Just Reading Barmy4Boars..

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flm1977

and ooo I read about getting them neutered and ouchie!
I do like the sound of having 2 males side by side, that sounds lovely! Plus it is a nicer option that my husband would agree to more.
OK question, hope I've read it right.

I could get another male piggie (with his own hutch beside John Anderson's, saw lovely ones yesterday) and try introducing him to John Anderson. (I'm now wondering if maybe John Anderson would be happy with another piggie , it was the other piggie who bit him that didn't like HIM since John Anderson was the one with bites and not the other one?) anyways,

If they get one fine them move them into one hutch (could sell the other one) and all would be well, keeping an eye on them of course to make sure they were still getting on.

But if they didn't like each other, then could extend our run outside where they would still be able to see/smell etc each other.

If this happened, would both piggies be ok with this, both be happy? Or would the new piggie feel lonely? Or would he be ok as long as he could still see John Anderson, just that they wouldn't be able to touch each other?

And in winter when we couldn't put them in the run, but take them inside for floor time, because their hutches were together, they'd still be happy?

LOL I hope all this makes sense, I seem to have guinea pigs on the brain now and it's early sunday morning :D
 
flm1977 said:
LOL I hope all this makes sense, I seem to have guinea pigs on the brain now and it's early sunday morning :D
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I know how you feel! ;D

I've followed barmy4boar's advice faithfully too, and that is that pigs will be happier if they can at least see, smell and chat to other pigs. I really do know how you feel, I had a lone pig too and went through loads of options - including neutering Cobweb and getting him a ladyfriend, but in the end I just couldn't bear to put Cobweb through an op, especially when there were other options. My two will probably be permanently side-by-side, Cobweb is a bit full-on and splitting them took some stress off my little 'un. They still snuggle up together through the wire divider - very sweet.

Guinea pigs are wonderful animals - I would certainly get the lovely Mr John Anderson a friend - piggies are sociable little things, and your joy will increase twofold!

Good luck! O0
 
I would also recommend getting him a friend if you have the room should they not get on. What I would advise though is getting in touch with a rescue and adopting one. That way, you can bring Mr John Anderson (fab name!) so HE can choose his friend. As has been said, they have very definite personalities and if he choses his friend, they are more likely to bond. Any rescue can give you more info on this. I think they will put him in with one and it is clear very quickly if they are going to love or hate eachother.
If you imagine say, your parents chosing a mate for you..chances are you may not like them! We choose our friends because we like them! Hope that makes sense, same with piggies really, especially males.
 
Very well put LJ!
Depending on where you are there may be a chance of getting a spayed sow from a rescue.

Indoor cages or Cavy Cages have some great set ups for boars, hutches don't allow as much interaction.

I've paired up adult boars successfully both those within the rescue and ones brought in but at the end of the day its the guineas choice, and they'll either get on or not.

Things will probably change when you get home too- the dynamics of the pairing need to settle and differences worked out, though sometimes it all goes without a hitch!
 
Thank you Karen ;D
I need to get more grass seeds from you soon, the grass that I have growing is looking very tatty after all the rain ;D
Will it still grow well at this time of the year?
 
I've got all my boars paired with another and have even got a group of three now but a lot depends on temperament. When I have had one on its own I have always made sure they can see others in an adjacent cage. They are such sociable animals I think they need to have another to interact with, even if its through bars. :)
 
A LavenderJade said, rescues are a great source of info and should help you find a friend for your boy - we are actually going to do the same today for our boy who has just lost his cagemate.

If you have the space and the piggies are inside, Screwfix do grids and connectors to make a big C&C cage - we bought two sets of grids at £18 each and made a huge C&C 7ft long from those two packs with some left over for a run. The best thing about C&C is that you can put a divider up if they fall out, with the Screwfix grids you can do this. THere are plenty of hints and ideas on Karen's link. Correx can be found from local sign makers (find them in yellow pages). Just a tip - make sure you buy too much deliberately to practice on ;D
 
lavenderjade said:
Thank you Karen ;D
I need to get more grass seeds from you soon, the grass that I have growing is looking very tatty after all the rain ;D
Will it still grow well at this time of the year?
Click to expand...

Re grass seeds: You can either plant a guinea pig garden now for next year or get some Cereal Grass to grow indoors. I'm also growing some Plantain indoors at the moment and have put a bit of Tim Grass in with it. Tim grass just needs harvesting sooner when grown indoors usually or it goes yellow.

You may get one cut from it if its grown outdoors but it depends on the weather ::)
 
A rescue is definitely the best place to get a pal for John Anderson. As Lavenderjade says, that way you can take him along & he can choose who he likes.

I took my piggie boy along to a rescue & he hit it off straight away with one of the other adult boars. This was two weeks ago & there has been no problems at all. I sterilized out the cage, dishes etc. with baby sterilizing solution & took out the usual log bridge & toys, put in different things & in different places then put both boys in together & all has been well. :)

It does depend on their personalities & in some cases they get along fine next to each other but not actually living together like CobwebandPigpig has said. Either way it is best that they have company of their own kind. Good luck with your decision O0
 
Thanks everyone.
Yup definately going to get a rescue piggie.
Just need to wait a little while, need to get John Anderson properly settled in, get his skin sorted and pennies in the bank to buy a hutch and wood, etc to extend the run.

I'm sooo excited now! :D
 
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