People with Experince Owning One Pig, Please

[Astralwolf37]

Owner of guinea pigs for 20 years here...one at a time. I owned my first pigs grade school through college and didn't know they needed a friend until I started reading more about them online. I pessimistically always thought that was a sales pitch that they did better in pairs and groups. I also didn't realize they needed so much exercise!

Then it came time to get another one, my last piggie that just passed, and I was debating getting her a friend. But she was the most timid, low-key guinea pig ever. When I got her she was in a cage with two other pigs, huddling flat under some hay while the others bounced over her. I thought she was being bullied. And when I got her home, she only loved to huddle and snuggle. She wouldn't even do anything during floor time. I was worried another pig would just bully her. I love guinea pigs, but I have a fear of mismatching them and ending up with an injured piggy or worse.

Anyway, now the debate rages on if I should get a new one. If I get a very active one again, I want to be able to provide it with the activity and enrichment it deserves. Especially because of my fears of owning multiple types of one pet (we have three dogs that have ended up in emergency care due to squabbles). So my question is if lone guinea pigs can get used to floor time on their own. I have a variety of food puzzles, cardboard toys and tubes I'm brainstorming.

The other issue is my limited space. I have three dogs, as I mentioned, so I basically have one room that they are kept out of that the guinea pig could roam in. It's a room with a lot of wires, so I'd need to create a secure run. I have enough space for a 1-foot by 5-foot run, is that enough? My other option was taking the pigloo out of the cage and replacing it with the enrichment toys for a few hours each day. Has anyone had good luck with that method?

Sorry for the long post, it's an issue I've been giving great thought to. My other option I was thinking about was to get something that requires no out-of-cage exercise time like a gerbil. I've had rodents since the third grade and just can't give them up.

 

[Deleted member 114675]

No advice from me . Guineas are herd animals - they shouldn't be kept on their own : fact

 

[Swissgreys]

Welcome to the Forum and sorry for the loss of your guinea pig.

If I understand correctly you currently don't have any guinea pigs but are considering getting a new one?

If this is the case I would strongly urge you to consider a pair.
The fact that piggies often appear 'shy' or 'just love cuddles' is more about them being lonely and scared, rather than not wanting a guinea pig companion.
Having a friend can make them feel braver and more adventurous, and will definitely result in a happier life for them and make them far more entertaining to watch.

But bonding is a worry, and you don't want to end up with 2 piggies who don't get on, so have you considered approaching a rescue. A good rescue will health check all their pigges and bond them for you, as well as offering back up support after you bring them home. If you update your profile to let us know roughly where you are located we can advise on your nearest rescue.

But before all of this you need to be realistic about the space you have to offer.
Guinea pigs need a large cage with plenty of space, as this is where they spend most of their time.
Floor time is wonderful, but this is done on your schedule not theirs, so it is an additional enrichment and not a replacement for a large cage.
For example my new boy Harry has a manic 15 minutes between 5:00 - 5:30am every monring. He runs laps of the cage like he is in the Olympics. He does get floor time but not at 5am, so it is important he has a cage big enough to run in when he feels the need to run.
The minimum cage size you would need would be 120cm x 70cms.

If space and other pets are an issue have you considered something like a hamster.
I have a hammie and he is a brilliant pet who requires far less space than the piggies.
He is in a tank which means he is safe from other animals, and this sits on top of a chest or drawers, so requires very little space, although again make sure you do some research on minimum cage sizes - even for hamster this is a lot larger than most people think!

 

[Pigwhisperer]

A rescue will have a pair of pigs that are already well bonded so you wouldn't have to worry about them fighting. If you don't have space, I would go for a Syrian hamster, all mine have loved human company for all they are supposed to be "solitary" animals.

 

[Wiebke]

Owner of guinea pigs for 20 years here...one at a time. I owned my first pigs grade school through college and didn't know they needed a friend until I started reading more about them online. I pessimistically always thought that was a sales pitch that they did better in pairs and groups. I also didn't realize they needed so much exercise!

