Lone guinea pigs

[piggyfan]

I have many lone piggies come to stay. Some, like the old boar I have now doesn't even recognize other piggies in the slightest (although he does wheek when the veggies are coming when my lot set him off ), others are just overjoyed to be next to any piggies in the runs and will happily much grass along side each other, albeit with mesh between them.

It makes me very sad that those piggies then go back to loneliness. I do try to educate their owners, but most can't be bothered with the dating lark

I do think it comes down to cost for some though. All the lone piggies I have are in excellent condition and very well loved and handled, so at least that's something I suppose.

Jo

It is so sad that those owners cannot be bothered to bond their piggies and they have to go back to being lonely. I love to see the way piggies socialise and even show affection and love for each other.

 

[ZaraPiggie6]

Oh that is so sad. Poor little babies. You cannot let him have the operation if he is older as it would not be safe.

Yes i know! He's 4 now so definatly not. I have spoken to my vet about what she thinks and she agrees its a big risk and could go either way. Not worth the risk i think. I do wonder if i am doing the right thing for him. He does however get lots of kisses and chin tickles from mummy!

 

[piggyfan]

Would you ever consider getting him another boar as a friend? Maybe a younger one? I know some shelters will let the piggies play together to see if they get along.

 

[first_time_piggie_mum]

No I know piggyfan isnt having a dig at me, shes much too nice to do that

And yes I am still upset with losing him :0 and this infection is making me feel a bit sorry for myself

I just wanted to get my point across that, yes......when I decide to get more I will have 2. I was naive when I got Rodders, the place I got him from didnt tell me that he needed a friend and because I was spending so much time with him I didnt see it being a problem.

I remember 1 time my sister brought ther hamster round for me to "ham sit" when they went on holiday and I put her cage next to Rodders and he did not like it at all I know a hamster is different to a piggie but whenever I went near Honeys cage Rodney would grind his teeth so loud....I like to think he was jealous

 

[piggyfan]

No I know piggyfan isnt having a dig at me, shes much too nice to do that

And yes I am still upset with losing him :0 and this infection is making me feel a bit sorry for myself

I just wanted to get my point across that, yes......when I decide to get more I will have 2. I was naive when I got Rodders, the place I got him from didnt tell me that he needed a friend and because I was spending so much time with him I didnt see it being a problem.

I remember 1 time my sister brought ther hamster round for me to "ham sit" when they went on holiday and I put her cage next to Rodders and he did not like it at all I know a hamster is different to a piggie but whenever I went near Honeys cage Rodney would grind his teeth so loud....I like to think he was jealous

I am glad you know I was not having a go at you. Your Rodney had such a bond with you and I am sure he was jealous of the hamster. He may have thought of you as his wife rather then Mum!:x

 

[first_time_piggie_mum]

Well the vet seemed to think so!

I told him that whenever I painted my toenails pink, Rodney would rumblestrutt against my feet and he said that piggies like the colour pink :{ He reckons that he was flirting with my feet lol!

Whenever me and Pete would lie on the floor to play with him, he wouldnt let Pete lie next to me. He would always chew his jeans until he moved away from me, then come and lie next to me instead

 

[Posiesparkles]

Why are people not understanding my point! If you go and get a guinea pig you should not get just one unless you are told that piggy cannot socialise. Some piggies do need to live alone but most need company. :o

I completely understand your point. The reason I got 3 was actually because the lady refused to let one go alone meaning that they were not as wanted because they were 3 not 2. I am soo glad we had my girls and that they were responsible enough to not let one go alone (local pet shop that had the best guinea set up ever but now no longer sells animals)

I just wanted to avoid people feeling upset because they had 1 for whatever reason - like Misty. Who on a different note has re-found her wheek and has cheered up - I am soo happy! We will think carefully about a friend, got some other factors involved too, and the fact that she never was sociable with her sisters - it was more of a toleration!

-c to all, no matter your numbers!

 

[AudioHeart]

I am quite surprised you say piggies should have a choice as to be alone or with a group. In their natural environment they never live alone and feel safer with others. You are being kind and caring for them by either keeping them with their siblings as a baby or getting them a friend. It is not like you are forcing a choice on them at all as they do not like to be alone and only do as they are not used to company. They are born into a family and like to live as one. They are not like humans in that way.

With my personal experiences I think on those very rare occasions you do get pigs which prefer to be alone. My aunty bought two little piggies from a farm years ago, two little girls the owner had told my aunty that one of the girls Millie, was a bit bossy and didn't fair to well with the other pigs she kept in the shed.

