Finding Winnie a new friend - how long have we got?

Good luck and I hope it’s good news soon.
 
Just to update- it sounds like we may be able to take Winnie for a date on Saturday. It’s not the new mum (she’s not available for another week) but a sow around 3.5 ish. I get the impression that middle age sow bonding can be quite hit and miss so we’re trying not to get our hopes up… but if not her, the 1 year old recent mum should be available the weekend after which would could also be an option, or a neutered boar.

Winnie could really use a friend as she approaches 2 weeks without Betty. We’re topping up her food to keep the weight up which is working, and only needing about 15ml a day to do this, she is still eating for herself, just with less enthusiasm than normal, especially hay. I’m hoping a new friend will really help her but also worried about the short term impact if she has a stressful bonding attempt - she’s understandably quite a nervy piggie at the moment. I guess time will tell and the lady at the rescue does know her stuff so hopefully one of them will work out without too much trauma.
 
LucyP said:
Just to update- it sounds like we may be able to take Winnie for a date on Saturday. It’s not the new mum (she’s not available for another week) but a sow around 3.5 ish. I get the impression that middle age sow bonding can be quite hit and miss so we’re trying not to get our hopes up… but if not her, the 1 year old recent mum should be available the weekend after which would could also be an option, or a neutered boar.

Winnie could really use a friend as she approaches 2 weeks without Betty. We’re topping up her food to keep the weight up which is working, and only needing about 15ml a day to do this, she is still eating for herself, just with less enthusiasm than normal, especially hay. I’m hoping a new friend will really help her but also worried about the short term impact if she has a stressful bonding attempt - she’s understandably quite a nervy piggie at the moment. I guess time will tell and the lady at the rescue does know her stuff so hopefully one of them will work out without too much trauma.
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Best of luck! Middle aged lady pigs can be a bit difficult but paws crossed they will make friends x
 
thanks! She’s subdued still so maybe she’ll be keen to meet someone, or maybe she’ll be more nervous and less receptive, I guess we’ll see soon enough anyway. Will let you know. We’ve never dealt with bonding before so I’m glad there’s someone who can read the signs doing it, I have no idea how Winnie will respond. She was boss pig with Betty in their house but Betty was very laid back and never threatened, and Winnie needed Betty for confidence with the wider world (Betty bossed humans on behalf of both of them). Complex things aren’t they!
 
LucyP said:
thanks! She’s subdued still so maybe she’ll be keen to meet someone, or maybe she’ll be more nervous and less receptive, I guess we’ll see soon enough anyway. Will let you know. We’ve never dealt with bonding before so I’m glad there’s someone who can read the signs doing it, I have no idea how Winnie will respond. She was boss pig with Betty in their house but Betty was very laid back and never threatened, and Winnie needed Betty for confidence with the wider world (Betty bossed humans on behalf of both of them). Complex things aren’t they!
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Even a date that fails can actually be a valuable thing to help a bereaved piggy out of deep grief, give them some distraction and the idea of new possibilities and new friends- anything that is a distraction and helps create a new start is good.
Have you thought about changing her cage around, a new layout, some new furniture? Just to help her move on? When our Jezzy floof passed away in December her sister Clover was utterly distraught despite having several other companions, she was sort of fixated on Jezzy's favourite wooden house, just standing staring at it all day... so we had a complete makeover, after 2 or 3 weeks it can go beyond natural grief into something a bit obsessive and unhealthy, and anything you can do to break that loop will help I think x
 
Thanks so much. We used the change the space up quite a bit as they both purred with pleasure at any novelty (esp Betty) … and then it got simplified this last month to make it risk free for Betty post op (we disabled the ramp, the hammock and made it step free). I’ll try moving some more things though and making it different. Winnie did get her hammock back after Betty died which she loves being in.

Bedding is currently a mix of fleece and pee pads that are clean and a couple still with Betty’s smell. When Winnie’s on her date tomorrow presumably we give it a deep clean anyway so it’s neutral if she brings someone back?