Then it came time to get another one, my last piggie that just passed, and I was debating getting her a friend. But she was the most timid, low-key guinea pig ever. When I got her she was in a cage with two other pigs, huddling flat under some hay while the others bounced over her. I thought she was being bullied. And when I got her home, she only loved to huddle and snuggle. She wouldn't even do anything during floor time. I was worried another pig would just bully her. I love guinea pigs, but I have a fear of mismatching them and ending up with an injured piggy or worse.

Anyway, now the debate rages on if I should get a new one. If I get a very active one again, I want to be able to provide it with the activity and enrichment it deserves. Especially because of my fears of owning multiple types of one pet (we have three dogs that have ended up in emergency care due to squabbles). So my question is if lone guinea pigs can get used to floor time on their own. I have a variety of food puzzles, cardboard toys and tubes I'm brainstorming.

The other issue is my limited space. I have three dogs, as I mentioned, so I basically have one room that they are kept out of that the guinea pig could roam in. It's a room with a lot of wires, so I'd need to create a secure run. I have enough space for a 1-foot by 5-foot run, is that enough? My other option was taking the pigloo out of the cage and replacing it with the enrichment toys for a few hours each day. Has anyone had good luck with that method?

Sorry for the long post, it's an issue I've been giving great thought to. My other option I was thinking about was to get something that requires no out-of-cage exercise time like a gerbil. I've had rodents since the third grade and just can't give them up.

Hi and welcome

Guinea pigs are group animals; they are not wired to live on their own. They can be very traumatised by humans/rough handling, bad conditions and by being stuck with piggies without proper bonding and feeling very much in hostile territory.

You need to also always check whether there is an underlying health issue; please have her health checked by vet, as we recommend for any new guinea pig that is not coming with a clean bill of health from a good standard rescue with mandatory quarantine and vet treatment.

Please also take into account that being alone in a household with barking dogs is not the kind of environment that will induce a traumatised/ill guinea pig that is running fully on prey animal instincts to come out of itself.

Please do not deprive her of her refuge; it will frighten it only further! In fact, placing a blanket over the cage to give her an added feeling of security and to encourage her to explore her cage is much more helpful! Right now, she is very much in strange and potentially dangerous territory.
What you need to do is to avoid as much as possible any predatory/hunting behaviours and use guinea pig social behaviours to make friends with her in ways that she instinctively understands. This is a very slow and often frustrating one step forward two steps back process, but it is worth it. Try to see things from the perspective of a frightened prey animal as much as possible, not from a human perpective with your own ideas of how things should be.
How Do I Settle Shy New Guinea Pigs?
Understanding Prey Animal Instincts, Guinea Pig Whispering And Cuddling Tips
Bonding: Illustrated Dominance Behaviours And Dynamics

If a guinea pig doesn't want to be with others of its kind, it always needs to be its own choice and not your decision. In fact, this is pretty rare and mostly the case with guinea pigs that have been kept as singles from a very young age and that have lost the ability to perceive themselves as guinea pigs.
The best way to find that out is by dating at a good rescue where she can meet potential friends (sow or neutered boar). Mutual liking and character compatibility are much more important than age; in fact, some of my own most loving bonds have come with quite an age difference. A bold baby guinea pig of your choice that will rather dominate her is not necessarily what your girl requires to bring her out. A gentle adult personality with a maternal/nurturing side, whether that is a sow or a gentle neutered boar is likely much more suitable. But it is notoriously difficult to predict the choice of a piggy; they very much have their own ideas who they like and click with!
Sadly Switzerland is still the only country where it is legally forbidden to sell or keep guinea pigs (or any other social pets like rabbits) as single pets.
Companionship

