Which is the best for a new friend?

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Guinguy42

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Hi,

We had 2 males of about 2 years and one passed away a few days ago. They had been together from a very young age. The one that died was the dominent, confident one and Ted who is left is quite skittish and timid.
I have two option at the moment. The first is to get a baby male who is about 10 weeks or so. The second is a male who is about 9 months or more. He is a rescue of sorts and apparently has lived on his own as far as we can find out.

Does anyone think one will be better then the other? Is it best try and find another dominent male or should we encourage Ted to be the dominent one? I'm aware of quarantine and giving them space and time to bond but am hoping for some advice on how to maximise success. Thanks.
 
:wel:

I am sorry for your loss.

The success of a bond comes entirely down to character compatibility and mutual liking. Age is much less important - that said, there are pros and cons to the ages of the two piggies you have in mind - the 9 month old being right in the middle of his teens which can make bonding tricky - but as I say though, it is entirely down them whether they like each other.

The relationship relies on one being dominant and one being submissive, or for them both to be pretty laid back - one of my pigs is the dominant and I can tell which one but it is very subtle, but they are both easy going and there is little dominance behaviour between them. Where you will run into problems is if both of them want to be dominant.

I have linked in some useful guides about boars and bonding.

A Comprehensive Guide to Guinea Pig Boars
Bonding and Interaction: Illustrated social behaviours and bonding dynamics
Adding More Guinea Pigs Or Merging Pairs – What Works And What Not?
Boars: Teenage, Bullying, Fighting, Fall-outs And What Next?
Dominance Behaviours In Guinea Pigs
 
Guinguy42 said:
Hi,

We had 2 males of about 2 years and one passed away a few days ago. They had been together from a very young age. The one that died was the dominent, confident one and Ted who is left is quite skittish and timid.
I have two option at the moment. The first is to get a baby male who is about 10 weeks or so. The second is a male who is about 9 months or more. He is a rescue of sorts and apparently has lived on his own as far as we can find out.

Does anyone think one will be better then the other? Is it best try and find another dominent male or should we encourage Ted to be the dominent one? I'm aware of quarantine and giving them space and time to bond but am hoping for some advice on how to maximise success. Thanks.
Click to expand...

Hi and welcome

I am very sorry for your loss!

Could you please add your country, state/province or UK county to your details, so we may be able to point you towards a piggy dating/boar bonding rescue if you have got one within reach. That would be the by far safest option with the the least risk for maximum benefit as you come home with a new companion only if acceptance has happened and you have the rescue to turn to if the bond is not working out for some reason.

Having to conduct a bonding at home is always a risk with a roughly 50% chance that it may not work out. This means that you need to have in any case a plan B option at the ready if you cannot hand the piggy back.

Please take the time to read the green guide links. You will find them very informative, especially the boar guide (which has a chapter on finding companionship) and the bonding guide which is very comprehensive and takes you through the whole process step by step with the attendant behaviours and dynamics and also looks at the specifics of boar-boar and baby bondings!
 
Hi,

Thank you for the condolances.

We are in Brighton (UK). I know there is a place in Angmering which I have not had any word back from and Raystede but they don't have any available at the moment.

I know it's better to find someone sooner so I have been to Pets at Home which is quite close. I feel this is not the preferred method but at the moment I don't have much choice.

If anyone does know of any other options it would be a great help.

Thanks.
 
Just add also that I went to the RSPCA with no luck and lumpy lodge seems to no longer be open.
 
Also...

Not Pets at Home but Petsmart which I have read some bad things about on here. The boys I looked at yesterday seemed well and I would give them a close inspection before I left with them.
 
If Ted is ok in himself at the moment, then while he does need a friend, don’t rush into a decision. I’d try to get hold of angmering again as boar dating really Is the safest option.

The problem with bringing home a pet shop piggy is of course the risk of the bonding failing and then you’ve got two single piggies.

Can I just clarify only because you said the ‘boys’ (plural) and ‘them’ in the post above - you are aware you can only bond one male piggy with Ted?
 
Hi,
Yes just the one but don't know which.

Ted is OK. He is eating but hiding away most of the time. It was Sid who could bring him out of his shell.

I will try them again
 
I would try calling the one in Angmering again. It’s really the better way to go. If you decided to go down the pet shop route, do you have a plan b if they fail to get on? You’d have to have them side by side in separate cages - 120x60cm each. As said above, it’s about personality. If you can, go down the route of boar dating at a rescue. That way your boy picks his own friend = better outcome of a good bond. Good luck. And we’d love some photos of Ted.
 
Just an update -

Have tried a variety of places either with no males available or conflicting advice.

Spoke to a lady yesterday who runs a sanctuary who said it was very difficult to match up pigs so my best option was to go for a baby.
As time is ticking on I will have to do something so will probably buy a baby this morning and hope for the best.
 
Guinguy42 said:
Just an update -

Have tried a variety of places either with no males available or conflicting advice.

Spoke to a lady yesterday who runs a sanctuary who said it was very difficult to match up pigs so my best option was to go for a baby.
As time is ticking on I will have to do something so will probably buy a baby this morning and hope for the best.
Click to expand...

As advised above, it comes entirely down to character, age has very little to do with it. It is not difficult to match up piggies but it can mean trying several before finding the right one. I have no idea why a sanctuary would advise that it’s difficult. If they don’t have males, then that of course won’t help!

The problem with going for a baby is that they are an unknown quantity - when that baby becomes a teen at four months old onwards to 14 months and they have their own ideas on dominance then you have no idea what will happen within their relationship.
If this is what you want to try, then of course it is absolutely your decision but always keeping in a separate cage (or extra grids if you have a c&c cage) is essential so that you can carry out an immediate separation if necessary.

As you are likely to be dealing with a teen very soon, then ensure the cage is big enough for two boars (ideally at least 150cm x 60cm) and follow the other advice ie two of every item (food bowls, bottles, hay piles) and at least two or three hideys and always handle the dominant piggy first.

As you’ll be buying a baby then you can’t do the quarantine as youngsters need company but you do need to ensure to follow the bonding procedure. Don’t put the baby in your older piggy’s cage as it’ll be seen as a territory invasion. You need to make a neutral bonding area to do the introductions. While they are in the bonding pen (it could be many hours), then clean down the cage so it doesn’t smell of your older piggy and once they are settled after a few hours in the pen then you move them to their cage.

The bonding procedure is detailed below. Do give the guides I linked in in my first post a read so you know the signs you are looking out for both now in the immediate time of introductions and over the coming months. Do be aware that bonding takes about two weeks to fully establish.

Bonding and Interaction: Illustrated social behaviours and bonding dynamics
 
Would you consider neutering him and pairing him with a sow or two? After the six week wait though.
 
Sorry for your loss.
I ‘rescued’ a little boar last year who had been bullied and labelled unbondable.
He was successfully neutered and now lives happily with my 3 sows.
As @Siikibam suggests that’s an option to consider if there are no boars.

Whatever you do your piggies are very lucky having such a caring owner who has their well-being at heart
 
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