Anyways my aunty took Millie and Molly home and they had free range of the kitchen. But Millie was very bossy and would happily use her teeth towards Molly, it got so bad that Molly ended up with half a missing ear and a big bite in her neck. So my aunty seperate Millie and Molly in seperate hutches, and took her back to the farm to see if she could find a friend she'd prefer. Every pig the breeder tried with Millie over the course of a week was either bitten, or lunged at. So she spent the rest of her life as a very pampered childrens pet, she died four years ago at the age of seven.

I honestly can't say why she didnt like her own company, she was born and raised in a guinea pig shed, with 27 other guinea pigs. Molly loved company of her own kind, but Millie preferred to be by herself and was very set in her own ways. But that's my personal experience on the matter, and I'd always give my piggies the choice of either. If they didn't bond and i tried every way possible I would give them the option to live alone or side by side with another pig.

P.s I'm not trying to offend or upset anyone these are my own views and opinions on the matter which i have concluded from my own personal experiences, please don't take any of it to heart xxxxx

 

[piggyfan]

Well the vet seemed to think so!

I told him that whenever I painted my toenails pink, Rodney would rumblestrutt against my feet and he said that piggies like the colour pink :{ He reckons that he was flirting with my feet lol!

Whenever me and Pete would lie on the floor to play with him, he wouldnt let Pete lie next to me. He would always chew his jeans until he moved away from me, then come and lie next to me instead

Oh my god! Lol! That made me laugh out loud! How cute and sweet!

 

[first_time_piggie_mum]

I know He was my baby x)

There will never be another piggie like him x

 

[piggyfan]

With my personal experiences I think on those very rare occasions you do get pigs which prefer to be alone. My aunty bought two little piggies from a farm years ago, two little girls the owner had told my aunty that one of the girls Millie, was a bit bossy and didn't fair to well with the other pigs she kept in the shed.

Anyways my aunty took Millie and Molly home and they had free range of the kitchen. But Millie was very bossy and would happily use her teeth towards Molly, it got so bad that Molly ended up with half a missing ear and a big bite in her neck. So my aunty seperate Millie and Molly in seperate hutches, and took her back to the farm to see if she could find a friend she'd prefer. Every pig the breeder tried with Millie over the course of a week was either bitten, or lunged at. So she spent the rest of her life as a very pampered childrens pet, she died four years ago at the age of seven.

I honestly can't say why she didnt like her own company, she was born and raised in a guinea pig shed, with 27 other guinea pigs. Molly loved company of her own kind, but Millie preferred to be by herself and was very set in her own ways. But that's my personal experience on the matter, and I'd always give my piggies the choice of either. If they didn't bond and i tried every way possible I would give them the option to live alone or side by side with another pig.

P.s I'm not trying to offend or upset anyone these are my own views and opinions on the matter which i have concluded from my own personal experiences, please don't take any of it to heart xxxxx

Of course you cannot keep guinea pigs together if they fight! That little piggy clearly should have been kept alone. Like I said 'some do need to be alone'.

 

[Posiesparkles]

Well the vet seemed to think so!

I told him that whenever I painted my toenails pink, Rodney would rumblestrutt against my feet and he said that piggies like the colour pink :{ He reckons that he was flirting with my feet lol!

Whenever me and Pete would lie on the floor to play with him, he wouldnt let Pete lie next to me. He would always chew his jeans until he moved away from me, then come and lie next to me instead

You were lucky! Twice now I have been sitting on the sofa with my OH who has had Misty on his lap. Twice she has reversed off of him onto me, pee'd on me and then got back on him!

 

[piggyfan]

You were lucky! Twice now I have been sitting on the sofa with my OH who has had Misty on his lap. Twice she has reversed off of him onto me, pee'd on me and then got back on him!

Lol! What a cheeky girl!

 

[ZaraPiggie6]

Would you ever consider getting him another boar as a friend? Maybe a younger one? I know some shelters will let the piggies play together to see if they get along.

The rescue he came from have tried him with several piggies all of which he fought with. He was originally split from his brother as far as I'm aware for fighting. I have tried him with 3 boys two older one a baby. Same thing had none of it. He is a VERY dominant piggie. David is also very Dominant. I have been letting them out together a few times a week and the dominance between them is slowly getting less and less. Hopefully somewere down the line they can move in together.

 

[first_time_piggie_mum]

That made me LOL...Sooooo many times he did that to Pete, he even peed in his trainers once!

I think he was trying to tell him something!

 

[ZaraPiggie6]

You were lucky! Twice now I have been sitting on the sofa with my OH who has had Misty on his lap. Twice she has reversed off of him onto me, pee'd on me and then got back on him!

lol David flirts with my feet! painted nails or not. EVERYTIME i let him out he rumbles at me. I keep telling him I'm head pig but he doesnt listen

 

[Posiesparkles]

That made me LOL...Sooooo many times he did that to Pete, he even peed in his trainers once!

