Extended dating / bonding with adoption charity, for recently single 4.5 year old sow.

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Digital-Sneeze

Junior Guinea Pig
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So I just lost two of my trio in the space of a week, from unrelated problems (not a great week to say the least!), and I'm now left with a single girl that I'm eager to give companionship to.

Luckily I found an adoption charity very near me, that has a 1 year old boy and girl who I think would be good for her, but I was a bit surprised to find out that their bonding takes place over a space of potentially weeks (perhaps 2). Beginning with scent swapping, then moving on to adjacent enclosures, before finally meeting.

While I like the careful and thorough nature of this, I'm just a bit concerned about her being away for so long after losing 2 companions in such a short time, as well as being on her own for part of it.

Historically she's always been a very submissive guinea pig, but she's also now an older sow, and I'm led to understand they can get more particular in their later years, but I'm obviously hoping it goes well as she needs a family one way or another.

It's only been 3 days of her being on her own, and I've not cleaned out the enclosure fully, but she seems to be coping OK. In fairness she's also been somewhat of a loner guinea pig; I don't know if this is typical of the bottom rung in a hierarchy,

I'm a bit concerned about stress-related problems occurring; she's always been bladder sludge prone, and I'm worried that this will be exacerbated, but at the same time I know guinea pigs are adaptable, and I know she will be under good care there.

Is this situation relativity normal and appropriate for a guinea pig of her age, and circumstance, and do you think I should commit?
 
Hello when my piggy Geoff was left alone last October ( his best friend Bobby died after failed bladder stone surgery) and after having lived with RB pig Bobby all his life he became sad, quiet and withdrawn within 4 weeks.
I struggled to find a mate for him ( he isn’t neutered ) but I was advised ( by the brilliant @Piggies&buns) to contact Wood Green Animal Charity.
They had a single skinny piggy Freddy. They did the bonding and advised it could take a week or more.
I dropped Geoff off on the Saturday and felt bereft leaving him there. He was placed in a c&c next to Freddy and straight away Freddy who had been very quiet and subdued came to life ….the rescue couldn’t believe it ! He ran right to the edge of the cage and was looking over wanting to make friends ….so they introduced them on Monday afternoon and by Wednesday they said you can come and get them - They were pleased and said it was the quickest easiest bonding they’ve ever had.
Geoff and Freddy came home to a thoroughly cleaned ‘new’ c&c and have been happy ever since 🥰
So…I’m saying @Digital-Sneeze that it might not take that long …Geoff didn’t suffer any withdrawal effects with me leaving him there and when he came home he was the same Geoff he had been with Bobby but not sad,quiet or withdrawn.
I hope your girl will have a great experience and come home with 2 new friends 🥰
I can’t comment on the possible stress of bonding but it could be stressful for her if she is a lone maybe.
Good luck
 
Roselina said:
Hello when my piggy Geoff was left alone last October ( his best friend Bobby died after failed bladder stone surgery) and after having lived with RB pig Bobby all his life he became sad, quiet and withdrawn within 4 weeks.
I struggled to find a mate for him ( he isn’t neutered ) but I was advised ( by the brilliant @Piggies&buns) to contact Wood Green Animal Charity.
They had a single skinny piggy Freddy. They did the bonding and advised it could take a week or more.
I dropped Geoff off on the Saturday and felt bereft leaving him there. He was placed in a c&c next to Freddy and straight away Freddy who had been very quiet and subdued came to life ….the rescue couldn’t believe it ! He ran right to the edge of the cage and was looking over wanting to make friends ….so they introduced them on Monday afternoon and by Wednesday they said you can come and get them - They were pleased and said it was the quickest easiest bonding they’ve ever had.
Geoff and Freddy came home to a thoroughly cleaned ‘new’ c&c and have been happy ever since 🥰
So…I’m saying @Digital-Sneeze that it might not take that long …Geoff didn’t suffer any withdrawal effects with me leaving him there and when he came home he was the same Geoff he had been with Bobby but not sad,quiet or withdrawn.
I hope your girl will have a great experience and come home with 2 new friends 🥰
I can’t comment on the possible stress of bonding but it could be stressful for her if she alone maybe.
Good luck
Click to expand...
Glad you had such a successful bonding!

