One of my pair passed away.

[Ksauls0102]

I have a bonded pair (Sam and Steve) and I moved for university. The move was very stressful for my piggies and they kept fighting. When I thought they had finally stopped fighting Steve got sick from the recent stressful events and died. I've waited a few weeks to make sure Sam isn't sick and he isn't. But he is way hyper active and agitated without a second piggy to hang out with. I can't have another piggy because I have to relocate for school in 4 years and just don't think it's a responsible decision to get another pig but Sam is lonely. I've thought about finding him a new home but I just can't bring myself to do it. Is there possibly a type of toy or something to help get out all his extra energy and have something to cuddle?

 

[Hannah_xx]

Would you consider adopting an older piggy? That may be a good option for you.
If you do decide to find him a new home I recommend you take him to a dedicated Guinea pig rescue.

 

[Freela]

Unfortunately there's no toy that is going to replace another living, breathing member of his species. As the above poster suggested, adopting an older pig around the same age might be a good idea, if such a thing is possible. There are a lot of older guinea pigs out there who need homes, although it can sometimes be hard to find them depending on your area. An internet search for local rescues might be a place to start.

 

[Piggies&buns]

 

[VickiA]

With the above posters. I am very sorry for your loss. But long term your boy needs company of his own kind.

 

[Claire W]

I agree. An older boy may be an option but it’s cruel to leave Sam by himself. Nothing will replace another guinea pig

 

[Siikibam]

Sorry for your loss. Another option could be to 'borrow' or temporarily adopt a piggy from a rescue to accompany your boy until he passes. When you move in four years, would you be moving with Sam? If not then hard as it is, you may have to give him up (to a rescue). It wouldn't be fair to keep him on his own.

 

[Bill & Ted]

So sorry that you have lost Steve x
Sam does need a friend

 

[Ksauls0102]

Would you consider adopting an older piggy? That may be a good option for you.
If you do decide to find him a new home I recommend you take him to a dedicated Guinea pig rescue.

I would have to get a younger piggy so they don't fight for dominance.

 

[Piggies&buns]

I would have to get a younger piggy so they don't fight for dominance.

This isn’t the case.

Character compatibility is far more important than age when it comes to finding a new companion. If you have a rescue centre near you, they could help you find a suitable companion with the correct character for Sam regardless of their age.

If you get a younger piggy (as in buy one rather than rescue) you still need to make sure it is character compatible. And with buying rather than rescuing, you have absolutely no idea of their character. when a younger piggy hits his hormonal teenage months he may well fight for dominance over Sam. A youngster (pre teen) is an unknown quantity in that respect.

 

[Wiebke]

I have a bonded pair (Sam and Steve) and I moved for university. The move was very stressful for my piggies and they kept fighting. When I thought they had finally stopped fighting Steve got sick from the recent stressful events and died. I've waited a few weeks to make sure Sam isn't sick and he isn't. But he is way hyper active and agitated without a second piggy to hang out with. I can't have another piggy because I have to relocate for school in 4 years and just don't think it's a responsible decision to get another pig but Sam is lonely. I've thought about finding him a new home but I just can't bring myself to do it. Is there possibly a type of toy or something to help get out all his extra energy and have something to cuddle?

Hi and welcome

I am very sorry for your loss.

Would you consider to adopt or foster a similarly aged piggy to Sam from a good standard rescue with the option that both go to the rescue if you can no longer keep them? This would ensure company for Sam but you can also sort out a safe future for him when you can no longer look after him and will give you peace of mind.
Recommended and vetted UK rescues we can vouch for you being in safe hands: Recommended Guinea Pig Rescues
Recommended rescues in some other countries: Guinea Lynx :: Rescue Organizations
Please be aware that in English speaking countries, anybody can call themselves a breeder or rescue, and that the results can be accordingly.
Our recommended rescues offer for the vast majority boar dating at the rescue, so you and Sam come home with a new friend only if acceptance has happened and you have the rescue to fall back on in case something goes majorly haywire along the way so you won't end up with two fighting boars again.