I think he was trying to tell him something!

Once I was dry it made me giggle too! malletheadmallethead
Maybe it is something about trying to attract the opposite sex! I was quite miffed though as I am the one who does the feeding and cage cleaning |)

 

[Poppy'sMum]

No I know piggyfan isnt having a dig at me, shes much too nice to do that

And yes I am still upset with losing him :0 and this infection is making me feel a bit sorry for myself

I just wanted to get my point across that, yes......when I decide to get more I will have 2. I was naive when I got Rodders, the place I got him from didnt tell me that he needed a friend and because I was spending so much time with him I didnt see it being a problem.

I remember 1 time my sister brought ther hamster round for me to "ham sit" when they went on holiday and I put her cage next to Rodders and he did not like it at all I know a hamster is different to a piggie but whenever I went near Honeys cage Rodney would grind his teeth so loud....I like to think he was jealous

As someone who has had two pairs of piggies, then when the friend of my second pair died I had only her left for 3 years on her own, I think I have experienced both sides of this.

Strangely our little oldie was happy on her own, she didn't pine after losing her friend at all, & as we had a bad experience previously trying to bond a rescue piggie with the remaining girl of the first pair (after being old the rescue pig was gentle, but she actually attacked ours ) I would always say to do what you think is right. Our only piggie spent the remaining 3 years she was on her own with us as a very happy & well loved piggie. We decided not to try bonding her as she was so tiny we feared she would be bullied by another & didn't want to get another baby a that time.

To be honest a lone pig kept indoors with lots of human interaction could well be better off than two piggies left at the bottom of the garden in a hutch & visited twice a day even though they would have each other. I have known a few that are treated in that way. I don't think anyone intentionally keeps them on their own, we all have to start somewhere & can't all be experts straight away. There are plenty of people with loads of pigs that they think they are looking after properly but actually live in overcrowded & cramped conditions.

first time piggie mum you were a brill mum to Rodney & he sounds like he was a special well loved boy

 

[SweetsPig11]

While I know that piggies should have a friend I know Sweets better then any of you since he is my pig and he has been more depressed with another pig then without because I almost never play with him anymorr because Fez hates being handled and has bit me multiple times and some of the members on this forum dont need to shove the fact that piggies should live in pairs every chance they get. We know they should but maybe not everyone can afford two and the bond I used to have with Sweets is now getting shut off because I got a second pig. And as for pairing them up to have a friend to talk to in their own language... Sweets doesnt make a single sound besides rumbling when hes with Fez but if I get him out of the cage and hold and love on him he talks up a storm. Just thought Id say that I am pretty sick of hearing about how awful it is to have a lone pig because both Sweets and I were perfectly happy being loners together.

 

[BellasMummy]

I think the ideal scenario would be for people to have at least a pair of piggies but obviously sometimes this can't happen. In terms of food I can't see it costing much more to feed 2 than it does to feed 1, in terms of vet costs then of course it would be more.
I would never wish to have just 1 pig as you and the piggie of course misses out on that interaction with another pig.

 

[Suzygpr]

There are some pigs that do not socialise well. I have a small number of boys and girls that so far have not met a suitable cagemate - this does not mean that they are living a solitary life as they all have neighbours on the other side of a divide. I do not home pigs to live a single life under any circumstances.

Suzy x

 

[piggyfan]

While I know that piggies should have a friend I know Sweets better then any of you since he is my pig and he has been more depressed with another pig then without because I almost never play with him anymorr because Fez hates being handled and has bit me multiple times and some of the members on this forum dont need to shove the fact that piggies should live in pairs every chance they get. We know they should but maybe not everyone can afford two and the bond I used to have with Sweets is now getting shut off because I got a second pig. And as for pairing them up to have a friend to talk to in their own language... Sweets doesnt make a single sound besides rumbling when hes with Fez but if I get him out of the cage and hold and love on him he talks up a storm. Just thought Id say that I am pretty sick of hearing about how awful it is to have a lone pig because both Sweets and I were perfectly happy being loners together.

If they are unhappy together why not separate them?

 

[Vida]

Personally I would have him neutered so he can live back with his friend. He was used to company and must be lonely to live alone. Wow you have a lot of piggies. Are they the babies of the lone guinea pig?

I did a lot of research before getting guinea pigs and finally got, what I thought were 2 boars. 5 months later I woke up to find 3 pups inside the cage. I came to this forum, where they told me to get dad out NOW! It was too late, and two and a half months later I have:
3 eldest sisters living together
Mum and baby sister living together, waiting for baby to grow so I can bond all the sows.

