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Get him a friend or the other option?

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Skinny Piggie

Skinny Piggie

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Hey, guys, I havent been on in sooo long. :)p
So. I'm guessing some of you remember my piggy family, yes? Ivan, Cookie, Rex, and Muffin. I have a big question involving Ivan.
Ivan has been a while with out any real physical contact with Cookie. He can't snuggle up against her. He's seperated from her by bars (theyre in a c and c cage.) He misses her- he rumblestruts and stuff... and Cookie misses him, only a fraction of how much he misses her! (Poor Ivan. rolleyes ) And Ivan's gotten lots of cuddles and attention, but he's lonely. I can't be with him every single second of the day. So Ive been thinking, should I get him a friend or neuter him? I've heard, and this is probably true, that neutering a piggy can make them depressed. So if I get him a skinny pig friend and introduce them in neutral territory, with no females in sight, will they be okay? They'll bond fine, as long as they get along? if Ivan gets supervised time with Cookie, away from his friend, would that be okay? ...What would you do in this situation?
 
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Do not give him supervised time with Cookie... He needs to be kept away from her well he still has his man bits. Male piggies can be very determined and if he had another male friend I'm sure that would interfere with his relationship with his new buddy.

I'm a sap I would not normally recommend neutering cause I was too chicken to get it done to my own male, but there has been many successful operations, but you do need to be aware of the risks. In this situation he wants Cookie... so I would give him Cookie, find a cavy savy vet and speak it over with them!
 
personally, if they get on well, i'd have him neutered and put him with her :) if he's happy with the girl he loves then i don't see why he should get depressed?
 
Thank you guys. I just... I don't know if I have the guts to neuter him. My vet says she done the operations many times and they'd been fine. I will read more about them. :P
 
Is Ivan a skinny pig or have I got the wrong end of the stick. How old is the wee man.
 
obviously with pigs there is the added risk as they're so small, but it's not a complex operation, isn't it only one cut they need to make?
do some research and see how you feel then, but if you have a good vet and your piggie's healthy i wouldn't be too worried :)
 
Are you confident in your vet? I'd be inclined to get him neutered as he likes his wench already however I'd definately want a very very experienced vet to deal with him.
 
I've read the risks of neutering and thought about them (I have before, I just went over them now, but I've been thinking about it fora while) and I don't think I can do it. My vet is good, and Ivan's perfectly healthy, but I'm such a softie. If Ivan were to get hurt somehow... Ugh. I think I'd rather get him a skinny baby... I feel that's the best option. Correct me if I'm wrong... But I don't want to take the risk. I just want th best for Ivan. My vet says she's done the operation before, though.
 
Skinny Piggie said:
I've read the risks of neutering and thought about them (I have before, I just went over them now, but I've been thinking about it fora while) and I don't think I can do it. My vet is good, and Ivan's perfectly healthy, but I'm such a softie. If Ivan were to get hurt somehow... Ugh. I think I'd rather get him a skinny baby... I feel that's the best option. Correct me if I'm wrong... But I don't want to take the risk. I just want th best for Ivan. My vet says she's done the operation before, though.
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Too be fair I didn't realise he was a skinny... I would get a baby boar!

Will that not leave Cookie on her own is she a skinny too?
 
Sorry, I am in a bit of a rush for some reason... I need to put down more info!
Cookie is a full grown actual guinea pig, short hair. She lives with her 2 daughters who are as big as she is.
And Yes, I would tend to go with getting him a friend... He just needs someone to cuddle up with. I couldn't neuter him... Too hard for him, and for me. I think getting him a friend is the best option.
 
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I have to say knowing she has her mates I'd definately be going and getting him a male chum in that case. Even though your vet has done the operation on a piggie before I do genuinly thing the risk is sooo much higher for a skinny. Do you have the room if it all goes pearshaped and you have to seperate Ivan from his chum if they fall out?
 
If you get a baby boar for Ivan, you will need to keep them firmly apart from the girls, or they will be fights.
 
Modwyn: Yep, I have the room. Definitely.
Wiebke- I will definitely keep them away from the girls.
Thanks everyone!
 
I think the risks are higher because skinnies generally do badly under anaesthetic? Their metabolism is so much higher than hairy piggies which causes problems and also they lose heat very quickly while unconscious. Skinnies are hard work in so many ways!

As to Ivan skinny or hairy friend would be fine - I have various combinations of skinny and hairy! Also once they have bonded they may be ok around the girls you have - in my front room I have a group of 4 girls living in close proximity (in a 4 storey cage stack) to 3 pairs of boys and in my piggie room I have a mixture of boy and girl pairs/groups and all are fine.
 
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