Wow The Temptation!

[LydiaMinx]

I've been doing my rounds of freeads websites for free animals to see if there's any I can help and I've come across 2 female Swiss pigs in my area.

Now, my boars have had a falling out and re-introductions haven't gone well and I'm beginning to believe my only option is to neuter and get them wives. So you can imagine how this is tempting me a little too much!

I need someone to tell me this is a bad idea, my boyfriend is telling me to go get them this afternoon!

Give me strength please!

 

[Bekki]

The best option IMHO is always a rescue but if the girls are free to good home from a "genuine" person not a breeder shifting stock and you can offer the vet care they may need and quarantine from your current pigs then id say go for it :-)

 

[LydiaMinx]

The listing says that they're too scared of the owners cat and dog, so the reason seems genuine enough And I also would prefer a rescue to get them paired individually but the oppurtunity is there and very hard to resist Although getting them a bigger cage (they look to be in an 80cm) would be a squeeze in my bedroom not to mention my mother would probably evict me I will have to think it over more me thinks, however who can resist needy pigs?!

 

[MerryPip]

Take a deep breath! Your boys may do well neutered but until they are 6 weeks post op they aren't safe and you don't want any little furry surprises so two new ladies would mean three cages for the next few months til they are all well and sorted! And there's also no guarantee your lads would like them anyway! Neutering also carries risks (infection and anaesthetic risks) and should not be undertaken lightly. You need a good, experienced vet who comes with high recommendation from others who have had the same procedure performed successfully.

Cross gender bondings are the most stable but that doesn't stop the piggies being any less picky about who they want to live with.... A good rescue will be able to set your two boys up with a mate of whichever gender that they have chosen themselves. It doesn't need to be a girl, boar dating at a good, experienced rescue can have fab results. Don't discount a male piggy cage mate just because they didn't get on with the one they have just now. Most pigs from shops or breeders are not paired with any though to compatibility so it is unsurprising that so many pairing fail when the hormonal stage hits. I am going for my 5th boar date this weekend and every one has been successful so far. There's nothing better than watching your piggies settle down with a friend they have chosen themselves.

I can highly recommend dating as the best solution, whether for a boar friend for each of them or a wifey-pig after their 6 week post-op wait.

There are hundreds of needy pigs in rescues around the country and for every one that is given a good home another neglected or abused piggy can be given a place of safety, rehab and the care it needs to find a loving home of it's own.

If you do get free-ads pigs please quarantine them away from your other pigs for at least two weeks so no mites/infections etc can be passed on. Many members on here have taken pigs on in good faith only to get landed with hefty vets bills. This is extremely important as it is a significant risk to the health of your current pets and would be irresponsible to put them at risk however lovely the girls might seem initally.

 

[LydiaMinx]

Yes realistically it's alot more complicated, but I'm a sucker for cute furry faces! I've just been a bit disheartened by the failed re-introductions thus far And I don't believe an rescues in my vicinity actually do dating, although they're still good I'm not likely to give in to impulse and take these pigs and will try again with my boys but the tempation is strong

 

[Wiebke]

Our recommended guinea pig rescues for Kent offer dating; there are several in Kent and South London, so well within your reach! Please message Falken if the rescue locator is not working (click on inbox on the top bar), he can send you a list of your closest rescues.

I second what Merrypip has said about taking in freeads piggies. They often come with a hidden rattail of problems that can severely tax a new and inexperienced owner. We have seen that often enough on this forum over the years. If you are taking the girls on, you and your bf will have to go into this open-eyed.

There is a very good reason why we ask members to rather use rescues that are run by experienced people who have the right set-up and means to deal with all kinds of problems. For a rescue, any piggy that is being rehomed means that another can take its place and get the expert care that is needed - medical and behaviourial; you not only help the piggy you are rehoming, but also the next one in line. if you go dating, you also only come home with a piggy if there has been success, so you don;t have to worry what to do if things don't work out like you'd like during intro. Piggies have very definite ideas on who they want to get on with; hence the dating. It is not just a matter of sticking two together and they will fall in love...

If you decide to take on the girls, you will have to quarantine them and have them vet checked. From the sound of it, they will be extremely skittish, too; so you will have a mountain to climb in that respect, too!

 

[LydiaMinx]

Sadly I have no means of getting to the rescues that are recommended on here for Kent (If memory serves it was Ani-mates closest to me) otherwise I would be all over the boar dating service! I don't mind public transport but for that distance it is very pricey. And I know first hand the risks of bringing a non rescue into the home (Badger, appeared fine but was carrying ringworm) so I've learnt that lesson and would never make the same mistake I've seen sense, it was the initial pity for them that made me consider them (the cage wasn't the cleanest) so my heart bled a bit.

I am going to start asking people I know with cars though if they can give me lifts to the recommended rescues in Kent, want to get my boys some friends again!

 

[madguinealady]

You could contact rrscues to see if they coukd contact the owbers and take on the pigs