Should I Risk It?

denverguineas

denverguineas

Junior Guinea Pig
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Denver, Colorado, USA
I've taken Rocky to a few different shelters and he's met four guinea pigs but none of them have been right. Every time there was fighting behavior from either of the pigs in the session. He has been so lonely and jealous of Dulce and Capone across the room. I really want to find him a friend, but the piggies in the shelters either are too dominant for Rocky (he is a very dominant boar) or they leave the shelter quicker than I can get there. There has been only boars in the rescues near me, and I don't really want to neuter him and get a sow, for fear of disturbing Dulce and Capone's relationship. I can figure something out if I have to, but even when I babysat my friend's sows it caused more rumblestrutting than usual.
A person I know had an unexpected piggy pregnancy (which went very well thanks to this forum!) and has a male piggy all weaned and ready for a new home. I have met him and he is very sweet, but I am worried that he and Rocky won't get along. The people with the baby pig need him out within the week, so I wouldn't be able to give him back if it didn't work out, and they live too far away to justify driving out with Rocky.
My question is this: Should I get the baby boar and risk them not getting along (or potentially getting along great), or continue the seemingly endless rescue introductions?
 
denverguineas said:
I've taken Rocky to a few different shelters and he's met four guinea pigs but none of them have been right. Every time there was fighting behavior from either of the pigs in the session. He has been so lonely and jealous of Dulce and Capone across the room. I really want to find him a friend, but the piggies in the shelters either are too dominant for Rocky (he is a very dominant boar) or they leave the shelter quicker than I can get there. There has been only boars in the rescues near me, and I don't really want to neuter him and get a sow, for fear of disturbing Dulce and Capone's relationship. I can figure something out if I have to, but even when I babysat my friend's sows it caused more rumblestrutting than usual.
A person I know had an unexpected piggy pregnancy (which went very well thanks to this forum!) and has a male piggy all weaned and ready for a new home. I have met him and he is very sweet, but I am worried that he and Rocky won't get along. The people with the baby pig need him out within the week, so I wouldn't be able to give him back if it didn't work out, and they live too far away to justify driving out with Rocky.
My question is this: Should I get the baby boar and risk them not getting along (or potentially getting along great), or continue the seemingly endless rescue introductions?
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Have a plan B (living with a divider) at the ready (as you should with any bonding you do at home) or consider moving Rocky next to the other boys for ongoing stimulation and interaction through the bars. Or can you arrange with the family that their baby can return in case a bonding doesn't come off and try a bonding session at their home? Give the two boys time to meet through the grids first so Rocky can settle; that can help with acceptance.
Our bonding guide has been recently updated and contains some more bonding videos. Bonding and Interaction: Illustrated social behaviours and bonding dynamics

Please make sure that your cage and bonding area are baby proof; normal C&C grids are too wide and pose a risk to getting the head stuck (and very small babies can still wiggle through them).
 
You are doing such a good job trying to find the right companion for Rocky.
I hope that if you decide to take the baby boar that everything works well
 
You're definitely trying to get him a best buddy, he obviously just needs that 'special' one!

Has he been with babies when you've tried to bond him in the past? Could be good to try with a youngster as less intimidating for him if he hasn't been with pigs for a while, may be better than a hormone-filled teenager etc!
Hope you can find him a friend :)
 
I’d go for it, otherwise you will always be wondering if it would have worked, good luck x
 
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