New Friend For Sad Piggy

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AlisonP

AlisonP

Junior Guinea Pig
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Lancashire
We have a just turned 3 year old sow Treacle whose friend had to be put down. She is definitely lost without her and we would love to find her a new friend. However, we already have 2 other females and Treacle has always been incredibly aggressive towards them. She was never aggressive in any way with her cage mate, they came together from the pet shop as babies.

Should we try to match her with a much younger pig, would this help? Or a pair? Or should we not try as we know how aggressive she can be? We are worried about committing to a new pig who she then doesn't take to, then we would have another lonely pig! Are there places where you can "try out" new parings before you commit?
 
Hope you can find some sort of silution for your lonely pig...
 
hello Alison, welcome to the forum. I am so sorry for the loss of your piggy. Poor little Tracle, it is hard when they lose a friend especially when they are closely bonded. Is she eating okay?

Some Guinea Pig rescues offer Piggy dating where you could go to try to find treacle a perfect friend, could you update you profile with your town/city so I can have a search for you see if there is one local.

Please feel free to write a memorial to your piggy you have lost in our Rainbow Bridge section.

I am tagging @Wiebke in for advice on age of piggy to try bonding with....

Lee
 
Hi! Could you please add your country, state/province or UK county to your details, so we can help you better? Your options depend on your local access to a good rescue wh
AlisonP said:
We have a just turned 3 year old sow Treacle whose friend had to be put down. She is definitely lost without her and we would love to find her a new friend. However, we already have 2 other females and Treacle has always been incredibly aggressive towards them. She was never aggressive in any way with her cage mate, they came together from the pet shop as babies.

Should we try to match her with a much younger pig, would this help? Or a pair? Or should we not try as we know how aggressive she can be? We are worried about committing to a new pig who she then doesn't take to, then we would have another lonely pig! Are there places where you can "try out" new parings before you commit?
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Hi and welcome!

I am very sorry for your loss! You are welcome to post a tribute to Treacle's companion in our Rainbow Bridge section if and whenever it feels right for you.

Where are you located? It makes a difference in your options if you have got access to a good rescue you can take Treacle for dating under expert supervision, so you only come home with a healthy companion that she has accepted. This can be a younger sow or two or a submissive neutered boar of any age; the crucial point is that Treacle is happy with them. She sounds rather fear-aggressive when meeting piggies she cannot dominate outright.
You can add your country, state/province or UK county to your details by clicking on your username, then go to personal details and scroll down to location. Thank you! We may be able to help you with recommendations. All listed rescues have a mandatory quarantine, health care and pregnancy watch and they are piggy savvy. Many offer dating at the rescue, but not all of them.

Looking After A Bereaved Guinea Pig
 
Hi, not sure how to update my profile but we live in Leyland, Lancashire, many thanks for your help and advice
 
AlisonP said:
Hi, not sure how to update my profile but we live in Leyland, Lancashire, many thanks for your help and advice
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I would recommend that you contact Jo at Milhaven Guinea Pig Rescue in Keighley; she is your closest good standard piggy savvy rescue and a very safe pair of hands indeed to help you find a new friend or two for Treacle. Please respect that Jo is a very busy lady, so she may not be able to come back to you straight away.
/User-agent: * milhaven-rescue.com for their rehabilitation in and around the keighleysteeton yorkshire area, home for abandoned, mistreat, mistreated guinea pigs in need of a loving sanctuary - www.milhaven-rescue.com/User-agent: * or Milhaven Guinea Pig Rescue

As to adding your details: Go to the dark green bar at the top of the page. Click on your username on the right. Then click again on "personal details". You need to scroll down a long way until you can see "location". Type South Lancasshire. Thanks! We have members and enquiries from all over the world, so our advice can vary quite a bit accordingly.
 
AlisonP said:
Hi, not sure how to update my profile but we live in Leyland, Lancashire, many thanks for your help and advice
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Done it for you :)

Your closest one, isn't that close unfortunately

Millhaven Guinea Pig Rescue
Keighley,
West Yorkshire
BD21 1NJ
07956 254231
www.milhaven-rescue.com

@Wiebke Millhaven do dating?
 
Sorry Wiebke - posted same time :))
 
sport_billy said:
Done it for you :)

Your closest one, isn't that close unfortunately

Millhaven Guinea Pig Rescue
Keighley,
West Yorkshire
BD21 1NJ
07956 254231
www.milhaven-rescue.com

@Wiebke Millhaven do dating?
Click to expand...

I think they still do it for sows, but no longer for boar/boar bonding. It is anyway much better to get any companions from a place that will take them back if there are problems and you do not have to worry about potential pregnancies or health issues. She also knows her piggies' personalities, so will not try to bond with another dominant sow.
 
Thanks so much, we have rung but unfortunately she doesn't have any single females in at the moment. How long can we leave Treacle like this? She seems to be getting more dejected as time goes on, she is eating but leaving more than usual, and avoids sitting in her cage, preferring a cardboard box. There is a female for adoption in the local pet shop, is it a risk worth taking?
 
AlisonP said:
Thanks so much, we have rung but unfortunately she doesn't have any single females in at the moment. How long can we leave Treacle like this? She seems to be getting more dejected as time goes on, she is eating but leaving more than usual, and avoids sitting in her cage, preferring a cardboard box. There is a female for adoption in the local pet shop, is it a risk worth taking?
Click to expand...

I am very sorry!

If she is acutely pining, then it is a risk worth taking, even if you may have to have to have a plan B in case they won't bond. I would keep them next to each other for a night/day so they can get used to each other. That will hopefully cut down on the dominance behaviour.

Looking After A Bereaved Guinea Pig
Introducing And Re-introducing Guinea Pigs
Illustrated Bonding Behaviours And Dynamics
Dominance Behaviours In Guinea Pigs
Sow Behaviour
 
Thankyou, going to see if piggy is still available in let shop this morning, will follow the advice info carefully if she is able to come to us......
 
I had a girl that wouldn't accept any other adult piggy.Tried about three or four times with different personalities with a good rescue.She hated all the others from my other group of six but accepted babies no problem.She ended up living with four other girls all introduced as babies and she got on great with them.
 
Oh that's interesting. We were gutted to find no guinea girls available in our area today, but will keep looking. Perhaps 2 babies together?
 
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