We used to have five guinea pigs, now sadly down to four. Max and Darcy intact males, very chilled boys who lived together happily. We also have Rosie and Coco who are female and they live with Ian who is a neutered male. Ian is a rescue who arrived with a partner called Curtis who was very ill and sadly didn’t make it. As Ian was neutered he was able to move in successfully with Rosie and Coco following introductions. They’ve been together for about two years now. Our dilemma is that sadly Max passed away earlier this week and Darcy is now very sad on his own. Darcy can’t move in with the girls as he is intact and unfortunately for some reason Ian takes exception to Darcy and tries to bite him so they can’t be housed together. So what to do? Darcy is nearly three so is he too old to be neutered so he can be paired with one of the girls? Will Ian not mind him so much if he is neutered so all four can live together? Do I move the cages close to each other so that Darcy isn’t totally alone or will the smell of females drive him mad and his close proximity annoy Ian? Or do I have to find another male to live with Darcy, in which case where does it end? (my children love them but the eldest is off to uni soon and I would like to work full time again at some point) Can two adult intact males even be successfully paired together? Help!
How to support a bereaved boar
- Thread starter Jos
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I'm so sorry for your loss
this thread will help you support Darcy until you are able to find him a companion
Looking After A Bereaved Guinea Pig
this thread will help you support Darcy until you are able to find him a companion
Looking After A Bereaved Guinea Pig
Many thanks - Pleased to say that Darcy is not off his food or water and has been squeaking loudly at me this morning for breakfast. He’s an indoor pig (big fox problem where we live so our piggies only ever go in the outdoor run under supervision) and he can hear the females squeaking so he isn’t totally alone. I just don’t know if moving his cage next to theirs will help him or make things worse for him.
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So sorry for your loss.
It’s great that you are thinking of Darcy’s well-being in the midst of your own grief.
3 years old is not too old to be neutered so that is an option.
You wouldn’t be able to put him in with the others as 2 boars with sows is highly unlikely to work.
Rather than disrupt the existing trio would you consider a rescue sow if you have him neutered.
Or, you could take him boar dating if there’s a good rescue near enough to you. That way you would be sure of a compatible friend and wouldn’t need to get him neutered.
Take time to think through the possibilities and take time to grieve
It’s great that you are thinking of Darcy’s well-being in the midst of your own grief.
3 years old is not too old to be neutered so that is an option.
You wouldn’t be able to put him in with the others as 2 boars with sows is highly unlikely to work.
Rather than disrupt the existing trio would you consider a rescue sow if you have him neutered.
Or, you could take him boar dating if there’s a good rescue near enough to you. That way you would be sure of a compatible friend and wouldn’t need to get him neutered.
Take time to think through the possibilities and take time to grieve