It's hard to separate concern for my remaining pig's wellbeing, and my own selfishness of not having her around, but I suppose she's always dealt with stress quite well, such as vet trips. She's never seemed especially bothered by them. I also suspect she won't miss me too much, I think she finds me a bit annoying, and is mostly in it for the food, so I tend not to handle her too much outside of weight and health checks. I'm probably over worrying, but I'm still on high alert after such a hard month of sudden health issues.

Although I would like it to be as quick as possible, this sounds like the most sensible way to do things, for all pigs involved.

It's also possible she may become the queen sow, which I think would be interesting to see in her if it turns out that way.
 
I’m so sorry for your losses.

Residential bonding is less common due to the time and resources it takes from the Centre but can potentially be better than speed dating.

Speed dating - they are together for a few hours to get through acceptance stage and then they come home. You then have to continue the bonding yourself at home (ie full neutral territory for several more hours). The disadvantage is that speed dating doesn’t get them far into the bonding process so they don’t get form a hierarchy, things could fail (it’s less likely because they have accepted each other but not guarantee).

Residential means they get to be side by side before being put with the piggy. They are then together for many days after bonding day (before you bring them home) so are through all the stages of bonding before you bring them home.
They are bonded and you don’t have to do anything when you get them home.
Less risk of failure once you get them home.

What concerns me about the place you have mentioned is the scent swapping. Scent swapping is not recommended and can actually cause problems with bonding. Piggies are territorial and finding the scent of another piggy in their cage can be unsettling. It can also mean that when they meet that piggy with that scent, they can be immediately seen as an invader because they were previously smelled in the cage and then bonding is already off on a bad foot.

I would personally be more than happy to undergo residential bonding if it was one of mine, but I would not want scent swapping to take place. Just side by side for a few days and then bonding on neutral territory for a few hours, then to the cage together for a few more days and then bring them home

Bonding and Interaction: Illustrated Bonding Dynamics and Behaviours
 
Piggies&buns said:
I’m so sorry for your losses.

Residential bonding is less common due to the time and resources it takes from the Centre but can potentially be better than speed dating.

Speed dating - they are together for a few hours to get through acceptance stage and then they come home. You then have to continue the bonding yourself at home (ie full neutral territory for several more hours). The disadvantage is that speed dating doesn’t get them far into the bonding process so they don’t get form a hierarchy, things could fail (it’s less likely because they have accepted each other but not guarantee).

Residential means they get to be side by side before being put with the piggy. They are then together for many days after bonding day (before you bring them home) so are through all the stages of bonding before you bring them home.
They are bonded and you don’t have to do anything when you get them home.
Less risk of failure once you get them home.

What concerns me about the place you have mentioned is the scent swapping. Scent swapping is not recommended and can actually cause problems with bonding. Piggies are territorial and finding the scent of another piggy in their cage can be unsettling. It can also mean that when they meet that piggy with that scent, they can be immediately seen as an invader because they were previously smelled in the cage and then bonding is already off on a bad foot.

I would personally be more than happy to undergo residential bonding if it was one of mine, but I would not want scent swapping to take place. Just side by side for a few days and then bonding on neutral territory for a few hours, then to the cage together for a few more days and then bring them home

Bonding and Interaction: Illustrated Bonding Dynamics and Behaviours
Click to expand...
I'll discuss this with them on Monday, as they are doing a home check. I may have misunderstood what was said over the phone, but I'll try to get some clarity on exactly what they'll be doing. I may suggest that they skip to the side by side from the go, perhaps they'll be amenable to that.

They have offered for me to do the bonding where I live, but I don't know if I have adequate space for it to be done effectively, but again I'll discuss this at the home check and see what they think.
 
I’m so sorry for your losses. I hope the bonding goes well 🤞🏻
 
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