Here is our cage guide; the minimal welfare recommended cage space for one or two guinea pigs should be the same - 2x4 ft to have space to move around and still have a hidey or two. You can always consider getting a pannelled rabbit lawn run or puppy run to use as an exercise space; you can set it up and fold it up at need.
30cm is too thin to really do more than running from one end to the other; a wider but shorter area is much more interesting. Please only start with roaming space once your girl is confident in her cage; otherwise it is simply yet more hostile territory thrown at her. she will need some cover and hideys sprinkled around (at ca. 1 ft distance) at first again to help her explore it by going from one safe spot to the next.
Cage Size Guide

A lot has changed in the guinea pig world in the last few years. You may find our new owners' guide collection (from which most of these links have been taken) very helpful. Please take the time to read up!
Getting Started - New Owners' Most Helpful Guides
We have got much more information on a wide range of subjects that you can access via our guides shortcut on the top bar but you are always welcome ot ask any questions in our Care sections.

Since we have got members and enquiries from all over the world, we can't help you further with rescue and vet recommendations unless you add your country, state/province or UK county to your details. Please click on your username on the top bar, then go to account details and scroll down to location. This will make it appear with every post you make and allow us to tailor any advice to what is relevant and available where you are straight away. Thank you!

 

[fanniephina]

Owner of guinea pigs for 20 years here...one at a time. I owned my first pigs grade school through college and didn't know they needed a friend until I started reading more about them online. I pessimistically always thought that was a sales pitch that they did better in pairs and groups. I also didn't realize they needed so much exercise!

Then it came time to get another one, my last piggie that just passed, and I was debating getting her a friend. But she was the most timid, low-key guinea pig ever. When I got her she was in a cage with two other pigs, huddling flat under some hay while the others bounced over her. I thought she was being bullied. And when I got her home, she only loved to huddle and snuggle. She wouldn't even do anything during floor time. I was worried another pig would just bully her. I love guinea pigs, but I have a fear of mismatching them and ending up with an injured piggy or worse.

Anyway, now the debate rages on if I should get a new one. If I get a very active one again, I want to be able to provide it with the activity and enrichment it deserves. Especially because of my fears of owning multiple types of one pet (we have three dogs that have ended up in emergency care due to squabbles). So my question is if lone guinea pigs can get used to floor time on their own. I have a variety of food puzzles, cardboard toys and tubes I'm brainstorming.

The other issue is my limited space. I have three dogs, as I mentioned, so I basically have one room that they are kept out of that the guinea pig could roam in. It's a room with a lot of wires, so I'd need to create a secure run. I have enough space for a 1-foot by 5-foot run, is that enough? My other option was taking the pigloo out of the cage and replacing it with the enrichment toys for a few hours each day. Has anyone had good luck with that method?

Sorry for the long post, it's an issue I've been giving great thought to. My other option I was thinking about was to get something that requires no out-of-cage exercise time like a gerbil. I've had rodents since the third grade and just can't give them up.

I think there is so much more that is being conveyed in information via the internet and other sources that hasn't been known in previous years. I started with one guinea pig too and was completely floored at how much more there is too it. I have a room of pet store cages that are piled up due to not researching well enough and learned some lessons.

It was possible to have a lone guinea pig but it never happened that any were happy and it became critical at one time for the depression leading to illness. My home is completely different now. Even after getting a friend, we became totally enamored of these little ones and we do have a few cavy cages. On my word, the day that I learned this, changed all the cages and added friends, these guineas came totally alive running, jumping, playing, doing zoomies and lots of popcorning. It is a real joy to see but as previously commented, it's really the only way to get anything out of having a guinea pig and everything they can give you as well as the most humane thing to do.

We do have one baby rescue whom I am simply, thus far, unable to bond successfully and have a couple little battle scars in the bargain (smile). He is with my daughter in her room, he does roam freely but has a 2x4 c&c that he can go in and out of with fleece and beds underneath her bed in his favorite corners as well. Her room is limited as well with space now but next step is to add [again] another large c&c and try to put another baby next to him. My daughter is 17 and studying in her room a lot. When outside, she usually takes him with her to put near her or in our newest made outdoor exercise pen. I am still trying desperately however to make certain this little guy is at his happiest with all this attention because I can see sometimes he is desperate for a friend.

