New friend: sooner or later?

[SpinningNickel]

Hi all,

As some of you may have seen, I lost one of my little boys today to a nasty inner ear infection. I feel so awfully, wretchedly disloyal thinking about trying to 'replace' him already, but his cage mate has already been alone for several days while we've battled the infection and already seems lonely and desperate for any attention (only so much of which I can personally give as I do work and have been on 24-hr nursing duty) and I'm worried about him given the sudden trauma.

He's about 5-6 months old, and both came to me from a pet shop at about 8-10wks old. They went through the usual dominance behaviour and to put it bluntly, my remaining piggie lost! He settled into mild-mannered submission quickly and stayed there. They were of course bonded but I don't know how strong it was -- they seemed to live in peaceful tolerance rather than deep friendship.

So my first question: sooner or later? Is it better to find my Machu a new friend ASAP, for his own social well-being and to keep him from getting territorial, or will it just be extra traumatic and thus better to wait? (Bear in mind I'd prefer a rescue to pet shop stock so we get a good temperament match, so finding one in that case may take days or weeks anyway.)

Second: boy or girl? Do I put him through neutering to bring in a female, or try another boar and risk upset and fighting? Is he still young enough to settle in with another young boar so we don't have to go through surgery, or am I asking for bloodshed pursuing that?

Third: how much does the age of the second piggie matter? It seems logical to go for a younger one so s/he will adapt well to Machu, but if he's too much younger or smaller is he likely to get bullied by my more established pig?

Geez, I feel awful asking this stuff so soon, but I want my remaining boy to stay happy and healthy so badly! :0

 

[piggyfan]

Please do not feel bad to ask this. You are only thinking of your little one and his happiness. I am so sorry for your loss and I understand you are feeling very upset right now. I would take Machu boar dating so he can find his own friend. It is far better to try this before putting him through an operation. I am not sure about ages as I thought it was personality that mattered me but somebody with more experience will be along and able to tell you that.

 

[Suzygpr]

Boar dating is a bit of a strong passion of mine, I would highly recommend it when the time is right.

Normally I advise owners to wait a short time before introducing a new pig, 2 weeks is enough to ensure a health quarantine, and for the remaining pig to understand that his friend will not be returning. Rushing in to add a new cagemate too soon can see any pig being rejected purely because they are not their friend.

As your pig is likely to be the submissive personality I think an older male would be best so that they can relax into the new relationship. Having a younger male will mean they are both in the hormonal months at the same time and as the younger one matures he could challenge for top pig, causing a falling out.

Using a reputable rescue to carry out the dating for you will help with the choice of male and experienced help to oversee the bonding, together with ongoing support if needed.

This is the map of the Piggy Bank UK recommended rescues.
http://goo.gl/maps/mKDT

HTH

Suzy x

 

[Shellza]

Boar dating is the best way to secure a firm friendship. Your nearest recommended rescue is probably Milhaven Guinea Pig Rescue in Keighley, West Yorkshire. They are a member on here so you may be able to contact them via PM (you need to have sent 50 posts before being able to PM though, not sure how many you have) or take a look at their site online

HTH

P.S Please don't feel bad about getting a new friend for Machu. It seems soon, but he will feel better with a friend, especially if he was the submissive of the 2 and now his leader has gone. I hope you manage to find him the perfect companion

 

[SpinningNickel]

Thanks everybody. I've e-mailed a couple of rescues in my area already, including Milhaven. It makes me feel a little awful regardless, but thinking about what I want to do for Machu keeps my mind focused too. I'm one of those people who's helped by keeping busy.

I only know a tiny bit about boar dating but will do some more reading, I know there's lots of good info on here.

 

[Pebble]

Hi SpiningNickel

Firstly I'm so sorry you lost Picchu today. I have been monitoring your thread but haven;t posted as the advice you have had has been great and I have had nothing further to add.

When a piggie passes to The Bridge and the cause is unknown (but an infection is suspected) it is always a good idea to have a "quaratine period" of at least 4 weeks for the remaining piggie before considering introducing Machu to a new piggie.

In the mean time, just to be on the safe side, you will need to keep an eye on Machu to make sure there is no risk of him having contracted the infection....and it may not infect his ear - it could be a respiratory issue when it presents.

I would like to suggest that, if you don;t use them already, you take Machu to Holly House in Leeds in say a week's time, as they are extremely guinea pig savvy.

http://www.hollyhousevets.co.uk/

Tell them what has happened with Picchu and get Machu's ears checked plus a full MOT before you consider taking him dating.

Given your location - I would highly recommend Millhaven rescue for piggie dating.

Hope this helps
x

 

[Wiebke]

I have always found it a help in my own grieving when I was able to set up a dating date at a rescue for any bereaved single piggy of mine; that way, the piggy can choose who it clicks with. Knowing that I hadn't failed my remaining piggy was a boost. it is such an amazing moment when your single piggy suddenly gets its sparkle back when it is no longer alone.

It is advisable to wait at least until a piggy comes out of deep mourning after a few days and gets on with the job of surviving; but then it usually takes several days to set up dating, too.

What you can do for your single boy is to let him either have a cosy with his friend's scent on it or a cuddly toy to snuggle up with for comfort until he is ready to meet a new friend.

Best of luck!

 

[SpinningNickel]

Thanks all. I'll keep him on his own for now and try to get him into Holly House in a couple weeks while we wait to hear back from Milhaven and Bramley Cavie Rescue. I'll probably be a bit obsessive about his health until he's cleared... what can we say? Mama's a worrywart.

The good news is, he's having his first floor time alone today while I disinfect their cage, carrier, and snuggly towels, and he actually seems really really happy. Normally when they get floor time they're quite timid, and Machu especially just hides in the house. This morning he's had his breakfast out in the open (he's still putting on weight and eating brilliantly) and is running and popcorning all over the place, which I haven't seen him do much since he was a little baby. With any luck he'll have gained some individual confidence by the time we take him dating.

 

[milhaven]

Hi SpinningNickel, just to let you know that I shall be replying to emails today, I have had a very hectic couple of days! There is a very good chance I can find a friend for your lovely piggy but I agree with others here that he should wait to grieve for a short while first which will enable him to accept a friend much more readily, also, given the history of his friends illness, it would be best to have a quarantine period and have him checked over with a good vet first to ensure all is well. I have a couple of piggies which may well be suitable future companions.