Lonely Marigold

Maui & Marigold

Maui & Marigold

Junior Guinea Pig
Joined
Feb 9, 2022
Messages
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Location
Fulton New York
Since Maui died, Marigold has been quite lonely. Last night, I heard her doing this very quiet wheek, which is the one she used to call out to Maui. I've been looking everywhere and no adoption center has any sows or neutered boars! Should I just go to the pet store and get a 8 week old sow?
I don't want her to be sad. And when you get a guinea pig from a pet store, do they need to be quarantined? Please reply fast. Thanks!
 
I am very sorry that Marigold seems lonely :( Why it is advisable to adopt from a rescue centre, I appreciate that that isn't always possible especially in the states.

If you were to buy her an 8 weeks old friend from a pet store, the baby would be too young to quarantine Babies under 4 months need to be bonded straight away and shouldn't be left alone. Although bonding with a baby has a higher success rate, you would need a plan b should Marigold not accept the baby

Looking After A Bereaved Guinea Pig
 
I’m sorry to hear about Marigold. It’s heart breaking - there is good advice on the forum guides about baby piggies and quarantine. Good luck
 
Claire W said:
I am very sorry that Marigold seems lonely :( Why it is advisable to adopt from a rescue centre, I appreciate that that isn't always possible especially in the states.

If you were to buy her an 8 weeks old friend from a pet store, the baby would be too young to quarantine Babies under 4 months need to be bonded straight away and shouldn't be left alone. Although bonding with a baby has a higher success rate, you would need a plan b should Marigold not accept the baby

Looking After A Bereaved Guinea Pig
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Ok thank you so much. I might consider this, but would rather adopt. What would a plan B be considered if I just went with getting a pet store pig? Would that be like returning it? :(
 
Maui & Marigold said:
Since Maui died, Marigold has been quite lonely. Last night, I heard her doing this very quiet wheek, which is the one she used to call out to Maui. I've been looking everywhere and no adoption center has any sows or neutered boars! Should I just go to the pet store and get a 8 week old sow?
I don't want her to be sad. And when you get a guinea pig from a pet store, do they need to be quarantined? Please reply fast. Thanks!
Click to expand...

Hi

The companionship need of sub-teenage piggies under 4 months come before any quarantining concerns; please introduce quickly and treat both piggies if there is a problem. I would however most strongly urge you to double-check the gender before any bonding.

Here is our guide for new arrivals, including sexing and quarantining issues as well as the most common health problems that can come with new piggies: New Guinea Pig Problems: Sexing & Pregnancy; URI, Ringworm & Parasites; Vet Checks & Customer Rights

Some very useful considerations when getting guinea pigs as it is a bit of a minefield out there:
Rescues (Adoption and Dating), Shops, Breeders or Online? - What to consider when getting guinea pigs

Bonding and Interaction: Illustrated social behaviours and bonding dynamics
 
Wiebke said:
Hi

The companionship need of sub-teenage piggies under 4 months come before any quarantining concerns; please introduce quickly and treat both piggies if there is a problem. I would however most strongly urge you to double-check the gender before any bonding.

Here is our guide for new arrivals, including sexing and quarantining issues as well as the most common health problems that can come with new piggies: New Guinea Pig Problems: Sexing & Pregnancy; URI, Ringworm & Parasites; Vet Checks & Customer Rights

Some very useful considerations when getting guinea pigs as it is a bit of a minefield out there:
Rescues (Adoption and Dating), Shops, Breeders or Online? - What to consider when getting guinea pigs

Bonding and Interaction: Illustrated social behaviours and bonding dynamics
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Ok. I would most definitely check the sex before bonding and before I leave the store. Thank you so much!
 
Maui & Marigold said:
Ok thank you so much. I might consider this, but would rather adopt. What would a plan B be considered if I just went with getting a pet store pig? Would that be like returning it? :(
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I'm not sure a pet store would accept a pig back if they don't get on so you would have to check with them first. A plan b would ideally having them live side by side in separate cages and then try and get the new pig her own friend but then there's still no guarantee they would get on. That's the beauty of rescue as if they don't get on, the rescue would accept the pig back or do the bonding for you
 
Maui & Marigold said:
Ok, thanks for your advice. Maybe I'll call the pet store today to do a little check in on what they have.
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I would check on petfinder for rescues you can get to and also consider neutered boars if there are any around instead of just sows.
 
Wiebke said:
I would check on petfinder for rescues you can get to and also consider neutered boars if there are any around instead of just sows.
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Yes, that's what I've been doing. I would like to get a neutered boar for a new experience, but they have none and they have no sows either.
 
Maui & Marigold said:
Yes, that's what I've been doing. I would like to get a neutered boar for a new experience, but they have none and they have no sows either.
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Unfortunately, all you can do is looking around and go with what you can get. Even with rescue access you have to go with whatever piggies they have available for adoption at the time. But it is great that you HAVE been looking! :tu:
The rest is basically down to local practicalities and availabilities at the time.

