Considering Getting A Friend For Percy

[waughy123]

Hello,

I bought Percy a few days ago and he is settling in really well, exploring his cage while I'm in the room, eating from my lap... all the things a tame guinea pig should do. He gets to play with my two older sows every day but I cannot help getting the feeling that he is lonely. If I can persuade my mam to let me get another guinea pig to keep him company, would it be best to get a older boar or a boar round about the same age as Percy (approx. 4 months). Which one would there be more chance of a successful bond?

Thanks for your time,
waughy123

 

[piggyfan]

The best way of getting Percy a friend is to take him to your nearest rescue were he can choose his own friend. With guinea pigs you cannot just get one and bone them. They need to be matched by personality.

 

[biscandmatt]

if he gets on well with your older sows, can he not be bonded to them?

eta: if it has been six weeks since his neuter obviously!

 

[ayemee]

I agree with trying him with a local rescue. I think you're better trying to bond him based on a personality match.

 

[Wiebke]

Hello,

I bought Percy a few days ago and he is settling in really well, exploring his cage while I'm in the room, eating from my lap... all the things a tame guinea pig should do. He gets to play with my two older sows every day but I cannot help getting the feeling that he is lonely. If I can persuade my mam to let me get another guinea pig to keep him company, would it be best to get a older boar or a boar round about the same age as Percy (approx. 4 months). Which one would there be more chance of a successful bond?

Thanks for your time,
waughy123

Is Percy already neutered or are your two sows spayed? If not, please do NOT mix them at all! It only takes seconds to make a baby at the right moment, and it happens too quickly for you to be able to separate. Boar penises have little hooks at the tip, so it is not quite easy to separate.
The risk of fatal birthing complications in mature first mums is unfortunately very high and really not at all worth the risk! Boars can make babies from 3 weeks onwards. The constant separation is also hugely upsetting/disruptive for all piggies involved because they are wired to proceed with a proper bonding ritual to live together full time, but cannot get anywhere. Your piggies are better off living alongside with constant contact through the bars until you can find a permanent solution.

It would be better if you either found Percy a same sex companion for himself at one of our recommended good standard piggy savvy rescues. That will ensure that the key to any successful guinea pig bond, character compatibility and mutual liking, is taken into account and that the ensuing bond has a much higher chance of being stable throughout the teenage hormones. The rescue in your area that I can most warmly recommend is North East Guinea Pig Rescue.
https://www.theguineapigforum.co.uk/pages/guinea-pig-rescue-locator/

Otherwise, you can consider having Percy neutered when he is old enough, so he can live with your girls full time; age is not as important as mutual liking. Some of my boars are up to 3 years older or younger than their wives. Finding the right vet and doing your research is crucial for minimising the otherwise sadly still far too common risk of post op complications. You need to look for either a general vet with lots of experience and success in piggy neutering or a small animal specialist with plenty of experience in small furries op/aneasthesia. You also need to factor in a full 6 weeks post op wait until Percy is 100% safe to live with girls. I have had a surprise baby courtesy of a supposedly safe over 5 weeks post op boar (not one of mine), just to prove that particular point. That said, cross gender groups are the most stable piggy bondings.
https://www.theguineapigforum.co.uk/pages/guinea-pig-vet-locator/