Hi my guinea pig lost her friend a few days ago, between the two she is the more fragile and nervous one, and the other was like the big sibling always protective of her. What's the best thing to do as she is fairly old (5 Years) and sad without her friend. Do you recommend a new home with other guinea pigs, or will a different approach work?
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Guinea Pig Lost Companion
- Thread starter Alex28
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Minnieandpebbs
Junior Guinea Pig
Hi, Welcome to the Forum.
If you are willing to then I'd get another friend quite soon - you can get any age and they will hopefully get along nicely. If you are willing to keep a piggy cycle going then you could get a baby guinea pig to accompany your elderly pig, this is what I have done with my Pebbles as she recently lost her mate of 4 years.
If you are willing to then I'd get another friend quite soon - you can get any age and they will hopefully get along nicely. If you are willing to keep a piggy cycle going then you could get a baby guinea pig to accompany your elderly pig, this is what I have done with my Pebbles as she recently lost her mate of 4 years.
I’m sorry for your loss.
Your wording seems like you may be considering rehoming her and not wishing to continue your piggy cycle. Is that the case? If so, then it would be best for you to contact a rescue centre so you can surrender her to them so she can be rebonded and rehomed.
If you wish to keel her and continue your piggy cycle, then again do contact a rescue centre as they can help you find a character compatible friend for her.
If you wish to keep her but not want to continue your piggy cycle, then rescue centres are increasingly allowing fostering. This is where you foster a new piggy to see out the life of your piggy. Upon your piggy’s passing, you return the foster piggy to the rescue centre, thereby ending your piggy cycle.
In the meantime while you decide what is best, make sure you keep up with her weight checks so you can be sure she is still eating enough while she is grieving.
The guide below will offer further advice
Looking After a Bereaved Guinea Pig
Your wording seems like you may be considering rehoming her and not wishing to continue your piggy cycle. Is that the case? If so, then it would be best for you to contact a rescue centre so you can surrender her to them so she can be rebonded and rehomed.
If you wish to keel her and continue your piggy cycle, then again do contact a rescue centre as they can help you find a character compatible friend for her.
If you wish to keep her but not want to continue your piggy cycle, then rescue centres are increasingly allowing fostering. This is where you foster a new piggy to see out the life of your piggy. Upon your piggy’s passing, you return the foster piggy to the rescue centre, thereby ending your piggy cycle.
In the meantime while you decide what is best, make sure you keep up with her weight checks so you can be sure she is still eating enough while she is grieving.
The guide below will offer further advice
Looking After a Bereaved Guinea Pig
I wont be able to continue the piggy cycle for a few more years due to future uncertainty, i dont want to rehome her however i feel guilty leaving her without a mate as shes lonely. Its just a really sad time. Thanks for the kind words and assistance.
I assume fostering a companion isn’t an option then?
Is she coping well enough to be able to be alone? (still eating, not losing weight etc)
Is she coping well enough to be able to be alone? (still eating, not losing weight etc)
I think i will adopt another one, but would u say it is a good idea to find/foster one in a similar situation (similar age) she is not crawling or anything, she still seems fairly interested by things however she is spending a long time by the door stood still. And she has eaten around a quarter to half a bowl of food. Which offers the servings for two guinea pigs. And she looks in good shape.
Hay is the most important part of the diet (any dry pellets being the least important and must be kept limited to just one tablespoon per day only) and the routine weekly weight checks (switching to daily weight checks during such times as these) to ensure she is still eating enough hay. Any reduction in hay intake will be seen on the scales and requires action.
Character compatibility is the most vital factor of any bond so it a case of finding a piggy with whom she gets on.
Merab
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Welcome to the forum.
Hope you find a solution that works for you
Hope you find a solution that works for you
With the help of a rescue centre via dating is best as they can ensure your piggy and the piggy you bring home are compatible and are going to bond.
If you don’t have that option and choose to buy a piggy from a pet shop for example, then you will need to carry out the neutral territory bonding yourself.
However, as you don’t know the character of any pet shop piggy, then there is always a risk of a bonding failure. If that occurs, then the two piggies will need to live in separate but side by side cages.
The guide below details how to carry out a bonding - neutral territory for several hours, no hides just hay in the bonding pen etc. However, while there is a process to bonding, you can’t ’help them’ as such as they are either compatible or they aren’t.
Bonding and Interaction: Illustrated social behaviours and bonding dynamics
Minnieandpebbs
Junior Guinea Pig
Good luck on finding a new piggy friend! We are here to answer anymore questions you may have 