Is it ok to not get another Guinea Pig?

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SpookySundae

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We lost Sundae almost a month ago and my son is still very upset and distraught. He visits her grave everyday after school and tells her his day. 😔 We still have Spooky alone in his room, although he gives her lots of love and treats her like a queen, he just does not want to go look at any potential friends for her. He gets very anxious and upset and is afraid that he will chose another one that will die.
Spooky is doing great! She is fat and sassy and loves to popcorn and run at play time. She snuggles him when he reads at night and has really come out of her shell. She is talkative and fiesty and is eating really well.
Is it ok to have just one? I dont want to force my son into getting another when he is not ready.
I know it is better in groups but can she be the exception to the rule?
 
No, sorry, but your pig will definitely be better if in a pair
 
I'm so sorry. Children can develop really strong attachments to their piggies, I know my ten year old daughter has to our guineas. This makes it so difficult for them when they have to say goodbye and I can understand him not wanting to go through the pain again. How old is your son? Can you explain that Spooky will be very sad on her own and really needs a friend? He has to be brave in order to do what is best for Spooky. Xx
 
My son is 11 and has high functioning Autism so he developped a very strong bond with Sundae right from the start. He chose her because she was small and special just like him. We got Spooky about 6-8 weeks after Sundae but since Sundae was always facing a health challenge, he never really bonded to Spooky. We talk about getting Spooky a friend but he keeps saying that he is scared one will die.
 
You could explain to him that Guinea pigs are herd animals and need to live with their own kind. As Spooky may well pine and die herself without company.

Also if he has company for her he will have 2 piggies to read to. :yahoo:
 
Can't really add anymore to what has been said but Spooky will be a lot happier with a friend. Have you any rescues near you that you can take Spooky to so that she can choose her own friend?
 
I fully appreciate your sons heart ache, I recently experienced the same thing with loosing a dog, obviously there wasn't a rush to get another dog but I'd never been home without one and the house felt so empty but I didn't want another dog because I felt I was betraying crystal. It's part of the grieving process however in this instance your son needs to come to terms with the fact Spooky needs his own kind for a friend. I wrongly didn't get Honey a friend for quite some time after she lost her sister, primarily because of her age and I didn't wants the every last age gap between them (honey is 6, Willow is around 7 months) but getting a friend for Honey I honestly believe has got her through so much, and actually kept her alive longer. Willow bought her a new lease of life and I watched her care for Honey after Honey's op.

I think you need to just explain to your son, although he is doing a great job for caring and being there for Smokey, he cannot do all things guinea pig, and Smokey would be much happier than he already is if he had a piggy friend.

You could even go along to local rescues and ask if they do piggy dates to see who gets along with Smokey, then your son could see Smokey with other pigs before the commitment of officially having one
 
SpookySundae said:
My son is 11 and has high functioning Autism so he developped a very strong bond with Sundae right from the start. He chose her because she was small and special just like him. We got Spooky about 6-8 weeks after Sundae but since Sundae was always facing a health challenge, he never really bonded to Spooky. We talk about getting Spooky a friend but he keeps saying that he is scared one will die.
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Fully appreciate the struggle you're facing, we all face the pain of loosing our animals one day so maybe just explain that all animals will reach the rainbow bridge one day but it's his job to make his animals (piggies) happy and have a lovely life on earth first 🌈😊
 
We suspect that my youngest daughter may have something similar to your son; I was thinking how we would deal with this. She would have high anxieties and her rigid ways of thinking mean it's hard to talk her round.

I would start by explaining that it's very unlikely the same thing would happen again. Facts are good, and the fact that most guinea pigs live to around 6 years or so would be helpful here. There's a small chance that any particular pig could have a shorter life but I'd focus on the greater chance of it living longer.

Then I would focus on the great benefit to your piggy of having a friend, again emphasising the point that they are likely to live for several years, and it is better to have a friend than be alone for all that time.

I think I would then give her time, as she freaks out if pushed into a decision.

Is that helpful at all?
 
Pigwhisperer said:
We suspect that my youngest daughter may have something similar to your son; I was thinking how we would deal with this. She would have high anxieties and her rigid ways of thinking mean it's hard to talk her round.

I would start by explaining that it's very unlikely the same thing would happen again. Facts are good, and the fact that most guinea pigs live to around 6 years or so would be helpful here. There's a small chance that any particular pig could have a shorter life but I'd focus on the greater chance of it living longer.

Then I would focus on the great benefit to your piggy of having a friend, again emphasising the point that they are likely to live for several years, and it is better to have a friend than be alone for all that time.

I think I would then give her time, as she freaks out if pushed into a decision.

Is that helpful at all?
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My son has very black and white thinking, there is no grey reasoning so when you add anxiety to that it is very hard to reason. We are workiing slowly together but I cannot rush him either as that would result in a full breakdown.
Right now he is enjoying Spooky, reading to her, talking to her about Sundae and really getting to know her, something he hasnt done because Sundae was so sickly and required all our attention.
I have found a rescue near us, but they have no piggies available at the moment so I would need to buy from a pet store and that is very scary for my son.
After his rescue hamster Snoopy died, it took him almost a year before we rescued another and technically Phil is mine.
I want my kids to grow up loving and caring for pets unconditionally but of course when they leave us it is very hard, there is a fine line between running out and replacing and going out and adopting a pet in need of love and I believe he is not ready for that just yet.
 
It must be very hard for you to balance the needs of your son with the needs of Spooky. You know your son best and I'm sure will do the right thing by both of them.
 
I know it's hard and you have to balance what's best for both your son and Spooky. I think I would give him some more time to grieve, but also keep introducing the idea that pigs are happier with other pigs and that part of having a pet is making sure to meet their needs. I also think it's a good opportunity to talk about death, etc. Inevitably we will all have to face losses. He needs to (hopefully) come to the realization that it's better to have a pet, love a pet, and lose a pet, than to not have had that pet's love at all. Also, when he's had a bit of time, maybe look up the poem 'A Dog's Last Will and Testament,' which is a tear jerker but brings home the idea that the best way to honor an animal that we have loved is to take in another animal who needs love too.
I really do feel for you... I have a child with high-functioning autism too, and also had a Sundae who we nursed through lots of health issues, so it definitely hits close to home.
 
On the plus side, if you go to a proper rescue, they are health checked aren’t they? So your almost guaranteed a piggy that is in good health, something to talk about with your son...
 
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