getting on OK. She's certainly livened Elsie up already!

 

[piggiesforever]

That's fabulous news they really do come alive when accompanied by another piggie don't they?

 

[Kerry123]

Hi there ands welcome to the forum.
First of all I am sorry for your loss. I too lost one of my piggy last year and she was 5 1/2 and her companion (same age) got depressed on her own so much so that she almost stopped eating. I got her 2 young friends and the change was immediate. Unfortunately she died last week but I know that having friends for the last year made all the difference for her.
All piggies are different so your might not be so accepting of new comers but if you go to a rescue they might let you bring her along to try her with a few mates?

Hello Well I have a three year old male guinea pig and am looking to possibly buy him a little friend do you think they would get along? He's very timid and docile and am really afraid of a fight breaking out because i've heard two boars that haven't been raised together can become violent?

 

[Laure]

Kerry, I think it's definitely worth trying getting him a friend. If you go to a rescue rather than a shop they will often let you take your pig to make sure they get on. and you'd be giving a pig a forever home x