my lonely piggies

sarah_sparkle

sarah_sparkle

Junior Guinea Pig
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kent, uk
I have just re homed two piggies, one girl and one boy, 5 years old, kept apart all their lives. Ive been thinking about looking into re homing a couple more so they have companions. Do you think this is a good idea or not? they just seem so lonely on their own, and ive read that they should be kept in pairs or more.
 
Is there a rescue near you who can help with bonding?
Some rescues do help with finding compatible companions.
Piggies do like companionship so you are spot on thinking about their wellbeing in this way.
Compatibility is more important than age.

Another option is to neuter your boar but there’s always a risk and he is an older boy.
More experienced members may have advice on this option.
 
If you have the time, space and money (not just ongoing costs but also incase of vet bills) then I would say go for it! Both of the piggies may be happy being able to see, smell and talk to each other but you really see them thrive when they have a cage mate.

I would definitely recommend a good rescue that can do dating to ensure you end up with two compatible pairings
 
Merab's Slave said:
Is there a rescue near you who can help with bonding?
Some rescues do help with finding compatible companions.
Piggies do like companionship so you are spot on thinking about their wellbeing in this way.
Compatibility is more important than age.

Another option is to neuter your boar but there’s always a risk and he is an older boy.
More experienced members may have advice on this option.
Click to expand...

There is the option to neuter but you definitely need a piggy expert to do this at 5 years old. Any general anesthesia will carry a risk to such a small animal and the age could have an impact. At 5 years old he will be viewed as being in his senior years but an experienced vet will be able to do a health check and advise whether they think the operation would be suitable or not.

It could be unrelated and possibly the difference between surgery and invasive surgery but my Peter was neutered at 1 and recovered quickly with no problems. He was 2-2.5 years by the time he had surgery to remove some lumps and he struggled, taking longer to recover from this. As a result I decided at that moment he wouldn't have surgery again as I felt it was too much for him. But like I say, surgery to remove lumps is more invasive than tkibg his plums
 
I did discuss Neutering with the vet, and very nearly booked him in, but decided against it at the last min. I'd be devastated if he passed away because it was too much for him :(
 
I have a boy and a girl and they live in separate cages. Their cages are near each other so they can look at each other. However, I really don’t know if this helps to keep them company.
 
I wouldn't recommend neutering at his age. Technically it's far more difficult and anaesthesia is a definite risk.
Older boars do tend to bond easily with other boars. A rescue will be able to help you find friends for them both
 
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