bonding boys

[alexmoss52]

Hi guys, sad day for me yesterday i lost my 6 year old boy who i loved so much, he has left behind his bonded brother who is just 3, he is very sociable and doesn’t really like being on his own, how long would people suggest leaving it until introducing a little one?

thanks in advance

 

[Piggies&buns]

I’m so sorry for your loss.

How long you leave it before finding a new friend depends on how your boy is coping.
He will grieve deeply for a few days but should then get on with living his life. At that point you can start the search for a new friend - generally speaking you have up to around four weeks to find a compatible cage mate for him.
In the rare case of acute pining (where piggy is very depressed, stops eating etc) then a new friend can be needed immediately.

The guide below will help further

Looking After a Bereaved Guinea Pig

 

[alexmoss52]

I’m so sorry for your loss.

How long you leave it before finding a new friend depends on how your boy is coping.
He will grieve deeply for a few days but should then get on with living his life. At that point you can start the search for a new friend - generally speaking you have up to around four weeks to find a compatible cage mate for him.
In the rare case of acute pining (where piggy is very depressed, stops eating etc) then a new friend can be needed immediately.

The guide below will help further

Looking After a Bereaved Guinea Pig

thankyou for your advice, he is okay at the moment and eating and being his normal self, although just very quiet and it makes me so sad to see him on his own, but didn’t want to rush the process, i will give it a few days and see how he is getting on.

 

[Wiebke]

thankyou for your advice, he is okay at the moment and eating and being his normal self, although just very quiet and it makes me so sad to see him on his own, but didn’t want to rush the process, i will give it a few days and see how he is getting on.

Hi

I am ever so sorry about your loss.

It is hard to see your remaining piggies being withdrawn and grieving themselves but if they are eating and drinking, then please give them the space to do their own mourning. They do not feel any less deeply than us.

When looking for a new companion, please consider adopting from a rescue. There are so many boars of all ages looking for a new home in the wake of the cost of living crisis.
Rescues (Adoption and Dating), Shops, Breeders or Online? - What to consider when getting guinea pigs

 

[alexmoss52]

what age is a good age to get a little friend for my boy? i know it will need to be a young one but is there any age that fits better?

 

[Piggies&buns]

what age is a good age to get a little friend for my boy? i know it will need to be a young one but is there any age that fits better?

Character compatibility is the most vital factor, age not so much.
A piggy already in his teens has a higher chance of there being an issue but equally a baby will also hit his teens not long after coming home so there is always a bit of a risk factor when buying a piggy and bonding on spec (rather than rescue adopting/dating). Make sure to have a plan B for what to do if the bonding fails immediately or down the line because even bonding a baby can fail if compatibility and mutual liking isn’t there

 

[fluffysal]

Personally I would check the rescues and go by personality. My preference would be another older boy as a baby, while probably be an easy original bond, would then have the teenage times to get through. But that's just what I would do.