Grieving Guinea pig, new bonding not going well-help!

[amandambyd]

Hi everyone, we really could use some advice.

As some of you may know from my previous post, we unfortunately lost our buddy Douglas due to illness about a month ago. Douglas was bonded with our other guinea pig Charlie from birth. Basically… We bought them at the pet store and they were both cuddling together as little babies. Now that Douglas is no longer here, we have noticed that Charlie is not quite his peppy, energetic self, and seems bored a lot of the time. We wanted to get him another friend so we asked the pet store if they had any other guinea pigs. They did have one surrender, who was a male about the same age. we brought him home and did a slow gradual bonding with them living in separate enclosures and doing soft introductions, and each time it has gone poorly. This new guinea pig wants nothing to do with Charlie despite Charlie being friendly. He just tries to fight him over and over and it has not gotten better. We can tell that this new guinea pig is just happier by himself but unfortunately, we cannot accommodate having two entirely separate enclosures. Meanwhile, Charlie is still lonely and bored. so I am coming here for some advice… What do we do now? Do we surrender this new guinea pig again? Do we find Charlie another friend? What’s the best friend to find Charlie? Should it be a younger boy or a girl? I feel bad that we might have to give up this new guinea pig, but I’d rather he be happy somewhere else and I’d rather Charlie be happy too.

Picture: Charlie alone in his big enclosure

Absolutely any and all advice is appreciated please and thank you!

Amanda

 

[Wiebke]

Hi everyone, we really could use some advice.

As some of you may know from my previous post, we unfortunately lost our buddy Douglas due to illness about a month ago. Douglas was bonded with our other guinea pig Charlie from birth. Basically… We bought them at the pet store and they were both cuddling together as little babies. Now that Douglas is no longer here, we have noticed that Charlie is not quite his peppy, energetic self, and seems bored a lot of the time. We wanted to get him another friend so we asked the pet store if they had any other guinea pigs. They did have one surrender, who was a male about the same age. we brought him home and did a slow gradual bonding with them living in separate enclosures and doing soft introductions, and each time it has gone poorly. This new guinea pig wants nothing to do with Charlie despite Charlie being friendly. He just tries to fight him over and over and it has not gotten better. We can tell that this new guinea pig is just happier by himself but unfortunately, we cannot accommodate having two entirely separate enclosures. Meanwhile, Charlie is still lonely and bored. so I am coming here for some advice… What do we do now? Do we surrender this new guinea pig again? Do we find Charlie another friend? What’s the best friend to find Charlie? Should it be a younger boy or a girl? I feel bad that we might have to give up this new guinea pig, but I’d rather he be happy somewhere else and I’d rather Charlie be happy too.

Picture: Charlie alone in his big enclosure

Absolutely any and all advice is appreciated please and thank you!

Amanda

Hi

I am sorry that the boys are not a personality match and that the new boy is very fear aggressive after a bad experience in his previous home.

Since acceptance is not happening, please either find another friend for Charlie or keep them as next door neighbours with interaction through the bars.
Bonding and Interaction: Illustrated social behaviours and bonding dynamics
A Comprehensive Guide to Guinea Pig Boars

Please be aware that 'soft' bonding is cutting right against any social wiring and instincts of your piggies who ever really get the opportunity to crack on the real bonding manual because of their owners fears of dominance behaviour even though they are at the very core of establishing a working hierarchy and a functioning group. Every time you split up a pair of boars they have to restart right back in square one, which is very frustrating for them.

Whichever way you want to go about, in the end it always comes down to a personality match and the will to be together. There is no single magic wand measure that can make two personalities mesh that do not vibe with each other. All you can ever do is give your piggies the option to choose and to find a personality match.

 

[Bill & Ted]

Poor Charlie, hope he finds a new friend soon