Hi everyone.
This morning my guinea pig Fudge passed away very suddenly. There were no signs that he was ill, as most prey animals do not exhibit signs. Fudge left behind my other guinea pig, Nibbles. I would like to know how long can Nibbles be alone as I am only able to get another rescue on Saturday, and would it be ok to get 2 rescues or one at a time?
Hi and welcome!
I am very sorry for your loss! Sudden death like heart attacks or strokes can sadly happen at any age and without any previous warning. We have got a Rainbow Bridge section in which you are welcome to post a tribute anytime if you wish to.
As long as Nibbles is eating/drinking and not sitting in a corner with the head to wall (acute pining), it is OK to wait until he is coming out of deep mourning in a few days. Please give him time to grieve if he is withdrawn and only bond once he is picking up life again. You can bond sooner if he is carrying on as usual. I assume that Nibbles is also a boar?
Boar trios are usually a recipe for disaster, especially those with sub-adult boars whose hormones are at an all-time high. Trios are the most difficult constellation to get right and not end up with outsider problems of some sort or other. It is generally advisable to keep boars in bonded pairs.
Please date Nibbles at a good rescue if you can get to one as it takes on average 1-3 candidates to find 'Mr Right', so you come home only with a new companion if acceptance has happened.
If you rehome on spec, you have to have a plan B (i.e. an extra cage) at the ready so you can keep the two boars next to each other with interaction through the bars.
Depending on the country and your access to good vets, an alternative solution is to have Nibbles neutered so he can live with a sow or a bonded couple after an obligatory 6 weeks safety wait. Again, initial acceptance by the sows must happen; this is easier with younger sows than older ones and rescue dating is advisable. Cross gender bonds are the most stable of all.
Please take the time to read our bereavement care guide; it contains tips on what you can do now, information on acute pining, what to look out for, finding new companions as well as links to recommended rescues in several countries.
Since your options depend very much on where you are, we find it very helpful if you please added your country, state/province or UK county to your details so we can tailor any recommendation straight away to what is available and relevant where you are. We have members and enquiries from all over the world, but climate, rescue and vet access/cost as well as brand names can vary enormously. Please click on your username on the top bar, then go to account details and scroll down to location. This makes it appear with every post of yours and speeds up things for everybody! Thank you!
