When to get a friend?

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supermum

supermum

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After the sad departure of Kreature I now have a single boar, he is showing signs of depression and really isnt himself, I'm pretty worried about him going downhill from lonelyness, Kreature only past away a couple of days ago, we are all still gutted 8...

I need to know when the right time is to bond him, what aged piggie would be best (George is around 3-4yrs old) I am guessing bonding him to my remaining pair would be impossible? I have already asked for some help from the lady that ran the Cheylesmore rescue but want to be sure I get this right for him x
 
you could try a younger boar with him but they need to get on if sharing a cage, but is it possible to have a partion to he would be able to see another piggy ? when i have a piggy on their own who i can't pair up i give them an old teddy bear [not fluffy] wipe it in the bedding to scent it and introduce it that seems to work good luck. hope everything goes well with you, and sorry to hear of your sad loss. p.s try bonding the others with him but as long as they can see / hear each other that should help him over come his loss abit better
 
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I'm sorry for your loss :(
It's difficult to know what to and when, I lost Peanut in February and at the time didn't know about boar dating so didnt get Fuzzy a friend until June but it has made a big difference. I hear that although it might feel kind of 'wrong' to us to get a 'replacement', new company is the best way to perk up your current piggy. I wouldn't try pairing him with your current pair, trios are very sticky to get to work long term, plus there's the risk that it may upset the bond between your current two and then you'd be left with 3 single piggies. I would try to take him boar dating where he can pick his own friend, most of the time a baby boar works as they're not a threat and the elder one will take on a big brother/father role.

I see you're in Coventry, i live near you and I went to stoke on trent to The Potteries Guinea Pig Rescue, Helen is very knowledgeable and has been great for advice too. They have their own website and are members on here. If you're unable to get the train or car and another rescue baby boar or petshop is your only option, I would say go for a young boar as mentioned and do ensure they're are introduced on neutral territory, the cage has been cleaned out prior so there are no old smells etc. Good luck whatever you choose! :)
 
Thank you, I'm thinking of trying to find a neutred female, I'm thinking it would be the easiest to bond? I'm jsut hoping it wont upset my boar pair above them. I can get a baby boar no problems from the breeder my babies came from, other wise I will need a rescue to do the bonding for me entirely so I dont end up with 2 single piggies needing friends lol x (Let me know if my thinking is wrong though, I came here to ensure I'm doing the best for George whatever that may be, I know there are alot of clued up people on here x)
 
You could try to find a neutered female but they are quite hard to come by. There's no guarantee the smell of her wont upset the other boys but then again it may be ok, keeping a female near a boar is not something I personally have done..

You could get a baby boar and do the bonding yourself, there's loads of helpful threads on here and people who can help, I'd even offer to come over and help if need be (i only live in nuneaton), I've bonded quite a lot of males so just shout if you do that and want some help. :)

If you do this I would advise having somewhere or something to put one of them if they need a time out or have a squabble, just as a precaution really.
 
Unfortunatly neutered girls are very rare, theres usually a waiting list for them as its a tricky opperation so they often only go to boars who have failed to bond with other boars.

I would really suggest boar dating, buying a new piggy means youll have to keep him if he doesnt get on with your george. A baby boar is no gaurantee they will be friends. Its unlikely they will argue when they meet with a baby but when baby hits his hormones it can be a problem. Rescues will carefully find george the perfect friend that he loves. Be it old or young. Many people on here warmly recoment helen at the potteries.
 
Have you tried putting a small soft toy in with him? Did wonders for Biscuit, he's always humping it :red But he says "At Last! something that doesn't object to my advances....!"
Short term solution until you find a pal?
 
Hi thanks for your replies, I have put a ted in with him so fingers crossed he is ok with that for now, I have contacted a lady in Rugby to see if she has netured females, if she doesnt I will contact the one recommended by you guys and see about boar dating. I dont really want to go and buy one for them to hate each other lol
 
It's a pity your not closer, you could have tried him with Biscuit, he's 2 next Easter
IMAG0018.jpg

Though he's a bit highly charged at times :))
 
Get in touch with Helen at The Potteries Guinea Pig Rescue for some advice, as already mentioned she's very experienced and helpful. http://www.thepotteriesguineapigrescue.co.uk/
Don't leave things too long if your remaining piglet is showing signs of depression. We felt awful "replacing" Mr M ( he was truly irreplaceable) but had to put Wallace's health before our own feelings. He soon perked up once he'd decided on Rocket as his new friend and it did help us as well, it meant we could enjoy baby pig and remember MR M with a few more smiles rather than mostly tears 8.... (((((hugs))))
 
We are hoping to get him a friend asap, he is going for a check up friday though to ensure he is in full health, he is still eating and drinking but not like he was :( if I can get him a pal by the weekend I will lol x I need to try and find somewhere more local then Helens though as she is in Stoke on Trent I believe? xx
 
Have you tried to contact Tracy from RNGP Welfare in Rugby? I have piggy dated more than once at her rescue (Dizzy in 2007 and Terfel this summer)
http://www.rngp.org/

This is a new rescue in Nuneaton.
http://www.little-thorns-rescue.moonfruit.com/

Honeybunneys by Fosse Park near Leicester
http://www.rabbitrehome.org.uk/rescue.asp?Rescue=461

Llewelyn was piggy dated in Hopper Haven in Redditch:
http://www.hopperhaven.org.uk/

RAGS in Kerseley Newlands and the RSPCA Coventry are probably your closest rescues, but neither allows dating. Jo in Cheylesmore has sadly closed down.
 
I have contacted Rugby, Jo has kindly offered to help me with the process should I have to do any bonding myself bless her, its ashame she has closed down :( She has even offered George a home if we find things to difficult as we have the other 2 boys to worry about, I'm worried about wrecking their friendship in the process lol

I will contact all those other places today, thank you hun x
 
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