Hi and welcome!
I am very sorry; heart attacks can happen out of the blue in guinea pigs of all ages. It is always very upsetting for everybody involved!
Right now, please let Fudge grieve. He will hopefully come round in a few days' time and get on with the job of living. if you can, let him have something that smells of his friend to snuggle into while he is grieving. A soft, safe, cuddly toy can also help during the period Fudge is on his own.
How old is Fudge? You have several options with a lonely boar.
- You can pair him up with a young boar, preferably of his own liking for added stability. The key to a successful boar bond is character compatibility. A big age gap often also helps to keep the dominance clear. Sadly, "boar dating" (i.e. bonding) at a rescue under expert supervision is not an option in the US. Please consider that you may have to quarantine a newbie, depending on his background!
There is one guinea pig rescue listed for Illinois, but I am not sure how far it is from you:
http://www.guinealynx.info/rescue_organizations.html#IL
- As to neutering: It is an option for younger boars (older boars can be neutered, but will take longer in healing), as long as you can find a vet with a good track record in piggy neutering. Sadly, post op complications are still quite common and can easily come to a multiple of the original operation cost. You will also have to factor in a full 6 weeks post op wait until a boar is 100% safe to go with a sow. I have a baby from a supposedly safe over 5 weeks post op boar (not one of mine, I want to add) to prove that particular point! That said, cross gender pairings are generally very stable after a boar has been initially accepted.
Here is more information on neutering:
http://www.cavyspirit.com/neutering.htm
Spayed sows are rare, as it is a much more invasive and expensive operation.
PS: We have a Rainbow Pets section where you are welcome to post a tribute to your poor boy whenever you feel up to it!