2 baby boars living together
Daddy living on his own.

I tried putting dad and his two baby sons in together but they got very hormonal! Dad, I think, does want company. I can not get another guinea pig, but I can move around what I have. So I COULD neuter dad and move him and mum back in together... but everything I have read renders this a high risk op. The only exotic vet near me says that it is a simple procedure and he can move in with mum after his stitches are out in 10 days, whilst on the forum I have read that this is not so. It doesn't give me much confidence in the vet. Is it really necessary? Dad doesn't even like his new C&C cage very much and spends time hiding. He 'likes' the smaller cage. I am not sure what to do to make him happy.

 

[first_time_piggie_mum]

^^^^Oh Vida sounds like youre having a difficult time.

I dont know what to suggest to you as the best course of action for Daddy Pig. Can you not put him in the smaller cage as hes living on his own, and give the bigger C&C cage to the 2 sons?

Is he still able to see and interact with the rest of your herd?

 

[Astral Heart]

I have three lone boars that do not like to be in the same cage as other Guinea pigs. They are happy in a cage beside other Guinea pigs, they talk through the bars etc but they do not like being with others in the same vicinity. Trust me I have tried them with several Guinea pigs (by several I mean one at a time, each time to see if they could get on) and it just ends up in massive fights, so it's not always simple. They are happy enough living next to other Guinea pigs, so it doesn't bother me tbh.

 

[Hanwombat]

Bounty lives on his own and that is his decision as currently he likes to attack anything in with him

 

[JoBo]

I have to say for totally selfish reasons i do love lone piggies. I have 2 groups of pigs 1 indoor and 1 outdoor and i love to watch them and they do appreciate me for feding them, but they do have each other and therefore i am a bit of an outsider. Yesterday we collected a lone pig for Megs my daughter, Jasmine has chosen to be a lone pig despite many attempts by 2 seperate rescues to pair her up and i have to say she is totally adorable and because she is a lone pig, Megs will become her companion and best friend and i have to say i am a little bit envious because i will never have that relationship with my groups. I guess it is different with just 2 pigs, but yes totally from a selfish point of view i love lone piggies xx

 

[Vida]

^^^^Oh Vida sounds like youre having a difficult time.

I dont know what to suggest to you as the best course of action for Daddy Pig. Can you not put him in the smaller cage as hes living on his own, and give the bigger C&C cage to the 2 sons?

Is he still able to see and interact with the rest of your herd?

The pups are still too small and pass through the grids. Hopefully in another month, they will be big enough and then dad will go back to his smaller cage and the two boys will have the C&C.

I was told that it would make him worse to see or smell the sows, so he is on the opposite side of the room. He gets restless if the boys' cage is next to him and tries to bite the cage. When they are further away, he seems calmer.

To be honest...

The 2 boys living together go in different hide outs and don't like to eat together.
Mum and baby sister seem to ignore each other and stay out of each other's way.
The 3 big sisters are just now re-bonding and are not to happy with each other. They keep out of their way and just hide quietly in each corner.

I have nightmares where I have 8 solitary cages with 1 pig in each!

 

[piggyfan]

Vida, You were so unlucky to have been given a sow and a boar. What an idiot the person was who did that to you. You could not put dad with the brothers as three boars do not work together. They work best in pairs. Three just means they would fight.

Most animal shelters now neuter boars as they are difficult to place so the operation is common. There is always a risk with putting a guinea pig through an anesthetic. Having said that, one of mine had an operation and was fine. It is a risk but if it means he will be happy living with mum it sounds worth it. It sounds like he is unhappy if he spends all his time hiding.

It is normal for guinea pigs to go into different hide outs and eat separate. Please do not be worried that they are not getting along. They are still keeping each other company. The fact none of your piggies are fighting shows they are getting along. You have no need to be concerned there at all.

I hope I have been of some help to you.

 

[Rachaelf]

My little boy is on his own. I'd love to get another but my boyfriend is allergic combined with the fact that my little boy is 7. Until March had a friend who died of neumonia but they didn't live together. We bought them as babies and they initially lived together but started fighting quite aggressively as they got older. When they went for each others throats they were seperated and lived next to each other but in seperate cages. As they got older they became more tolerant and sometimes friendly to each other as long as they were in a large neutral space. When Smudge died in March I was really worried about Fudge but he seems ok. He gets a lot of attention and I think he misses Smudge next to him but they only went out together when they could be supervised, most of the time they were seperate. I certainly wouldn't choose to keep a guinea on it's own, but under the circumstances he is.