bonding question

[jay3ttp]

Hi everyone, I have been reading this forum for a while but have not posted before. Today I went out to buy everything that I needed for a couple of guinea pigs and I had every intention of re-homing 2 piggies from a rescue. However when I went into the pet shop (not PTA) i had no idea that they sold pets. I am very against this, I already was but the other day I read an article that someone put on here about rats and it made me even more determined not to buy from pet shops. Had I known that the shop sold pets I would have gone elsewhere. When I saw the animals I was very cross, they had guinea pigs in with rabbits and they even had an information sheet attached to the pen saying that you can keep guineas and small rabbits together, you can keep 2 female rabbits together, 2 female guineas together but you must never keep males together! I was shocked at the amount of crap i was reading. There were loads of other animals, hamsters, degus, chinchillas, reptiles, parrots etc and I don't know a lot about them but I am guessing the wrong advice was being given there too! Anyway right at the back of the store was an area of pets for re-homing, they required donations that went to a local re-homing centre. In the animals that needed re-homing there was a tonne of rabbits and a few guineas. The rabbits and baby guineas were all together at the bottom, then there were a couple of reasonable sized cages with 2 guineas in each. Then there was a tiny cage with one male guinea in, he was four months old. It had a sign that read that he was brought in by a family who didn't have time to train him, he chewed too much and he was too big to be housed with any other guineas and would need a home that wouldn't mind a less cute piggy as he was to old to be cute!! I was amazed and very sad. he sat in his cage, which was behind a barrier so it was hard to get a good look and was just stood looking out and I wanted to cry. I managed to lean over and he came over to the bars and licked my hand.
I wanted to just leave but could not get him out of my head, so I don't know if I am stupid or not but I went back in and asked to hold him. I spoke with a lady that despite working in such a horrible place seemed to know what she was talking about. She said that she didn't agree with what had been said, he was friendly and just needed a mate. I asked her why she worked there and her answer was "its a job". I had to pay £15 but it went to a rescue centre not the shop. I cannot understand how a rescue centre would want to be associated with somewhere like this.
My question now is, how long do I leave it before trying to find a friend?, what age piggy would be a good companion? I am guessing that 4 months is still fairly young for a piggy? Any advice and tips would be great. I know some people will think I should not have bought him from a pet shop but I felt I just couldnt leave him there. Jaylie x

 

[Guinea pig slave]

Aw, poor little fella must be very happy you spotted him xx>>>
One reason I avoid going into pet shops is because I get upset at the little ones looking at me with sad eyes and want to take them all home 8...
Keep him quarantined for a minimum of two/three weeks then find a rescue local to you that does boar dating would be my advice...
No harm in popping him to a vet for a check over beforehand, some pet stores offer this free at certain practises within a time limit.
Pigtures are nice for us to drool over

 

[Wiebke]

The best and safest way to bond your boy is by boar dating at a good rescue that offers this service. You can research that while your little boy goes through quarantaine for 2 weeks to make sure that he is not carrying anything transmittable into a rescue.
If you give us your area, we can give you recommendations.

Here is Suzy's boar dating blog that can give you an idea what is involved in careful, character based boar bonding and why shops and breeders are not able/willing to invest the effort and time, and therefore condemn so many boars to a joyless single life...
http://www.theguineapigforum.co.uk/showthread.php?t=59233

 

[jay3ttp]

Hi and thanks for the advice. I like the idea of dating. I am in Millbrook in Cornwall but can travel. I will get some piccies on asap x

 

[Lilly]

I certainly think you did the right thing. My first boy came to us that way. A lone single male pig at the pet shop. A shop assistant rushed up to us while we were looking at him and offered us a discount to buy him. Her breathless explanation was that he was reaching 11 weeks and would have to go. My granddaughter and I looked at each other in horror - go where? I think both of us thought the worst and immediately took him.

 

[Wiebke]

Here is our map of recommended well run rescues; many of them offer boar dating, but not all, so you may need to ring around a bit.

Your closest one is Little Brambles in Devon (sadly there are not many rescues in Cornwall), but otherwise you may need to go as far as the Bristol area.

 

[4littlepiggies]

I certainly think you did the right thing in getting him out of there. How is he doing?
I got one of my sows from a pet shop too. She had been on her own for 3 months in a back room of a petshop. I was told there was probably "something wrong with her" as she was just sad huddled in the corner shaking . Thankfully i took her home and she is fine, nothing wrong with her at all! She is still nervous, even a year on, but she is well looked after by my herd
Good luck with finding him a friend xx