Companion For Single Guinea Pig

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Namaah

Namaah

Junior Guinea Pig
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I adopted a Guinea pig from a pet shop a few weeks ago and was advised they like to live on their own. After reading about them and how much they like living with their own kind I looked into getting him a friend. I went back into the pet shop and spoke to someone to ask if they knew anywhere to go guinea pig dating. The guy looked at me like I was crazy and told me that if my guinea pig is happy on his own I don't need to worry about getting another. I decided just to ignore them and look into getting him a friend on my own.
I was back in the pet shop today to get stuff for my pigs new cage, I bought 2 water bottles and 2 sets of dishes for when I get the second guinea pig. One of the staff started chatting to me and asked what pets I have, he then asked why I was getting 2 water bottles for 1 guinea pig. I told him about my plan to get a second guinea pig and he started trying to talk me out of it. When it became obvious I wasn't listening to him he asked me to wait while he got their guinea pig expert to talk to me. Their "expert" came over and starting telling me how that if my guinea pig has been living on his own for 6 weeks or more then they should never be introduced to another guinea pig as they will attack and kill each other. He was saying how so many people are much more interested in their pets having a cute friend to play with instead of doing what is best for them. He made me feel really awful and I started to question getting another piggy.
I came home, reread all the information on getting a second guinea pig and cant find any evidence of what he was saying is true. I still feel a bit worried about the whole thing though, I guess I just want reassurance that getting a second piggy is in fact the best thing for him
 
Sorry but that is absolute nonsense, the kind you usually get from a pet store.
It's always worth trying to introduce a friend. If they don't like it they'll soon let you know. Yes some guinea pigs may be quite happy on their own but that's very rare in my experience. Even if they didn't like being in the same space they'd be okay being in cages side by side. No matter what the age it's worth trying to introduce a little friend ti keep them company.
In the wild piggies live in big herds, it's how they like it.

I'd definitely try it, and only if they fight repeatedly and draw blood, then you can call it a day and look into getting seperate cages.

But to begin with I'd try to introduce them on neutral ground and go from there.... :nod:
 
Wow. How can someone claiming to be an expert get it so wrong? Good job you've done your own research. Definitely get your piggy a friend, if all goes well, no doubt you will see a change in your guinea's personality that will leave you in no doubt that it's the right thing! Do you have any rescues locally you can visit, rather than supporting a rather useless pet shop any further?
Ps your piggy looks a bit like my Otto Pig!
 
Namaah said:
I adopted a Guinea pig from a pet shop a few weeks ago and was advised they like to live on their own. After reading about them and how much they like living with their own kind I looked into getting him a friend. I went back into the pet shop and spoke to someone to ask if they knew anywhere to go guinea pig dating. The guy looked at me like I was crazy and told me that if my guinea pig is happy on his own I don't need to worry about getting another. I decided just to ignore them and look into getting him a friend on my own.
I was back in the pet shop today to get stuff for my pigs new cage, I bought 2 water bottles and 2 sets of dishes for when I get the second guinea pig. One of the staff started chatting to me and asked what pets I have, he then asked why I was getting 2 water bottles for 1 guinea pig. I told him about my plan to get a second guinea pig and he started trying to talk me out of it. When it became obvious I wasn't listening to him he asked me to wait while he got their guinea pig expert to talk to me. Their "expert" came over and starting telling me how that if my guinea pig has been living on his own for 6 weeks or more then they should never be introduced to another guinea pig as they will attack and kill each other. He was saying how so many people are much more interested in their pets having a cute friend to play with instead of doing what is best for them. He made me feel really awful and I started to question getting another piggy.
I came home, reread all the information on getting a second guinea pig and cant find any evidence of what he was saying is true. I still feel a bit worried about the whole thing though, I guess I just want reassurance that getting a second piggy is in fact the best thing for him
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God, I know of poor piggies that have been over the moon when getting their first companion at the ripe old age of 6! And that includes boars! Boars don't kill each other. It is extremely rare that a bite hits a vital spot; where piggies come from, boars usually get out of each other's way whenever they can. However, having two hormonal boars in a hamster cage (as pet shops still sell them as "starter cages") where they can hardly move and not get awayfrom each other, then all hell can break loose - not the fault of the piggies! Because animal welfare is not what a pet shop is after, but sales figures, they now sell only single boars, so not complaints, but some very poor, poor animals! :(