There are a lot less rescues in the USA compared to the UK and even here you have whole swathes of the country where there is not much in the way of rescues that do guinea pigs. It is also a much more fluid and changeable scene than most people would expect; especially with smaller private non-kill rescues - but there is also a huge spectrum as to the quality and welfare as to which they are run.
 
You sound as if you’re doing a great job looking for a companion for Marigold.
It’s not always easy.

When Merab’s cagemate died I couldn't find any rescues close enough for me to get to so as she was in real need of companionship I found a pet shop with a good reputation who had 2 baby girls available.
My thinking was that if Merab didn’t get on with them they could live side by side.
I was lucky , it worked and I had 3 very happy piggies.

Hope things work out for you.
 
If you are willing to drive, I would recommend contacting Helping All Little Pipsqueaks (HALP). They are based in New Jersey (I think) and are the sister rescue to The Pipsqueakery here in Indiana. The Pipsqueakery does spay/neuter all of their guinea pigs; I assume they do the same for HALP but I would recommend double checking with them.
 
Thank you everyone for all of the help and tips! I think I may have found the perfect piggy. Her name is Jade and she is 2 years old. I think she's the perfect match for Marigold. She's from Flower Valley Small Critters Animal Rescue, which is an hour and thirty minutes away, but I'm willing to go the distance.



Messenger Kids_creation_34258551~2.png
 
Betsy said:
Have the oven gloves on standby just in case!
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I certainly will! 😂
Claire W said:
Aw Jade is beautiful 😍 I hope her and Marigold like each other x
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Thank you! And to both of you, I also hope they like each other! If they reply, I should be her new slave by the weekend! I'm so happy and I know Marigold is to!
 
You need a total sterile area that smells of nothing, have only a big pile of hay and no hideys and hope they like each other. If one of them lets out louds squeals don't panic this is just submission squealing and means that one piggy is saying to the other that they are admitting that the other is top piggy. Its far more dramatic to you than to them. You need to observe them constantly for quite a while to see how they are with each other. If it ends up in a rolling ball of furry fight then you need to separate which is where the oven gloves come in. Do not attempt to separate fighting piggies with your bare hands. Hopefully, it won't come to this and you will have a happy pair of piggies.
 
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Maui & Marigold said:
Thank you everyone for all of the help and tips! I think I may have found the perfect piggy. Her name is Jade and she is 2 years old. I think she's the perfect match for Marigold. She's from Flower Valley Small Critters Animal Rescue, which is an hour and thirty minutes away, but I'm willing to go the distance.



View attachment 198591
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She’s beautiful.
Hope all goes well with the bonding
 
Betsy said:
You need a total sterile area that smells of nothing, have only a big pile of hay and no hideys and hope they like each other. If one of them lets out louds squeals don't panic this is just submission squealing and means that one piggy is saying to the other that they are admitting that the other is top piggy. Its far more dramatic to you than to them. You need to observe them constantly for quite a while to see how they are with each other. If it ends up in a rolling ball of furry fight then you need to separate which is where the oven gloves come in. Do not attempt to separate fighting piggies with your bare hands. Hopefully, it won't come to this and you will have a happy pair of piggies.
Click to expand...
Well Marigold's been everywhere in the house, but she hasn't been in the kitchen in awhile. I'll probably wash the area, get the oven gloves, plop down some hay and let the pigs introduce themselves! I really hope all goes well, and there are NO squabbles at all!

I read the link from Claire W, and it looks like they need to do the bonding for quite awhile. Is it possible to do it short amounts of time but lots in one day?
 
Maui & Marigold said:
Well Marigold's been everywhere in the house, but she hasn't been in the kitchen in awhile. I'll probably wash the area, get the oven gloves, plop down some hay and let the pigs introduce themselves! I really hope all goes well, and there are NO squabbles at all!

I read the link from Claire W, and it looks like they need to do the bonding for quite awhile. Is it possible to do it short amounts of time but lots in one day?
Click to expand...

Neutral ground doesn't mean a place Marigold has never been, just that it is not part of her regular territory (i.e. her cage or an exercise run etc.)

The bonding process takes around 2 weeks in all until the hierarchy and the new group is fully established in their territory. Please give yourself at least 4-6 hours' time to do the intro and the move to the cage to see how they settle there. Bonding is not just half an hour - that is just the first phase (acceptance or not) of a much more complex process.

Be aware that dominance behaviours and especially loud and dramatic submission screaming from a baby are part and parcel of the bonding process. Babies are ever so vocal and dramatic!

I have repeated the info about the dominance phase in the sow guide, too, because it can badly throw new owners when their girls establish a group in their new home. You may also have to brace for some stronger seasons, which help to cement the bond.
Sows: Behaviour and female health problems (including ovarian cysts)
 
Maui & Marigold said:
Well, I'm the official slave of Jade now! I'm picking her up on Saturday! Marigold is very excited!
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Fingers firmly crossed!

The bonding and sow behaviour links in this guide should hopefully be very helpful. I have made the bonding guide as comprehensive and step-by-step as possible.
 
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