With you being very busy at uni, leaving Sam on his own for most of the time would be very lonely and depressing.
Unfortunately boars, and even more so teenagers can react badly to a change in their territory as it triggers automatically a renewed hierarchy sort-out.
A Comprehensive Guide to Guinea Pig Boars
Single Guinea Pigs - Challenges and Responsibilities

 

[Freela]

I would have to get a younger piggy so they don't fight for dominance.

This actually isn't the case, age does not determine dominance in guinea pigs. It's a matter of personality. With boars, adopting an older pig without the benefit of teenager hormones may even be an easier and more stable pairing.

 

[Ksauls0102]

Unfortunately there's no toy that is going to replace another living, breathing member of his species. As the above poster suggested, adopting an older pig around the same age might be a good idea, if such a thing is possible. There are a lot of older guinea pigs out there who need homes, although it can sometimes be hard to find them depending on your area. An internet search for local rescues might be a place to start.

He will fight an older piggy for dominance. And there are no rescues in

Hi and welcome

I am very sorry for your loss.

Would you consider to adopt or foster a similarly aged piggy to Sam from a good standard rescue with the option that both go to the rescue if you can no longer keep them? This would ensure company for Sam but you can also sort out a safe future for him when you can no longer look after him and will give you peace of mind.
Recommended and vetted UK rescues we can vouch for you being in safe hands: Recommended Guinea Pig Rescues
Recommended rescues in some other countries: Guinea Lynx :: Rescue Organizations
Please be aware that in English speaking countries, anybody can call themselves a breeder or rescue, and that the results can be accordingly.
Our recommended rescues offer for the vast majority boar dating at the rescue, so you and Sam come home with a new friend only if acceptance has happened and you have the rescue to fall back on in case something goes majorly haywire along the way so you won't end up with two fighting boars again.

With you being very busy at uni, leaving Sam on his own for most of the time would be very lonely and depressing.
Unfortunately boars, and even more so teenagers can react badly to a change in their territory as it triggers automatically a renewed hierarchy sort-out.
A Comprehensive Guide to Guinea Pig Boars
Single Guinea Pigs - Challenges and Responsibilities

I live I Kentucky. The UK forums are just way more informative then the US ones. People in the US see pigs as rodents not pets where I live. I had people tell me that I'm crazy for building such a big cage and getting then veterinary care.

 

[Siikibam]

You can’t be sure that he will fight an older piggy for dominance. Why do you think he would do that? Remember it’s about character compatibility and not age.

I think if you really can’t get him a companion (even one who lives next door), then you really need to think about giving him up to a good home. It’s really difficult if you have to, but you’d be making the best decision for him.

Hope you find a solution soon.

 

[Wiebke]

He will fight an older piggy for dominance. And there are no rescues in

I live I Kentucky. The UK forums are just way more informative then the US ones. People in the US see pigs as rodents not pets where I live. I had people tell me that I'm crazy for building such a big cage and getting then veterinary care.

There are sadly no recommended rescues for your state. The closest good standard one I know of is Knoxville Guinea Pig Rescue in Tennessee.
You can look up rescues within your reach on petfinder but they can be very patchy and their quality can be extremely variable. Any decent rescue should have a mandatory quarantine, vet care and no-kill policy and any baby boars should be separated at 3 weeks old.

When you get another piggy on spec, please plan for keeping your piggies as living alongside neighbours if they do not click.
These two guides both deal with the issues of finding a new mate for single or bereaved boars; they take into account that not everybody has got decent rescue access, so I have included a range of options with their pros/cons and challenges to allow everybody anywhere to find a suitable situation.
A Comprehensive Guide to Guinea Pig Boars
Single Guinea Pigs - Challenges and Responsibilities

We have a number of US members as well as others from all over the world, so it would be very helpful if you please added your state to location in your account details (accessed by clicking on your username on the top bar). This will make it appear with every post of yours and allows us to tailor any advice to what is relevant and available for you straight away - climate, vet/rescue access, medical brand names, general background etc. Our default is UK based.