Boars and sows can be bonded and re-bonded at all ages, provided you have got the time and experience (which pet shop staff hasn't got). We have got a fair number of members who have found happy new partners for their single/bereaved boys.
But if you need further proof, you can look at my facebook page; I have got plenty of successful rescue boar dating stories from all over the world on there! Wiebke's Tribe

Next time the shop personnel make you feel ill, tell them that it is actually in the animal protection law in Switzerland (where I come from) that guinea pigs are not allowed to be kept or sold single - and there are also specifications as to minimal cage sizes...
Ideally, you get your stuff online from places that do not sell pets. ;)

However, and here is your problem: there are currently no decent rescues in Scotland that offer bonding. The only one we recommended has closed down their rescue side and only does boarding now.
If you can travel as far as South Shields (and if the rescue there is willing as it is rather further away than they prefer to rehome) that would be one option.
Or I could tag our member who runs Tees Valley guinea pig rescue for you to see whether he can organise something - including at least partway transport - for having your little boy bonded at his rescue, if you wouldn't mind a bit of travel for your little boy (which guinea pigs are usually pretty fine with). Both rescues are on our list of recommended rescues and your little boy would be in safe hands and be found a new companion by somebody who really knows their stuff!
NEGPR Home Page
Tees Valley Guinea Pig Rescue
 
thanks feel much better now. I don't have any rescues near me, there is a few in or near Newcastle which are the closest to me that are willing to re home a piggy with me but it's still quite a bit of travelling for me(and I have to find someone to watch my 4 kids and dog while I'm away). There is some SSPCA's near me but they don't allow any guinea pig dating. My husband has some time off in May though so I'm trying to sort something out for going down to Newcastle and doing some boar dating but it's not looking promising for finances atm. The other thing I'm considering is getting him neutered and getting a female companion for him (I have a really good guinea pig vet locally)
 
Wow that's shocking.
My first pig had been on her own since being young. I took her on when she was around two, and she was delighted, absolutely and truly delighted to have a companion at last!
What awful advice!
 
Namaah said:
thanks feel much better now. I don't have any rescues near me, there is a few in or near Newcastle which are the closest to me that are willing to re home a piggy with me but it's still quite a bit of travelling for me(and I have to find someone to watch my 4 kids and dog while I'm away). There is some SSPCA's near me but they don't allow any guinea pig dating. My husband has some time off in May though so I'm trying to sort something out for going down to Newcastle and doing some boar dating but it's not looking promising for finances atm. The other thing I'm considering is getting him neutered and getting a female companion for him (I have a really good guinea pig vet locally)
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Northeast Guinea Pig Rescue in South Shields (which is in the Newcastle area) is one of the rescues that I have mentioned.

You could try to speak to Stewybus at Tees Valley Rescue; he also runs a guinea pig transport volunteers group, so your boy could be transported down to his rescue for bonding anytime if you are willing to let him go on his own to come back with a companion. May is a bit late, to be honest; if your boy can be boar-bonded before he hits the teenage months, then it is so much easier.

For neutering, your boar needs to be 4-6 months old and the testicles need to have descended. You have then got to factor in another 6 weeks wait before he is 100% safe to go with a sow, which is also the time that all good standard rescues in this country follow. I have got the surprise daughter of a supposedly safe over 5 weeks post-op boar here (not one of mine), just to make that point! So again, it is not a quick and cheap solution.
Take your time to think things over. I can tag in stewybus anytime for you if you would be interested to go down this route.
 
I've already spoke to stewybus last week and he is fine with me bringing Sam down for some boar dating at tees valley, I emailed Northeast Guinea Pig Rescue about 2 weeks ago but they never replied back. I'm a bit worried about letting him go on his own but I'll have a think about it if it's best for him. I have no idea how to organise something like that or what I'd need for transporting him though.
I don't have any idea how old he is, he may already be in his teenage months. I spoke to the vet a few days ago and asked him to make an appointment to get Sam checked over so hopefully he will be able to give me an idea of what age he is.
 
