Is it better to put babies with an existing sow or other adult piggies?

[Stockyanna]

I am after advice please. After 10 hard weeks I lost my Candy last week, still not ever finding the real issue of what was wrong. I have Floss left on her own now (there were 3 until March but I sadly lost Toffee too who was a boar). Floss looks very lonely now and I am not sure what to do for the best. I would like to get two piggies, as Floss is now 4.5 years old. I really don't know what is best, whether to get babies to go in with her, or two older sows, ie a about 12/18 months old. Floss is very placid. She was always the most subservient and laid back of the 3 (she is also deaf so difficult now coaxing her to eat etc, making her feel reassured). When Candy got ill she was constantly fussing around Flossy and Flossy didn't react once so I know she is a very nurturing calm piggy. What I am scared of is getting two older ones and they pick on her and make her life hell. I want her to be happy again and have friends as I know she is lonely by how she mopes now. Am I better off getting two babies, or would they be too erratic for her at her age? Or am I better off getting two older ones that are perhaps more settled and calm? I am desperate for advice because I don't know what to do for the best. Thank You.

 

[sport_billy]

First off so very sorry for your losses

I'd go for two younger baby piggies they should then slot into the bottom of the heirarchy.

 

[Claire W]

I too am sorry for your loss and agree with @sport_billy above. Two babies should slot right in

 

[Stockyanna]

First off so very sorry for your losses

I'd go for two younger baby piggies they should then slot into the bottom of the heirarchy.

Thank you. Yes I am now thinking the same thing after a bit of research. Aww thank you. Must admit this one hit me real hard as she was very special to me.

 

[Stockyanna]

I too am sorry for your loss and agree with @sport_billy above. Two babies should slot right in

Thank you. I shall go for that then.

 

[Bill & Ted]

So sorry for your loss of two lovely piggies x I think Floss would be better with two babies too, especially if she is not a bossy piggie, the babies will look up to her naturally.

 

[Stockyanna]

So sorry for your loss of two lovely piggies x I think Floss would be better with two babies too, especially if she is not a bossy piggie, the babies will look up to her naturally.

Aww thank you. I will hunt out some babies. I can't say I am finding it easy finding some at the moment in my area. Lots of boys but no girls!

 

[Wiebke]

I am after advice please. After 10 hard weeks I lost my Candy last week, still not ever finding the real issue of what was wrong. I have Floss left on her own now (there were 3 until March but I sadly lost Toffee too who was a boar). Floss looks very lonely now and I am not sure what to do for the best. I would like to get two piggies, as Floss is now 4.5 years old. I really don't know what is best, whether to get babies to go in with her, or two older sows, ie a about 12/18 months old. Floss is very placid. She was always the most subservient and laid back of the 3 (she is also deaf so difficult now coaxing her to eat etc, making her feel reassured). When Candy got ill she was constantly fussing around Flossy and Flossy didn't react once so I know she is a very nurturing calm piggy. What I am scared of is getting two older ones and they pick on her and make her life hell. I want her to be happy again and have friends as I know she is lonely by how she mopes now. Am I better off getting two babies, or would they be too erratic for her at her age? Or am I better off getting two older ones that are perhaps more settled and calm? I am desperate for advice because I don't know what to do for the best. Thank You.

Hi!

I am very sorry for your losses!

If you can access a rescue that offers dating for single/bereaved piggies, please take Floss there to allow her to choose who she wants to be with. Age and gender (a neutered boar) is generally much less important than mutual liking and character compatibility.
Our recommended rescues all practise a mandatory quarantine/vet care and pregnancy watch for any incoming sows, so you can neatly avoid all the pitfalls that await the unwary.
Recommended and vetted good standard UK guinea pig rescues: Recommended Guinea Pig Rescues
Recommended rescues for some other countries: Guinea Lynx :: Rescue Organizations

If you can't, acceptance is generally easier with sub-adult sows that cannot challenge Floss' leadership rather than with adult or older sows.
Looking After A Bereaved Guinea Pig

I have bonded bereaved sows of all ages with similar aged sows, neutered boars or babies; or kept those sows that preferred their own territory as next door neighbours.
Some bereaved sows of mine have taken a long time to find the right kind of companion; at one point I had four widows that would not go back with any of the others. Thankfully, two of them (a 6 and a 9 year old) did eventually bond and a third moved in with her 6 year old sister and her sister's 1 year old 'toy boy' on the third bonding attempt. Ffwlbri is now 8 1/2 years old; still living with 3 year old 'husboar' Gethin and has been joined by baby Carys lasy September - just to show you the extremes. There is no one rule that fits everypig; it depends on Floss' personality, how dominant/fear-aggressive she is with other piggies and how badly she craves company.
But allowing her a say in who she wants to be with means that you come home with new piggies only after acceptance has happened, so the first big hurdle is taken.

