Lonely Guinea Pig

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Kirsty

Kirsty

Junior Guinea Pig
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Hi there
I have 3 guinea pigs altogether and have had them for 2 years now, they originally all lived together and we're fine but Darwin (the most dominant) pig kept picking on my other guinea pig max, and it seemed that Darwin was also bulling speckles too, so I separated Darwin and put him on his own but he became distressed and didn't like it at all so I placed speckles in with max one day then put him in with Darwin another day just so they all didn't get lonely! Speckles was sort of the 'middle' pig that got along with both other pigs so spent time with both but Darwin and max wasn't put together atal all... THEN one day when I was cleaning speckles and Max's cage I put them both in a box and suddenly they started fighting so I sepersted them immediately, but that had never happene before! So speckles stayed wth Darwin and has been with Darwin ever since and they live in a two tier hutch outside at the mo, ever since max has been on his own as he now doesn't get alog with either of the other pigs :( he has a large cage in my spare room for him and has probably lived alone for about 6 months now, he seemed happier at first, but I'm starting to feel like he is lonely? and I don't no what to do because I don't want to buy another guinea pig and risk them all fighting again! Is there something I could do? I just don't want them fighting so haven't put max with either of them since, there all boys!

sorry for the essay,
Any advice?
 
Also, max is a very nervous guinea pig and will often run away soon as I enter the room but sometimes will feel brave enough to take a piece of apple of me! doesn't like being held and often nibbles at me if I pick him up, so don't like to hold him as I feel like I'm making him distressed! But feel like I'm neglecting him because he doesn't have any other company! In a right pickle :(
 
Not sure if you are in the UK? What I would do is use the rescue locator on here and take Max boar dating to get him a suitable companion.
 
I am yeah I live in bedfordshire, and by boar dating do you mean with a female guinea pig? it just worries me that i future if max did end up fighting with this new pig then I'd be left with 4 guinea pigs 2 of which live separate!
 
Kirsty said:
I am yeah I live in bedfordshire, and by boar dating do you mean with a female guinea pig? it just worries me that i future if max did end up fighting with this new pig then I'd be left with 4 guinea pigs 2 of which live separate!
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You can boar date with another boar or with a sow. Only with a sow if he has been neutered (otherwise you will end up with lots of piggies to accommodate!). A recommended rescue shouldn't let you take a sow to pair with him if he isn't neutered anyway.

You can never have a 100% certainty of no falling out down the line but the idea of the rescue doing the boar dating is that it should end him with a companion where there is less risk of future falling out as they can use their expertise to get the best match for you. I've also heard that an older and younger boar pairing tends to be more successful.

Three boars seems to be unusual to get to work forever so don't get discouraged by your experience so far. Go and have a chat with a rescue about what has happened and see what you say. No one will make you take on another piggie if you're not happy in the end.

If you do take another boar, then if you've struck up a good rapport with the rescue at least you know they will be there for you to give you support if you do have worries about future fallings out.

You could also try rearranging living arrangements so that your single piggie can see (through bars) the other two. Even if they seem like they are shouting threats and abuse at each other, being near his own kind might improve his mood. I know this might not be an easy or practical option for you though given you've got 2 outside in a hutch and one inside in a cage.

What about placing them in runs next to each other either inside or outside when they come out to play? Again you just need to make sure they can see each other but not access each other.
 
Thank you I will look into doing that, it's just finding the time do it really! should I continue to keep trying to hold him? Whenever I put him in the outside run he just hides and will spend hours hiding and not coming out to eat drink or nothing, I don't no if it's the noises of outside that scares him! I've tried everything to leer him out but no luck :\ and because of this he is Deffo getting a little plump lol thought I'd share a photo of him, he is so photogenic even if he is a little but wussy lol
 

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I want want want that piggie! He's gorgeous - you can't tell from looking at him that he's causing you all this heartache and bother!

I think I would keep trying to hold him to give him that bit of interaction but I haven't really got any piggies that don't seem to like being held. They're all different. If you think he actively hates you holding him then maybe do it for less length of time. I'd feel happier when he had a companion to limit my holding to when I'm transporting him around if he just is simply one of those piggies who don't like being held. Others here may have more experience on this particular question and be able to give more advice?

I've got 3 groups of piggies - 4 sows, 2 sows and 2 boars. The group of 4 are very active in their outdoor run but when I first got the bigger run they all just huddled together for ages in one place. The pair of sows barely move most of the time and lurk in a hidey. The boars have a little "day hutch" in their run and they spend lots of time not in it but underneath it. If they come out and we are there they scuttle straight back underneath.

So I wouldn't be too worried about him spending hours hiding. You could try putting a towel or similar over the outside of the roof of the run to help him feel less exposed. He might move around a bit more then. None of our eight have ever drunk anything from the water bottles on their outdoor runs. I still put them on though just I case but they can get fluids from eating the grass.
 
Sorry just one other thing if you are worried his mood seems less cheerful. Are you checking his weight regularly? Try to do it at the same time each day as weight can fluctuate depending on when they've eaten. Sorry I forget how old you said he was but there is advice on the forum with guide weights for different ages. If he's not an adult, he should still be putting weight on. The rate of gain seems to slow down as they grow up. If he's and adult he should be maintaining his weight. I know you said he looks chubby but I'm always surprised that our Rex weighs less than her smooth haired sister - sticky out hair can be deceiving on the weight front.
Basically you need to be concerned about weight loss as this can be the only indicator sometimes he is unwell. I'd post a thread in the health section if you think there is a weight concern either way. I don't have any useful experience or knowledge on health issues.
 
Thank you he is a cute looking piggy I must say! The most good looking one out the three I have lol yeah I also did try with having them living seperated but near eachother but they were chewing the cages as if to get to eachother? Which confused me! yeah I'll just persevere with it and try still hold him for a while and hopefully he will become less nervous however he has been the same for 2 years now! and he's about 2 and half I think! noo his weight is fine he just is abit chubbier because he doesn't run around anywhere just hides when I put him in the run, he hasn't lost any weight at all :) getting porkier!
Thank you for your advice :)
 
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