Thanks loads
 
Yes, give the cage a thorough clean because 🤞you’ll be bring home two piggies not one 😊 Hope it goes really well for Winnie x
 
Good luck today Winnie. I hope you find a lovely new friend. ❤️
 
Thanks so much everyone. We know nothing about the date except her age- so it’ll be interesting to see what she’s like in looks and personality. We take winnie there first thing tomorrow. In the meantime, we’ve mixed up the things in her house today and she seems quite perky. Her weight is up too.

Will give the whole house a really good deep clean in case she comes back with a friend.
 
Thanks! At least we found out early I guess!
 
Sorry to hear that. Hopefully next time is the charm.
 
I hope so as that’s their last available single lady we’re seeing next week! At messy for the moment. Poor rescue centres are full to the brink, 🙁 I really feel for them. I wish we could take more than one but it’s just not possible at the moment.

Anyone looking for pigs - they do have some lovely unnueuterd single boars and some pair/trios of both sexes at this place (this little piggy in Richmond, Surrey). It’s the same place we originally got Betty and Winnie from and they turned out to be a brilliant pairing and the most fantastic pigs. The owner there is excellent but very busy!

I think Winnie is glad to be home after the dramatic day she’s had and all the travelling!
 
I’m also only looking for a single. Hoping a suitable one comes up soon after I missed out on a potential boar.
 
Siikibam said:
I’m also only looking for a single. Hoping a suitable one comes up soon after I missed out on a potential boar.
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We met a lovely sow called queenie there today. She’s been alone there for a while and is still looking for a friend. Sadly her and Winnie weren’t feeling it but she seems a very friendly piggy!
 
Mine live outside and they look to rehome to indoor homes only. I knew there was a reason I didn’t contact them.
 
Siikibam said:
Mine live outside and they look to rehome to indoor homes only. I knew there was a reason I didn’t contact them.
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That’s such a shame, my healthiest piggies ever lived outdoors. They lived very happy and contented lives in a huge hutch. I think rescues may be better taking vetting on individual merit as they are missing opportunities of finding piggies good homes, especially in the summer months
 
LucyP said:
I do wonder if that rescue would be flexible if asked and it was explained how are very experienced you are.
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I don’t know to be honest. They put it in bold on their site. I figure they have that criteria for a reason.
 
Siikibam said:
I don’t know to be honest. They put it in bold on their site. I figure they have that criteria for a reason.
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Well it would be worth explaining what a lovely and caring home you will provide and obviously your experience. It’s such a shame when these rescues are overrun with piggies, especially when it’s summer and they can acclimatise to living outside.
If they say no then unfortunately it’s their (piggies) loss but at least you are not left wondering 😞
 
Bill & Ted said:
Well it would be worth explaining what a lovely and caring home you will provide and obviously your experience. It’s such a shame when these rescues are overrun with piggies, especially when it’s summer and they can acclimatise to living outside.
If they say no then unfortunately it’s their (piggies) loss but at least you are not left wondering 😞
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I guess there’s no harm in asking. I just don’t want to get my hopes up only to be disappointed.

ETA I did send an email to them earlier this month.
 
Hi all - a new development in our quest; one of the recommended rescues has a boar who’s just been neutered and they have said we could bring him to live side by side with Winnie while he waits out his post op isolation period. We’d then do the intros ourselves at home and hope it works out (return him to them if not). I’m not sure about this as I don’t want Winnie or the new boy to spend living weeks side by side only to find out they’re not a match, as I think that could be stressful and upsetting for them both? Any thoughts? He’s 2 years old, Winnie is 3. Not sure if that’s even relevant but that’s all I know about him at the moment.

Thanks!
Lucy
 
Micah lived next door to his future wives for his 6 week wait.
He spent most of his time on top of a carrot cottage biting bars.
The girls would come and talk to him, or have a sniff through the bars.
I knew that bonding would work by the end but it was stressful watching him so desperate for companionship.
I had 3 sows so it was a different situation to yours with just the one sow, but a boar and sow pairing can work well.
 
Thanks so much for sharing that info, that’s really helpful. I’m not sure we’re quite experienced and confident enough to manage this kind of situation, but I won’t totally rule anything out at this stage!
 
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