Bond now or later?

[Audrey G.]

Hello everyone!
I have a bit of a conundrum and I would like the help of this wonderful community.

We have a bonded pair of sows, one of whom will have to be put to sleep within the next few weeks due to medical reasons (which devolve into financial reasons). We have already obtained a female baby to become the companion of the one who will be left. She is still in quarantine until our vet can check her over. Presently, the older girls can hear and smell the baby, but not see her.

Should I attempt to bond the three sows or should I wait until we are down to two to make the introductions?

Thanks in advance for your help!

 

[Piggies&buns]

I’m sorry to hear your piggy is unwell.
As your new piggy is a baby, you must forego all quarantine and bond her with the other two straight away. Babies cannot be left alone and you dont quarantine them. Now it guess it depends on what is wrong with your other piggy, but the baby’s social needs are so great and social interaction must come first, they are desperate to belong.

 

[Audrey G.]

I’m sorry to hear your piggy is unwell.
As your new piggy is a baby, you must forego all quarantine and bond her with the other two straight away. Babies cannot be left alone and you dont quarantine them. Now it guess it depends on what is wrong with your other piggy, but the baby’s social needs are so great and social interaction must come first, they are desperate to belong.

Thank you, Piggies&buns.

She came from a pet store, so I thought it more reasonable to isolate her. We've had her a week and she is gaining weight and seems healthy. I'll get her to our vet tomorrow so she can be cleared instead of waiting a few more days.

 

[Piggies&buns]

Thank you, Piggies&buns.

She came from a pet store, so I thought it more reasonable to isolate her. We've had her a week and she is gaining weight and seems healthy. I'll get her to our vet tomorrow so she can be cleared instead of waiting a few more days.

Even so, you don’t quarantine babies even from pet shops (or wait for vet clearance) as their social needs are just so so high, they need guidance from other piggies immediately. if you have time now, I would bond her right now. If she is within smell and sound of the other piggies, then she isn’t under quarantine conditions and the others have already been potentially exposed to anything. True quarantine is done in a completely separate room but you can’t do that to a baby. She has already missed out on a weeks worth of interaction so she will be desperate for company.

 

[Audrey G.]

Even so, you don’t quarantine babies even from pet shops (or wait for vet clearance) as their social needs are just so so high, they need guidance from other piggies immediately. if you have time now, I would bond her right now. If she is within smell and sound of the other piggies, then she isn’t under quarantine conditions and the others have already been potentially exposed to anything. True quarantine is done in a completely separate room but you can’t do that to a baby. She has already missed out on a weeks worth of interaction so she will be desperate for company.

Okey dokey, here we go! Sounds like a great way to spend a grey Sunday afternoon
Thanks for the advice.

 

[Wiebke]

Okey dokey, here we go! Sounds like a great way to spend a grey Sunday afternoon
Thanks for the advice.

Hi

Here is our detailed advice re. quarantine and the most common pet shop problems: New guinea pigs: Sexing, vet checks&customer rights, URI, ringworm and parasites

You can find a chapter with videos on baby bonding in our very detailed step-by-step bonding guide, which takes you through the whole complex process with all attendant behaviours and dynamics: Bonding and Interaction: Illustrated social behaviours and bonding dynamics