Travelling to bond - additional stress?

[Jon880]

I've been trying to bond my bereaved sow Sandie with a new companion. Unfortunately, Sandie has in quick succession rejected two adult sows and a boar at Glynneath Rescue here in South Wales.

I could make another attempt at Notions Rescue in Cardiff, which currently has a sow available (Suzy at GGPR is out of potential matches). Unfortunately, I'm 45 miles from Cardiff and I'm just wondering if the travel time there - and back the next day - will put too much stress on Sandie? I usually try to keep journeys with her to a 35-minute travel time radius.

 

[Truffolo]

It must be a sad and difficult time for you I'm wondering if you could foster a piggy and keep him or her in an adjoining but separate cage while you wait for a piggy that she will bond with. How old is Sandie?

 

[Jon880]

It must be a sad and difficult time for you I'm wondering if you could foster a piggy and keep him or her in an adjoining but separate cage while you wait for a piggy that she will bond with. How old is Sandie?

She's two years & five months old.

For a herd animal, some piggies seem incredibly picky about bonding. The irony is that until summer, Sandie was part of a herd of three piggies.

 

[Merab]

Guinea pigs do travel.
We moved 200 miles with 4 piggies, one of which was recovering from neutering surgery.

Provided they are in a large enough carrier with plenty of hay.
An old towel over the top is helpful if it’s cold.
I also carried cucumber pieces in a small tub for refreshment and liquid.
Place them in the footwell of the car for security

Hope Sandie finds a companion she likes

 

[Wiebke]

She's two years & five months old.

For a herd animal, some piggies seem incredibly picky about bonding. The irony is that until summer, Sandie was part of a herd of three piggies.

Some piggies can feel very insecure without the emotional comfort of the group they are belonging to and struggle to accept new mates; especially some sows who can be incredibly fear aggressive when coming face to face with new piggies.

My Sulwen is another group survivor who would not gel with any of my piggies when she came here as an emergency intake. She would not accept any new piggies and took a few months of side by side living with my bereaved returnee Merlin, with who she now has a very happy marriage. She is a really big girl, but a total wuss who is even afraid of my two runty cousins who are literally half her weight and size!

You may have better success with thinking about having another single as a living alongside mate if the new bonding doesn't work out.

PS: I have travelled over two hours on the train with some piggies of mine to rescue date a new husboar for the Tribe and then the same back with a new piggy tow, and certainly to a fair number of closer rescues. My specialist vets are an hour from me, whether I go by car or by train.

 

[Mrs Tiggy Winkle]

I've been trying to bond my bereaved sow Sandie with a new companion. Unfortunately, Sandie has in quick succession rejected two adult sows and a boar at Glynneath Rescue here in South Wales.

I could make another attempt at Notions Rescue in Cardiff, which currently has a sow available (Suzy at GGPR is out of potential matches). Unfortunately, I'm 45 miles from Cardiff and I'm just wondering if the travel time there - and back the next day - will put too much stress on Sandie? I usually try to keep journeys with her to a 35-minute travel time radius.

Some people have a longer than 35 minute trip to the vets! I usually did, I don't have guineas any more, that's the only reason I don't now. I never considered travel time might be stressful or too stressful. Sometimes it's necessary. Because I don't drive, I could observe my guineas in the bus or train and on longer journeys they'd come out of their cosies and be curious about their surroundings, noses in the air, talking to each other and or me etc.

I hope Sandie finds somepig who's compatible.