Help needed over a lost piggie

[Emma-Lou92]

Hi Everyone,

Hoping for some help. We had a pair of very happy bonded male piggies. One has been fighting a respiratory issue for a long time. he saw a vet 2 weeks ago was on meds, but he went back to see them yesterday and unfortunately went down hill so quickly and didn't make the journey home :'( we are all very upset over the situation, but mostly very concerned for our remaining piggie. He was never without his brother and seems so lost now, understandably. I don't think he would cope long term being a lone piggie. I'm looking for advise on bonding males with him. We have been offered 2 bonded babies males. I know that bonding males is tricky, but could i ask for advise on chances of 2 babies with 1 older pig (about 2 and a half years old) i know chances are slim but i'm prepared to take things nice and slow with a cage upsides for a while and introducing them in an open clean space.

Thanks in advance

 

[Bill & Ted]

I am so sorry you lost one of your boys x
Welcome to the forum, sorry it’s not in happier circumstances
Please don’t put 3 boars together, as this will lead to serious fall-outs especially when the young boars reach teenage month of 4 months old and could result in three all having to be separated. Boars need to be kept in pairs.
Is there any good rescues near you that you could take your remaining piggie boar dating? that is the safest way of getting a good bond as the piggies choose who they prefer or not

Rescue Locator

Behaviour, Bonding & Bereavement Guides

Hope these guides are helpful

 

[Piggies&buns]

I'm so sorry for your loss.

I’m afraid keeping three boars together almost always fails due to the fact boars can really struggle to form a functioning hierarchy between three of them. Boars really do need to be kept in pairs only. They may initially be ok while the babies are young but once they become teenagers at 16 weeks things can really turn. Sadly failed boar trios are one of the most common issues we are contacted about.
If you were to take the babies, then it would be best to keep them as a separate pair and never attempting to bond them with your boy. They could, however, interact through the bars with your piggy as that woupd provide some companionship but your single piggy would ideally still need his own new friend to live with going forward.

If you were to take the risk of three boars together, then the cage for the three of them to live in would need to be 300x100cm and you would need to have a plan b of separating them. Usually this would be into a pair and a single, but it can break all bonds and you could end up with three single piggies.

This guide explains what does and doesn’t work further - Adding More Guinea Pigs Or Merging Pairs – What Works And What Not?

It would be better to get your name onto waiting lists at rescue centres. They can help you find a character compatible single boar to pair him with. This will result in a much better bond. Bonding boars isn’t necessarily tricky but getting character compatibility is the absolute key.
A bonding can’t be done slowly with boars - it’s a one time, all or nothing event. Putting them into neutral territory and seeing whether they can get on.

A Comprehensive Guide to Guinea Pig Boars
Bonding and Interaction: Illustrated social behaviours and bonding dynamics

In the meantime, the guide below can help you with information on how to look after him in the meantime.

Looking After A Bereaved Guinea Pig

Death, Dying, Terminal Illness, Grieving and Bereaved Companions: Information and Support for Owners and Their Children

 

[Sue and Smartie]

I was lucky to be able to take my bereaved boar to a rescue to meet new friends. This was some time ago, but I will never forget the change that came over him as he sniffed the air and realised there were other piggies there. He'd been sad & lonely, but up came his head and he looked interested, for the first time since he'd lost his brother.
It's great if you can do that, not just for your pig, but you will also get a lot of pleasure out of seeing your lonely piggy looking happy & excited again.