Help for Bereaved piggy :( and new companions

rufcjoe87

rufcjoe87

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Hi
I had 2 girls, Luna and Iris for 4 years in a 4x2 cnc cage

Unfortunately we lost Iris today to a URI. She had been ill for a while and we made her comfortable and Luna was definitely very attentive to her but today she unfortunately crossed the rainbow bridge.

I have read the thread on bereavement here, Luna is definitely not herself but I will monitor her and weigh her and follow the advice.

My question is about a new companion, I know the advice is to get one asap - after the grieving process. Ideally I'd like perhaps a rescue or adoption one - can anyone recommend anywhere - I am in Midlands UK

Failing that, is it safe to go and buy a piggy from a pet store, my worry is the age gap, and inevitable size difference. I know the advice is younger the better but is this something I could possibly do - just thinking it would be quicker to do this.

In doing that should I get one or two 'new' companions for Luna, don't want to overwhelm her but again might help there being more?

And finally can anyone point me towards some good bonding threads/advice on how best to bond Luna with her new companion(s) and what to look out for. Likely I'll get another sow.

Thanks in advance, and thanks for reading x
 
I’m so sorry for your loss.

Do keep an eye on her. She will be grieving and may be quiet for a few days. Most piggies are ok on their own for a few weeks which gives you time to get in contact with rescue centres. However, if she appears to be struggling being alone, you may need to act sooner.

If you can speak to a rescue centre and they can help with finding a new friend for her then that is preferable. They will ensure compatibility, etc before you bring home a new piggy.

https://www.theguineapigforum.co.uk/threads/guinea-pig-forum-recommended-rescues.196734/

If you do need to buy a new piggy from a pet shop because she is struggling being alone, then you will need to check the sex yourself to be certain the new piggy is indeed female, and forego all quarantine.
You do not need to worry about an age gap or physical difference in size. None of of those things matter. What is essential in a successful bond is character compatibility.

Whether you get one or two depends very much on the situation and the piggies. Bonding a single piggy with an already bonded pair can be a challenge, but it can also be fine. This is where bonding where purchased piggies has its risks as you won’t know whether it is going to work beforehand.

Also, cage size - a 4x2 is big enough for two sows. For three sows together you ideally need a 5x2 cage.

Looking After a Bereaved Guinea Pig
Sows: Behaviour and female health problems (including ovarian cysts)
Bonding and Interaction: Illustrated social behaviours and bonding dynamics
Adding More Guinea Pigs Or Merging Pairs – What Works And What Not?
 
Thank you so much for your reply!
What are the signs of her 'struggling' - that I would need to act a little faster to get her a companion?

I have contacted some from the list to see if they have any available, but if not, it is good to know I could go to a petshop and that age/size would not be an issue - I was worried that with her being relatively old it may affect her having a 'baby' around but good to now thats ok.

I will probably just get her one piggy to bond with - to minimise risk of it not working.

After a few days of letting her grieve and following the advice, would you recommend more cuddles/interaction, until we find her a new friend, or treat her as we would before?

Thanks again for all your help!
 
The looking after a bereaved piggy guide I linked in above explains more but if acute pining was to occur (which is rare) you may notice her becoming withdrawn, not eating or not eating as much (it is a good idea increase the amount of weight checks you do on her if you are concerned)
 
Thank you. I understand

To be clear you advocate a new companion for her either way, just how long depends on how she reacts but either way the advice is always to get bereaved piggies a new companion?

Sorry for all the questions!
 
rufcjoe87 said:
Thank you. I understand

To be clear you advocate a new companion for her either way, just how long depends on how she reacts but either way the advice is always to get bereaved piggies a new companion?

Sorry for all the questions!
Click to expand...

Yes, a new friend is the best thing. I think you said she is 4 years old - so this hopefully means she will have a lot life still ahead of her and being alone for it isn’t in her best interests.
 
I can recommend Coseley Guinea Pig Rescue and RSPCA Walsall. I'm adopting tomorrow for my 4 year old girl who lost her cage mate in Wednesday. Hoping he will get her back to normal 🤞🏻
 
rufcjoe87 said:
Thank you so much for your reply!
What are the signs of her 'struggling' - that I would need to act a little faster to get her a companion?

I have contacted some from the list to see if they have any available, but if not, it is good to know I could go to a petshop and that age/size would not be an issue - I was worried that with her being relatively old it may affect her having a 'baby' around but good to now thats ok.

I will probably just get her one piggy to bond with - to minimise risk of it not working.

After a few days of letting her grieve and following the advice, would you recommend more cuddles/interaction, until we find her a new friend, or treat her as we would before?

Thanks again for all your help!
Click to expand...
I've been cuddling my girl for a couple of hours each night. Never knew she could be such a cuddle bug. When I put her back in the cage she looks everywhere as if she is looking for her deceased friend 😧
 
Thank you for your reply. Sorry to hear about your loss and your lovely piggy. I'll check them out thank you!
Hope you find a new friend for yours too x
 
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