If you can find the space for even a 2x5 cavy cage and two females (hands down the easiest when it comes to bonding and getting on with others) it would be probably the simplest. I have seen tons of little hamsters locally that are cute as can be too and definitely simpler and less expensive in maintenance, as suggested here as well.

Welcome to the forum! Please let us know if you decide to add and some pics-even if they are not guinea pig babies. Always love seeing these :-).

 

[Freela]

I had a lone guinea pig as a child... as you say, as a function of not knowing any better. She was a classroom pet that I adopted when the teacher's husband developed an allergy, she came on her own, and I never knew better. We gave her the best life we could, but ultimately I'm sure she would have been happier with a friend.

Here's my perspective, for what it's worth... guinea pigs will be happier, healthier, and will be better pets for you when kept in pairs or groups. If you are able to make room for two, this is the best option. If not, there are other animals that are happy to live on their own (I also have hamsters- hamsters hate other hamsters! The perfect pet if you only want one. Our Syrian hamsters have been great pets, very friendly, lovely personalities. That might be a better option than a lone piggie.) Guinea pigs are social and are hard-wired to live in groups. A lone guinea pig in the wild is easily picked off as prey and they instinctively know this and find safety in numbers. They will develop a pecking order and will find comfort in knowing their place in the group (this goes for the pigs at the bottom too. I think sometimes we project human emotions onto our pets and feel that the pig that is low in the pecking order is being bullied or is being treated unfairly- but they don't feel this way.) They have a bond with each other, communicate with each other, and have the opportunity to engage in natural behaviors. They learn from each other, everything from trying new foods to patterns of behavior. They have a relationship with each other that is distinct and separate from their relationship with you... a lot of people fear that a guinea pig with a friend won't bond to the human owner, but I have never found this to be the case. Honestly, watching the interaction between my pigs, as the pairs have changed over the years, has been one of the best parts of owning pigs. You really see their personalities more in relation to each other- we've had a tyrant queen, an anxious little soul who was always on guard, a cautious but stoic girl, a benevolent, calm leader, and a very affectionate, happy, bouncy, expressive girl. These are all qualities I think it would have been hard to appreciate if they didn't have another pig to relate to. Based on this, I can say that I wouldn't have a lone pig again. I can so clearly see the benefits to them of being in a pair. So I guess that's my impassioned plea about the benefit of keeping pigs in pairs/groups.

In your place, with the opportunity to start from scratch, I would give serious thought to a pair of females who already know one another. This gives you the option to skip the stress of introductions. Sows are less likely to fall out and require less space than boars. I honestly think you will be happy that you did once you have an opportunity to see them interact with each other and with you. And if there's just no way to make this work, I would honestly recommend a lone hamster rather than a lone guinea pig. They are also great little animals who also bond to their owners and are not in the least interested in having other hamsters around!

 

[Astralwolf37]

Wow...some of these stories. In 20 years of owning solitary pigs, I've never had issues with depression or not getting to know their unique little personalities. They've seemed content....all talking, popcorning and zooming around their cage. I've also kept them in relatively active areas and did my best to play and interact with them.

I guess it's just a matter of if I can keep up the same amount of interaction as life gets more complicated over the years, and if not, if I can find the space, time and budget for two pigs. I've also been eyeing rats and gerbils, which do best in pairs by the sounds of it too, but require less space and food. Lots to think about. Thanks for taking the time to answer.

 

[Wiebke]

Wow...some of these stories. In 20 years of owning solitary pigs, I've never had issues with depression or not getting to know their unique little personalities. They've seemed content....all talking, popcorning and zooming around their cage. I've also kept them in relatively active areas and did my best to play and interact with them.

