Guinea Pig Companion Dilemma!

[winters.piggylover649]

one of my Guinea pigs today passed on, and the other one is grieving the loss of her sister. I know all of the points indicate in getting my other piggy a companion, and I shall do so, but is there a time allotted where I should let her grieve or get another piggy in with her as soon as possible?

 

[Piggies&buns]

I’m sorry for your loss.

it depends on the situation - in a piggy who is grieving but otherwise doing well, they can wait a couple of weeks before finding a new friend. If a piggy is really suffering without a friend (ie stops eating, loses weight, becomes depressed) then the need to have a friend more immediately is much more urgent

The guide below explains further how to look after a grieving piggy.

Looking After a Bereaved Guinea Pig

Human Bereavement: Grieving, Coping and Support Links for Guinea Pig Owners and Their Children

 

[Wiebke]

Hi and welcome

I am very sorry for your loss. Only if your piggy stops eating and drinking altogether (which is thankfully pretty rare) do you need to act quickly, keeping in mind that the stress of losing a companion can also trigger an already present underlying health issue, especially in older piggies.

Otherwise, give your girl time to grieve; guinea pigs don't feel any less deeply. She should come out of deep mourning after about 4 days to a week. About 1-4 is usually the ideal time to find a new companion depending on circumstances (trying to find a rescue within reach that allows rescue dating for bereaved guinea pigs and arranging an adoption/dating day, any neutering operations with their 6 weeks post-op safety wait, pandemic/lockdown considerations etc.) In the case of neutering, travelling and adoption/rescue bonding days etc. a wait of up to two months is also acceptable in terms of the long term benefits.

If your girl is really not at all coping well with being on her own (some piggies unfortunately are) after a week, you may need to look for a faster option but in most cases, piggies cope with a hiatus of a few weeks.
Moody guinea pigs: Depression, Bullying, Aggression, Stress, Fear and Antisocial Behaviour

If you can get to one, please consider adopting from a good welfare standard rescue that offers dating at the rescue to allow piggies to have a say in who they want to live with and that are fully quarantined/medically treated before being put up for adoption. It is a bit more effort but you get a lot peace of mind and life-long back up from the adopting rescue in case things go haywire.
You may find the information and links in this guide here very helpful when looking for a potential new mate:
Rescues, shops, breeders or online? - What to consider when getting guinea pigs

 

[Merab]

So sorry for your loss.
It’s so lovely of you to be thinking of your piggy’s needs when your own grief is so raw.
Be gentle with yourself as you grieve