Bonding an older sow

[LittleBear]

I've got an older sow, Peaches, (almost 5) who's recently lost her sister, and a trio of young sows (2 years old) who live next to her. Peaches has been doing really well, eating well and is fairly active and interested in her neighbours. I've not attempted to bond her with the trio, as I feel it's unlikely to go well (two years ago I tried bonding Peaches and her sister with the trio (at the time the trio was 2 of the current sows and a boar who has since passed), and to put it lightly, it was not a match. My question is: is it wrong/unkind to "borrow" the most submissive pig in the trio (who didn't cause any trouble during that bonding attempt) and try to bond her with Peaches? Will that upset the two remaining sows (the top pig is very protective of her, the middle pig couldn't care less)? I don't feel good about having Peaches on her own even if she's doing well, and I'm not getting more pigs.

 

[Wiebke]

I've got an older sow, Peaches, (almost 5) who's recently lost her sister, and a trio of young sows (2 years old) who live next to her. Peaches has been doing really well, eating well and is fairly active and interested in her neighbours. I've not attempted to bond her with the trio, as I feel it's unlikely to go well (two years ago I tried bonding Peaches and her sister with the trio (at the time the trio was 2 of the current sows and a boar who has since passed), and to put it lightly, it was not a match. My question is: is it wrong/unkind to "borrow" the most submissive pig in the trio (who didn't cause any trouble during that bonding attempt) and try to bond her with Peaches? Will that upset the two remaining sows (the top pig is very protective of her, the middle pig couldn't care less)? I don't feel good about having Peaches on her own even if she's doing well, and I'm not getting more pigs.

Hi and welcome

I am very sorry for your loss!

You can give it a try or otherwise consider Peaches as a next door neighbour with interaction through the bars. Some older ladies prefer to have their own patch but still profit from constant interaction with their own species.

You could also enquire at your closest good welfare standard rescue whether they offer an end of life companionship fostering scheme whereby the companion reverts to the rescue after Peaches' death.

Here is more in-depth information on bonding, single piggy options and rescue dating (applies also for any temporary companion):
Bonding and Interaction: Illustrated social behaviours and bonding dynamics
Single Guinea Pigs - Challenges and Responsibilities
Rescues (Adoption and Dating), Shops, Breeders or Online? - What to consider when getting guinea pigs
https://www.theguineapigforum.co.uk/threads/guinea-pig-forum-recommended-rescues.196734/ (your closest rescue would be Bobtails)

I hope that one of these options will work out for Peaches and you!

PS: Please change your location to your county and remove your postcode for your own protection as it currently appears with every post you make. You can do so by clicking on your username on the top bar, go to account details and to location. We have members from quite literally not just all over the country but the whole world. It helps us greatly for tailoring any advice to what is relevant and available where you are (since conditions vary massively) if we have a rough idea where you are but as we are a public place, we recommend not add any information that is too sprecific.

 

[LittleBear]

Thank you, Wiebke. I've read the bonding articles countless times (the articles are all just brilliant!), and I found the part on older sows preferring their own company really valuable. This is why I haven't been considering bonding Peaches, especially as she has 3 neighbours with plenty of interaction. I have set up the cages so they have hay piles, drink stations and cosy corners "together". But occasionally I wonder if she'd like a cage mate, it's just so hard to tell. I will keep monitoring her and maybe looking into a retirement buddy for her if she shows signs of loneliness.
I would also like to thank you for the bereavement article, which I found really well written and so touching. I read it after having to put my boar to sleep last year, a decision which I found shockingly painful and unbearably heartbreaking. Reading the article helped me understand a bit better why I found parts it so very difficult, so thank you for that.

 

[Wiebke]

Thank you, Wiebke. I've read the bonding articles countless times (the articles are all just brilliant!), and I found the part on older sows preferring their own company really valuable. This is why I haven't been considering bonding Peaches, especially as she has 3 neighbours with plenty of interaction. I have set up the cages so they have hay piles, drink stations and cosy corners "together". But occasionally I wonder if she'd like a cage mate, it's just so hard to tell. I will keep monitoring her and maybe looking into a retirement buddy for her if she shows signs of loneliness.
I would also like to thank you for the bereavement article, which I found really well written and so touching. I read it after having to put my boar to sleep last year, a decision which I found shockingly painful and unbearably heartbreaking. Reading the article helped me understand a bit better why I found parts it so very difficult, so thank you for that.

Thank you!

As always - all you can do is giving the bonding a try and then take it from there. It either works or not; you will only ever find that out during a bonding. See it as an opportunity and don't be upset if it doesn't work.

A sow that is leaving a group without falling out will generally reunite with her mates - even years later. That is what has been making several golden oldies groups of mine work over the years.

As to my own old sows - some you win and some you don't, but if you are not open to thinking out of the box if needed and if necesaary try everything before giving up, you won't win.