 

[Stockyanna]

First off so very sorry for your losses

I'd go for two younger baby piggies they should then slot into the bottom of the heirarchy.

Do you think that 4 month old would be ok?

 

[Stockyanna]

Hi!

I am very sorry for your losses!

If you can access a rescue that offers dating for single/bereaved piggies, please take Floss there to allow her to choose who she wants to be with. Age and gender (a neutered boar) is generally much less important than mutual liking and character compatibility.
Our recommended rescues all practise a mandatory quarantine/vet care and pregnancy watch for any incoming sows, so you can neatly avoid all the pitfalls that await the unwary.
Recommended and vetted good standard UK guinea pig rescues: Recommended Guinea Pig Rescues
Recommended rescues for some other countries: Guinea Lynx :: Rescue Organizations

If you can't, acceptance is generally easier with sub-adult sows that cannot challenge Floss' leadership rather than with adult or older sows.
Looking After A Bereaved Guinea Pig

I have bonded bereaved sows of all ages with similar aged sows, neutered boars or babies; or kept those sows that preferred their own territory as next door neighbours.
Some bereaved sows of mine have taken a long time to find the right kind of companion; at one point I had four widows that would not go back with any of the others. Thankfully, two of them (a 6 and a 9 year old) did eventually bond and a third moved in with her 6 year old sister and her sister's 1 year old 'toy boy' on the third bonding attempt. Ffwlbri is now 8 1/2 years old; still living with 3 year old 'husboar' Gethin and has been joined by baby Carys lasy September - just to show you the extremes. There is no one rule that fits everypig; it depends on Floss' personality, how dominant/fear-aggressive she is with other piggies and how badly she craves company.
But allowing her a say in who she wants to be with means that you come home with new piggies only after acceptance has happened, so the first big hurdle is taken.

Hiya. I have been in touch with two rescue places but I have to say it has been a very slow process getting anybody to come back to me. I would have liked to have taken Floss and let her choose so she is happy but finding one fairly near me that has any hasn't been easy. It is almost like they don't want to rehouse which is forcing me now to go on places like free ads and look, which I didn't want to do particularly. I also didn't want to go to a pet shop. But finding breeders in my area or rescue places isn't paying off at the moment. Thank you for your response

 

[Wiebke]

Do you think that 4 month old would be ok?

Hiya. I have been in touch with two rescue places but I have to say it has been a very slow process getting anybody to come back to me. I would have liked to have taken Floss and let her choose so she is happy but finding one fairly near me that has any hasn't been easy. It is almost like they don't want to rehouse which is forcing me now to go on places like free ads and look, which I didn't want to do particularly. I also didn't want to go to a pet shop. But finding breeders in my area or rescue places isn't paying off at the moment. Thank you for your response

If you added your country, state/province or UK county to location in your account details (by clicking on your username on the top bar), we could help you a lot better with recommendations. As long as we don't have any idea where you are, we are forced to keep any recommendations as general as possible seeing as we are dealing with enquiries from all over the world with very differing access to rescues and vet care, different brand names (including medical brands), climate and background - all of which can influence our advice greatly. Our default advice is UK based. By making your general neck of the woods appear with every post you make you allow us tailor any advice to what is really relevant and available where you are straight away.

All the best. Please keep in mind that rescues are generally entirely volunteer run in their spare time and are usually overworked and understaffed. The wellbeing, rescue and medical care of any piggies coming into or residing in rescue is taking precedence; emergencies are not at all rare. People are generally not aware just how much work is going into piggies in rescue and also into making sure that they go to a suitable home when they want to adopt ASAP.