I also dont think tees valley has any single boars atm, i've been keeping an eye on their facebook page
 
Namaah said:
I also dont think tees valley has any single boars atm, i've been keeping an eye on their facebook page
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Best speak to stewybus and see whether it is feasible or not to get Sam down to him; Stewy will be able to tell you whether has has got suitable bonding boars in or not and whether a transport (by piggy savvy people) can be arranged.

I have helped with rescue transports myself and have also travelled half the country to pick up some of my piggies at a rescue or had them come closer to here as passengers with other rescue piggies, some of them as young as 7 weeks and as old as 9 years (the latter as part of an emergency transport from the Channel Islands to a private sanctuary in Liverpool). It takes a leap of faith, but it is doable.

NEGPR have unfortunately got a bit of a problem with answering their emails, you may have to try again or try via their facebook page. :(

if you want to rather go down the neutering route, then I would have your boy checked by your vet to see how old he is and how soon he might be safely neutered. Normally, shop piggies are around 8 weeks old officially.
 
Thanks, I'll send stewybus a message after sams vet appointment (once I know his age and hopefully fully healthy) and see if something can be organised. I really wish I could drive, it would make it all so much easier. My husband only gets single days off which isn't enough time travel very far before may :(
I'll try NEGPR again as well
 
Namaah said:
Thanks, I'll send stewybus a message after sams vet appointment (once I know his age and hopefully fully healthy) and see if something can be organised. I really wish I could drive, it would make it all so much easier. My husband only gets single days off which isn't enough time travel very far before may :(
I'll try NEGPR again as well
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I don't drive as well, so I am getting mostly round by train (even with guinea pigs, and some of that 3-4 hours one way), but at least I have a lot more trains connections in Coventry!

All the best. Have him checked first and speak to Stewy re. available boars and possible transport and then you have a better idea of the time spans and costs involved so you can make an informed decision.
 
I didn't know you could take guinea pigs on the train, i'll look into prices for train travel to newcastle
 
Namaah said:
I didn't know you could take guinea pigs on the train, i'll look into prices for train travel to newcastle
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I have travelled with guinea pigs from South Wales, Mid-Wales, Leeds, Doncaster, Peterborough to Coventry, that is each over 3 hours by train... And I have come back with freshly operated piggies on the train from Northampton; they all had a smooth recovery, by the way. Most rescue people were kind enough to pick me up from the closest railway station, seeing that I was making quite an effort to get there. ;)
Travelling with guinea pigs
 
That's ridiculous... gotta love pet shop 'experts.' Good luck in finding a buddy for your pig. It really irritates me that pet shops give out this kind of misleading advice and a lot of people don't look into it any further and end up having guinea pigs that are living alone in tiny 'pet shop recommended' cages for their entire life.
 
Hi Namaah

We've also just bought a new (young) companion for our year old boar.
To be honest, and no offence to the pet shop staff, but i also think we were told a load of nonsense on some matters.!

Once again, we've found the best advice to be on this forum rather than people telling you things at the pet shop.
I hope it goes well with the new companion.!

Fingers crossed my older piggy likes his new wee pal.............
Cheers
 
Good luck on finding your boar a friend.
Our local RSPCA says on their web site 'fighting can often happen with male pairings if they are not syblings', which is totally misleading and infers that brothers don't fall out. My local pet shop has signs on their guinea pigs saying they 'recommend that sows are kept in pairs' which says to me they are too scared to recommend boars in pairs in case you bring them back if they fall out. All this misinformation/misunderstanding makes me sad for the boars who could live happily with companions.
 
Hope you get a successful pairing!

Most piggies enjoy being in pairs, while a select few just don't. My boys fell out after a relationship of over a year-I'm still not sure what happened there. They both live happily on their own sides of their C&C cage, and are perfectly content with interacting safely through the divider. I have yet to see what my sow thinks of another piggy; hopefully I'll be able to adopt another soon!

Pet store staff are very unreliable, and many have no clue about proper care for the animals they're selling. It makes me angry.

Good luck!
 
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