Lone Guinea Pig

[Gemm]

hello!

I have just been to pets at home for a specific toy my Guineas love and I saw a lone male Guinea in the adoption area. He is gorgeous (I know all piggies are) and I was told he has no health probs but is on his own because he "bullies" the others and can only be housed alone. He has fought with other males and has had his ears nibbled.
I would love to adopt this piggy, I have the space for another cage and resources but I would want to ensure the best life for him. I already have 4 girls and a neutered boar (three girls and a girl/boy in two 2x5) and wondering is it a good idea to adopt a lone pig?

Any advice would be very appreciated!

 

[Wiebke]

hello!

I have just been to pets at home for a specific toy my Guineas love and I saw a lone male Guinea in the adoption area. He is gorgeous (I know all piggies are) and I was told he has no health probs but is on his own because he "bullies" the others and can only be housed alone. He has fought with other males and has had his ears nibbled.
I would love to adopt this piggy, I have the space for another cage and resources but I would want to ensure the best life for him. I already have 4 girls and a neutered boar (three girls and a girl/boy in two 2x5) and wondering is it a good idea to adopt a lone pig?

Any advice would be very appreciated!

As long as you can imagine to have the lone boy neutered and living with a girl or two of his own after a full 6 weeks post-op wait, he would be ever so happy!
Please note that it really pays to find either a general vet with lots of practice in boar neutering or an exptics vets with plenty of experience in small furries ops; the risk of post-op complications is a lot smaller. The little baby in my avatar, Tegan, is the unplanned daughter of a supposedly safe over 5 weeks post-op boar (not one of mine), just to prove that particular point. I have since heard of more cases. There is a crucial difference between "mostly" safe and "100%" safe, and with all statistics, it can happen to anybody.

P@h happily sells baby boars in pairs and trios that are not personality matched in the cages their owners fancy, whether they are the appropriate size or not. Then a few weeks in, the testicles start to descend and the cute baby boys are cute no more. The most dominant boy is usually dumped first and labelled "aggressive", a "bully" or a "biter" when he is dumped back to the shop and is usually condemned to a single life by being failed a second time round.
That is what is behind these lone boys - incompetent shop personnel and uninformed humans; but the price is paid by the poor piggies...

Several of my own neutered "husboars" have started out as unbondable teenage "bully boys", but have enjoyed a very happy and fulfilled life as husboars. Generally, I have bonded them with sows that are used to being with more dominant piggies (undersows, young sows or very laid-back ladies).

Guinea Pig Vet Locator

 

[Gemm]

Thank you for your reply! I went and adopted him a couple of days ago and he is the sweetest! I can't believe p@h labled him a bully! He is so gentle and cute. I have called him Sammy. I'm so glad I got him, the only veg they were feeding him was cabbage so now he can look forward to a varied healthier diet. When I adopted him they told me that when I get him neutered his behaviour will change. I can't get over how ill informed they are. They also said he had his ears nibbled at. ​

Sammy is settling into his new home very well.
I have a cavy savy vet who I got my other boar neutered with and soon Sammy will be too. The only down side now is my mother is not happy I have adopted him (even though she lives in MY house). Oh well you can't please everyone!
Thanks again for your help.

 

[Reenie]

Good for you! Pics soon?

 

[Janice C]

Thank you for your reply! I went and adopted him a couple of days ago and he is the sweetest! I can't believe p@h labled him a bully! He is so gentle and cute. I have called him Sammy. I'm so glad I got him, the only veg they were feeding him was cabbage so now he can look forward to a varied healthier diet. When I adopted him they told me that when I get him neutered his behaviour will change. I can't get over how ill informed they are. They also said he had his ears nibbled at. ​

Sammy is settling into his new home very well.
I have a cavy savy vet who I got my other boar neutered with and soon Sammy will be too. The only down side now is my mother is not happy I have adopted him (even though she lives in MY house). Oh well you can't please everyone!
Thanks again for your help.

Good for you going ahead and adopting him!
My boys are both neutered now and the first boy is now happily a Husboar! I'm sure you'll do what's best for him!
Your Mum will no doubt grow to love him too!

 

[Gemm]

Sorry for the delay but here are some photos of Sammy.
He is really happy and settling well but doesn't seem like to eat any veg except carrot. Hopefully he will soon get used to a variety of veg. I will just presevere with him.
Thank you for your replies!

 

[Tiamolly123]

Well if your mum is a lodger, she doesn't have a say really.
Who ever put Sammy in the adoption centre, probably said he bullied others just to get him in the adoption centre.
He is gorgeous, lucky you

 

[Janice C]

He looks a real cutie! I love his colouring.
He wii appreciate a companion once he is neutered though. Piggies do best with company. My wee boy was lonely until he was allowed to move in with 2 sows once he was 6 weeks post neutering. Now he's showing interest again in his surroundings. X