I guess it's just a matter of if I can keep up the same amount of interaction as life gets more complicated over the years, and if not, if I can find the space, time and budget for two pigs. I've also been eyeing rats and gerbils, which do best in pairs by the sounds of it too, but require less space and food. Lots to think about. Thanks for taking the time to answer.

If piggies are kept as singles from an early age, they simply get on with their life once they get accustomed to being on their own.

But I promise you than when you experience what keeping carefully personality matched piggies in company does for them, you don't ever want to go back to single piggies! It adds a whole extra dimension to their lives that you get to enjoy, too - plus the satisfaction to know that you are doing them more justice. Our first family piggy in the 70ies was a single, but seeing how desperate he was for company whenever we were holiday sitting friends' or neighbours' piggies, the next lot were a pair, and we have never rued it!

There has been a general shift towards acknowledging group species' needs more during the time you have had your guinea pigs; the need for company rodents (apart from those hamster species that are solitary) is now an established part of welfare recommendations.

Please also take the rise in vet fees into account when getting future pets; they are making the biggest budget post in any pet's life-long budget. Even rodents are thankfully no longer considered beneath the notice of a general vet and there is so much more that can be done for them these days!

 

[Astralwolf37]

If piggies are kept as singles from an early age, they simply get on with their life once they get accustomed to being on their own.

But I promise you than when you experience what keeping carefully personality matched piggies in company does for them, you don't ever want to go back to single piggies! It adds a whole extra dimension to their lives that you get to enjoy, too - plus the satisfaction to know that you are doing them more justice. Our first family piggy in the 70ies was a single, but seeing how desperate he was for company whenever we were holiday sitting friends' or neighbours' piggies, the next lot were a pair, and we have never rued it!

There has been a general shift towards acknowledging group species' needs more during the time you have had your guinea pigs; the need for company rodents (apart from those hamster species that are solitary) is now an established part of welfare recommendations.

Please also take the rise in vet fees into account when getting future pets; they are making the biggest budget post in any pet's life-long budget. Even rodents are thankfully no longer considered beneath the notice of a general vet and there is so much more that can be done for them these days!

Thanks for the candid reply. I'm still of the controversial opinion that guineas can thrive alone with enough work and interaction from their owners. (Guess I'm biased.) But I'm strongly leaning towards a robo hamster at the moment, which I understand do better alone and can exercise on a wheel in their own time.

 

[Seven7]

I started with one, my boy Finn, raised him from when he was a baby. He was kept in the center of the house where he was always a part of our family conversations, events, and gatherings where people come over so he can look a them.

When Finn was about 6 months old, I actively searched for a male companion for him. I had to stop looking because a friend who knew I love animals decided to give me their unwanted girl guinea pig Lara.
To make the long story short, I provided a home for Lara. She lives in a separate cage across the room from Finn. I never planned on having my boy Finn through a castration, so they will always be housed separately. Although I have a very good veterinarian, I don’t want to lose Finn by putting him under anesthesia for castration.

I know my boy Finn loves Lara so much as he bites his cage when they get too close. Finn always sits in the corner of his cage closest to where Lara’s cage is.

 

[Swissgreys]

Thanks for the candid reply. I'm still of the controversial opinion that guineas can thrive alone with enough work and interaction from their owners. (Guess I'm biased.) But I'm strongly leaning towards a robo hamster at the moment, which I understand do better alone and can exercise on a wheel in their own time.

I often liken single guinea pigs to living in a country that you weren't raised in.
I was born in Australia but now live in Switzerland.
I love it here, and have no desire to leave.
My life is good, and on a day to day basis I am perfectly happy.
I am integrated into our village, my kids are at the local school, I have a job, I do volunteer work.

