Gingerspider
Junior Guinea Pig
We lost our wonderful 3 year old sweetie, Martin yesterday. Heartbroken but know I have to think of our remaining boy Len now.
Martin was bought (before I knew better) with his best mate, Kurt from Pets at Home 3 years ago, as babies. They got on really well until Kurt tragically passed very young at 1. We knew we needed to find a mate for Martin but options were very limited during COVID. We rescued Len (who is, we think about 2 now) and attempted to bond them. It did NOT go well and Martin was left a bit traumatised by it. Eventually, after a good while of living side by side they tolerated each other but we couldn't ever let them play or hang out together as they would wind each other up and start fights.
The rescue told us Len was found with his outside hutch open and his mate gone and they suspected a fox may have taken his friend. I think this may have left Len with some fear aggression.
Len is a character and he's always happiest with some food in his mouth. He is still a sweet boy but very skittish and teeth chatters at other pigs and always wants to assert himself! We get him out for lap time and floor time every day but he won't be picked up. Like our other boars, we have a fleece teepee hurd method! He has bitten me a couple of times but not hard and I don't think he's meant to inflict anything serious.
My question is around how we ensure he now has the best future. I'd really like him to be bonded, so he can be physically with another piggy and have play time with them. He always showed way more interest in Martin that Martin did in him and the rescue said he had seemed desperate to get to the other pigs. I am not confident enough to try and bond him myself again. I found the whole thing really distressing to be honest. I've had a look at rescues on here that do dating but not got any luck with them so far.
I've even considered getting him the snip and seeing if we could get some girls for him but I'm worried about the risks, especially as Martin passed after surgery and I don't know if that will even work in helping him bond?
I'm especially worried as we are due to go away in a few weeks and I really don't want to leave him with our sitter by himself.
Also, there's the whole piggy cycle thing. I'm really struggling with the grief and I just don't know if I can't envisage doing this over and over again but also could not part with our boy and his forever home. Arghh! Too much to consider. Any help/advice greatly appreciated
Martin was bought (before I knew better) with his best mate, Kurt from Pets at Home 3 years ago, as babies. They got on really well until Kurt tragically passed very young at 1. We knew we needed to find a mate for Martin but options were very limited during COVID. We rescued Len (who is, we think about 2 now) and attempted to bond them. It did NOT go well and Martin was left a bit traumatised by it. Eventually, after a good while of living side by side they tolerated each other but we couldn't ever let them play or hang out together as they would wind each other up and start fights.
The rescue told us Len was found with his outside hutch open and his mate gone and they suspected a fox may have taken his friend. I think this may have left Len with some fear aggression.
Len is a character and he's always happiest with some food in his mouth. He is still a sweet boy but very skittish and teeth chatters at other pigs and always wants to assert himself! We get him out for lap time and floor time every day but he won't be picked up. Like our other boars, we have a fleece teepee hurd method! He has bitten me a couple of times but not hard and I don't think he's meant to inflict anything serious.
My question is around how we ensure he now has the best future. I'd really like him to be bonded, so he can be physically with another piggy and have play time with them. He always showed way more interest in Martin that Martin did in him and the rescue said he had seemed desperate to get to the other pigs. I am not confident enough to try and bond him myself again. I found the whole thing really distressing to be honest. I've had a look at rescues on here that do dating but not got any luck with them so far.
I've even considered getting him the snip and seeing if we could get some girls for him but I'm worried about the risks, especially as Martin passed after surgery and I don't know if that will even work in helping him bond?
I'm especially worried as we are due to go away in a few weeks and I really don't want to leave him with our sitter by himself.
Also, there's the whole piggy cycle thing. I'm really struggling with the grief and I just don't know if I can't envisage doing this over and over again but also could not part with our boy and his forever home. Arghh! Too much to consider. Any help/advice greatly appreciated
