Introducing sows

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Guinea Fan

Guinea Fan

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My friend lost one of her guineas recently leaving the other sow alone. She is quite happy to keep her, but I felt sorry for her being alone. AS she is away for the weekend I suggested she come to stay her and I would see how she got on with my two. All day they have been in the run and at one point Olga (new pig) and my Matilda were sitting side by side looking quite companionable

So I cleaned out the hutch and put them all to bed together tonight. Now Minnie won't let Olga into the bedroom. She is actually sitting in the doorway with her head on her paws like a flipping guard dog.

Do I take Olga out or leave it? I have made her a nice comfy bed in the other bedroom, I have two hutches joined together. She is about 5 but I am shocked how much weight she has lost in the last year since I saw her, so I don't want to stress her.

Your thoughts please?
 
Gosh, who would have thought this question would have been so difficult to answer. I have sorted it now anyway.
 
Sometimes a post will disappear quickly and members miss them :)
Matilda is protecting her 'bedroom' and telling Olga it's hers but tbh, they sound as though they could be friends ^) If there was no bickering, rumbling and chasing, these girls sound very compatible x)
My 'married' piggies argue over sleeping spots so have to have two of everything and although Sheila wifepiggy prefers the tunnels, she will tell Bruce huspig off if he wants to sleep under the fiddlestix house - she doesn't really want it but doesn't want him to have it either and will block the entrance :x
I've resorted to draping little fleece blankets over the ramp so Bruce can have some peace there and Sheila then decides where she's going to sleep :(|)
- is Matilda a lone piggy and could you keep Olga ?
 
No Matilda is not a lone pig, she lives with Minnie and it is Minnie that is the problem.

I think I could talk Olga's owners in to letting me keep her, but to be honest she is so thin I am not sure I want to stress her.

She was bought as a childrens pet, but as ever they didn't bother with her and although she is cared for, she isn't particularly loved and spoilt and therefore she is still nervous and you never see her. She comes out grabs some food and runs back into her bed again.

I think she is too old now and she would be happier back in her own hutch, on her own.

Thank you for your reply
 
She may be very lonely and a friend could make all the difference to her. I would try to bond them and see what happens. It is worth a try. You have to introduce them on neutral ground with plenty of space in case they fight. If you add food it can help to distract them. This could be all she needs to be given a new lease of life. Once they are getting on you can put them into a clean home.
 
She had a friend until a month ago but she sadly died.

They were fine in the run on Friday, that was why I risked putting them in together at night. I would have loved to have been able to let them spend the last couple of days in the run together too, but the weather has stopped that fun:(

I did completely clean the hutch out on Friday. She is a pig that screams for England so the noise was awful when Minnie was chasing her out the bedroom.
 
That is just them trying to work out who is the dominant piggy. It sounds worse then it is. If you keep separating them it all starts again. You need to wait until they establish who is the boss. As long as they do not draw blood it is fine. I would carry on as guinea pigs really need company and can become very depressed without it.
 
Thank you, but I think I shall let her go home on Tuesday. She is so nervous anyway, and at 5 she is too old to stress this much. My two are happy on their own so why rock the boat?

Thanks anyway
 
Guinea Fan said:
Thank you, but I think I shall let her go home on Tuesday. She is so nervous anyway, and at 5 she is too old to stress this much. My two are happy on their own so why rock the boat?

Thanks anyway
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Aw - would your friend not consider getting her a cage buddy, seems such a shame that she is alone :( Maybe that explains the weight loss :(
I had to keep one of my girls single during quarantine and then she fought with the top piggy in our herd - I hated seeing her alone so took her dating. She lives now with two more little girls and is a very happy and confident little madam xx>>>
 
No my friend doesn't want anymore piggies. Her two never did seem that bothered about each other. I have them to stay for 2 weeks every summer and have always been amazed at how little they had to do with each other. My two are always together, but hers slept separately, one was usually upstairs and the other down.

They are so nervous, you never see them. You walk up the garden and all you hear is a frantic scrabbling as they run for cover.

This is my second attempt at rehoming another piggie, my girls just don't want to know I don't think
 
I have just had silver in with the girls and it has been a bit hair raising on a few occasions and all 3 of my girls are very confident and of course this is a little different as silver is a male so that adds to the stress involved.

Minty who is the most laid back piggie turned out to be a right stroppy mare, and gives silver a hard time but she is just making sure he knows his place.

I missed this yesterday :red
 
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