BUT I miss being with my own kind. This is why most expats actively seek out others from their original home land, or at the very least people who same the same mother tongue as them.
Being able to communicate in your own language, with people who understand your culture can never be fully replaced.
I tink it is the same for single guinea pigs - they will be happy and do fine on their own, but there is always something missing. They need to be able to communicate in their 'mother tongue' to their own species. Interaction with humans can never fully replace that, but the only difference is that guinea pigs can't actively go out and find that like I can.

 

[fanniephina]

I often liken single guinea pigs to living in a country that you weren't raised in.
I was born in Australia but now live in Switzerland.
I love it here, and have no desire to leave.
My life is good, and on a day to day basis I am perfectly happy.
I am integrated into our village, my kids are at the local school, I have a job, I do volunteer work.

BUT I miss being with my own kind. This is why most expats actively seek out others from their original home land, or at the very least people who same the same mother tongue as them.
Being able to communicate in your own language, with people who understand your culture can never be fully replaced.
I tink it is the same for single guinea pigs - they will be happy and do fine on their own, but there is always something missing. They need to be able to communicate in their 'mother tongue' to their own species. Interaction with humans can never fully replace that, but the only difference is that guinea pigs can't actively go out and find that like I can.

This is a really great analogy. It's been some years now but your post took me back. It was an adjustment going from US to Italy too. We lived there for close to 5 years. It actually started as extremely difficult but I think it was just because we weren't in Rome. The small village we lived in were pretty reserved with me while my kids were actually pretty popular as the only Americans they had there. My daughter did very well and knows better Italian then I do. My son was a bit older and it was much more difficult for him, even with being popular. He had a hard time learning the language and no one spoke any English where we lived. Not until we would go to the larger areas or cities. My husband and I felt like a fish out of water many times and he's from there. But that was only because of how difficult it was for me and his trying to make the situation easier. Like some of the teachers would not talk to me. I forced myself to learn Italian but I wasn't fluent. So I would be there at home, unable at first to get any work and my husband worked in Rome but would have to take a train 2 hours back for the school calling him when it was within walking distance. I would always go with him, walked to meet both my kids and he would say to the school to talk to me. But we had to work for him just forcing it by my going when they called him. The English teacher in my son's middle school was brutal. She told me from the first through my husband that she didn't know English as well and just wouldn't address me at all. My husband said he thought she was embarrassed as Italians have much pride, especially in what they are skilled at. Actually this woman really had me feeling badly about not being able to be independent and help my husband more. Our neighbors would smile and were nice but extremely reserved with me. The village was very small and they all knew each other and families. We tried to go with my daughter to birthday parties or the park neighborhood meeting and my husband and I did talk for some time to the other neighbors but honestly after about 20 minutes, we ended up sort of standing on the side watching for being sort of out of this tight loop. No one meant anything bad and I think they really tried but we were pretty much alone.

I also had begun suffering long-lasting migraines and was given different treatment there then I was used to from the Drs. It was a bit different learning normal medicines and pharmacies so there was some time of suffering with nothing for not knowing what could be similar to American basic tylenols etc and never really having had the problem to begin with in America. My husband got me my little Lollipop, my chihuahua, to help with missing him and the kids during the day and not feeling so alone and isolated. She also saved me with my migraines.

We are back here now and I am very happy. I do miss so much of Italy and still have a friend from Scotland that I had met there whom my husband and I would meet up with in Rome when we could (going to Rome was always the best. Honestly, I was able to meet and talk with more foreigners at the trains then even I can talk to here. People from the UK in particular seemed to know I was English speaking and would ask if I knew where they were going, how to get somewhere, or one family asked me if I knew where a bank machine was at the trains before I said two words lol. These people gave me a wonderful day, would be vacationers smiling and very friendly. I never had a moment of being alone there in Rome; with or without my husband).

It was just very strange to read your post this morning on this forum. I hadn't thought of being back there really in years :-). I couldn't imagine coming from Australia to Switzerland but it has got to be just beautiful there. It is one thing I think my husband is missing now and even I miss of Europe in particular; there is no beauty here that can compare nor the history.