Piggy Problem- Your Thoughts

[Jesse's pigs]

Hey guys me here again with another dilemma (you might have seen an earlier thread entitled: 'Doggy Dilemma.'). This time it's piggy related. So I will not name names because this individual is a very very good friend of mine who hasn't had the best of times recently- and I'm not just saying that. Let's just say life hasn't been fair.

She loves her guinea pigs terribly and I mean LOVES them like myself and you guys here on the forum. She's made mistakes- some of which I tried to help with but at the end of the day people make their own minds up. She put three boars together- lets just say it didn't work. And then put three 'boars' together to find it was really two boars and a sow- didn't work either.

Anyway my point is times have got tougher for her and she's recently decided/been told she must cut down on her guinea pig numbers. I have found an advert for one of the boars online - I have met all her piggies and myself seen this one when it was just a youngster to now. I know it's breaking her heart and she doesn't want to.

Now I just want your opinion. Apparently 4 guinea pigs have to go. I was perhaps thinking of offering to home two of them. I have the space and I know the commitment. Yet do I? I don't want to meddle and at the minute I'm still umming and ahhing over it. I have discussed it through with my mum who agrees it is sad but we havent talked further- I suppose I didn't actually think it'd happen. I did offer earlier to look after a pair of the pigs if needed till things calmed down but have heard nothing since.

 

[Merrypigs Sanctuary]

Hey guys me here again with another dilemma (you might have seen an earlier thread entitled: 'Doggy Dilemma.'). This time it's piggy related. So I will not name names because this individual is a very very good friend of mine who hasn't had the best of times recently- and I'm not just saying that. Let's just say life hasn't been fair.

She loves her guinea pigs terribly and I mean LOVES them like myself and you guys here on the forum. She's made mistakes- some of which I tried to help with but at the end of the day people make their own minds up. She put three boars together- lets just say it didn't work. And then put three 'boars' together to find it was really two boars and a sow- didn't work either.

Anyway my point is times have got tougher for her and she's recently decided/been told she must cut down on her guinea pig numbers. I have found an advert for one of the boars online - I have met all her piggies and myself seen this one when it was just a youngster to now. I know it's breaking her heart and she doesn't want to.

Now I just want your opinion. Apparently 4 guinea pigs have to go. I was perhaps thinking of offering to home two of them. I have the space and I know the commitment. Yet do I? I don't want to meddle and at the minute I'm still umming and ahhing over it. I have discussed it through with my mum who agrees it is sad but we havent talked further- I suppose I didn't actually think it'd happen. I did offer earlier to look after a pair of the pigs if needed till things calmed down but have heard nothing since.

I think it would be a wonderful idea if you were prepared to take on some of her piggies! That way she'd know they were going to a great home and could still visit them! Of course, it's a big commitment, but if you are happy to take them in for the rest of their lives then I think your friend would be very happy

 

[Jesse's pigs]

Found another advert for another one of the boars.

 

[Qualcast&Flymo]

Have you tried suggesting she takes the ones she can no longer keep (or some of them) to a rescue? As she really loves her piggies, this would be far better than trying to sell or give them away online , where you don't know anything about the person taking them from you?

 

[Jesse's pigs]

Have you tried suggesting she takes the ones she can no longer keep (or some of them) to a rescue? As she really loves her piggies, this would be far better than trying to sell or give them away online , where you don't know anything about the person taking them from you?

At the minute I don't think anything I'm saying is really going through to be honest. I haven't heard anything from her. But yes i have mentioned going to a rescue like Woodgreen for instance- just not too sure she will. I don't even know if the piggies are already gone. One of the adverts has been up 4 days already.

 

[Jesse's pigs]

Just wanted to update you guys- so out of four that had to go three have gone. Two sows went together and a boar went today. The two sows are going to remain bonded but the boars new home (though my friend says the woman was nice) is putting him in with a rabbit.

 

[Betsy]

A piggy and a rabbit together? I didn't think that was supposed to work? Although my friend had a piggy and a rabbit together and she seemed to think everything was fine!

 

[Pawz]

A piggy and a rabbit together? I didn't think that was supposed to work? Although my friend had a piggy and a rabbit together and she seemed to think everything was fine!

The main reason it is not recommended is.

1) Dry Rabbit mix does not contain vitamin C which piggies need as they can't synthesize a heir own. All good dry guinea food contains vitamin c.

2) Rabbits are much larger than piggies and can easily kill or seriously injury them with a kick.

3) They are different species with different vocal and body languages. They cannot understand the wants and behavior of the other one which increases the likelihood of even a warning scuffle from one that could escalate into a more dangerous injury as one is far stronger than the other. (It's like someone locking you in the closet with a Neanderthal and expecting you both to live in perfect harmony).

 

[Jesse's pigs]

The main reason it is not recommended is.

1) Dry Rabbit mix does not contain vitamin C which piggies need as they can't synthesize a heir own. All good dry guinea food contains vitamin c.

2) Rabbits are much larger than piggies and can easily kill or seriously injury them with a kick.

3) They are different species with different vocal and body languages. They cannot understand the wants and behavior of the other one which increases the likelihood of even a warning scuffle from one that could escalate into a more dangerous injury as one is far stronger than the other. (It's like someone locking you in the closet with a Neanderthal and expecting you both to live in perfect harmony).

A piggy and a rabbit together? I didn't think that was supposed to work? Although my friend had a piggy and a rabbit together and she seemed to think everything was fine!

Yep that's exactly what I thought when I heard so I can only hope the lady sees sense before and gets him another piggy friend. My guinea pigs only ever interact with my rabbit if they are in their outside pen and Bigwig hops over and smells them. Even when Mo free roams the lawn at the same time they keep their distance. I mean Bigwig is a huge softy but I would still never ever put them together.