New guinea pig friend vs. rabbit

[Ek26]

Hello,
I have a question for anyone who will answer. It will first take some back ground.
I had a guinea pig who was by herself. I made the decision to find her a guinea friend. The genuine pig that I found had lost their group a couple of months earlier so it was perfect. However before I could heavily have them bond, my original one past away.
Now I am left with a new singular guinea pig. Recently I have been thinking of getting her a friend. However, I just came into care of a rabbit after she was dumped somewhere.
This is where my problem lies: I really like this rabbit and would like to keep her. However, I cannot get my guinea pig a new friend and keep this rabbit. It would cost too much.
I was curious to hear others opinions from a guinea pig side regarding what they would do.
I hope this isn’t too big of an ask.

 

[VickiA]

I’m afraid guinea pigs and rabbits can’t live together. They have different nutritional needs, are different species and cannot communicate effectively. Rabbits are much bigger and stronger and we have seen first hand the effects of their intended bullying or accidental injuries inflicted in guinea pigs. Transmission of diseases that rabbits can carry asymptomatically but that are fatal for guinea pigs is also a major issue.
We have also seen several cases of e.cuniculi transmission (a protozoan rabbit parasite that affects the brain, spine and kidneys) even in well kept animals. They really are not suitable to live together.
The rabbit will also need a very large amount of space and company of its own species. Can you afford to give the rabbit the accommodation it deserves and a companion of its own?

Guinea Pigs And Rabbits - Why Not

If you cannot get a same species companion for each of the rabbit and the guinea pig and if you cannot keep both pairs separately to avoid cross contamination, then I would seriously consider contacting local rescues to consider rehoming either or both of them.

 

[Ek26]

I’m afraid guinea pigs and rabbits can’t live together. They have different nutritional needs, are different species and cannot communicate effectively. Rabbits are much bigger and stronger and we have seen first hand the effects of their intended bullying or accidental injuries inflicted in guinea pigs. Transmission of diseases that rabbits can carry asymptomatically but that are fatal for guinea pigs is also a major issue.
We have also seen several cases of e.cuniculi transmission (a protozoan rabbit parasite that affects the brain, spine and kidneys) even in well kept animals. They really are not suitable to live together.
The rabbit will also need a very large amount of space and company of its own species. Can you afford to give the rabbit the accommodation it deserves and a companion of its own?

Guinea Pigs And Rabbits - Why Not

If you cannot get a same species companion for each of the rabbit and the guinea pig and if you cannot keep both pairs separately to avoid cross contamination, then I would seriously consider contacting local rescues to consider rehoming either or both of them.

Hello, thank you for the reply! I wasn’t going to house them together. I am just trying to figure out what I should do... I can easily keep them apart, it’s just the matter of rabbit vs another guinea pig.

 

[Claire W]

I would personally get another guinea pig for your lonely one. Guinea pigs aren’t wired to live alone

 

[VickiA]

Thank you for clarifying. It wasn’t clear from your original post and there is still an outdated view that piggies and rabbits can be each other’s companions and they really can’t.
Both the piggy and the bun need a same species companion. The pair of bunnies will need far more space than the pair of piggies.

If you can’t afford to keep both in same species pairs them I would suggest contacting a rescue to surrender one while looking for a companion for the other.Hope this helps.

 

[Piggies&buns]

Both rabbits and guinea pigs need to be kept in pairs so you will need to get a new same species friend for each of them.
A pair of rabbits require a lot of space - they need 60 square feet as a minimum so that is an entire room or a run measuring 10 foot by 6 foot.
A pair of female guinea pigs need 10 square feet.
So as you can see taking on rabbits is a huge undertaking Just with their space requirements but rabbits also need to have three vaccines annually and they must be spayed and neutered to stop the risk of cancer
behavioural problems.. They must also be spayed/neutered before they can be bonded with another rabbit - you cannot even keep two female rabbits together unless they are both spayed as they will be territorial and less likely to accept a friend - so that is something you will need to look into doing before finding a friend for the rabbit

 

[Freela]

As others have pointed out, neither guinea pigs or rabbits are wired to live alone. For the happiness of the animals, the best thing is to pick one and find them another of their species. Obviously I can't tell you which one to choose, but please ensure whoever you can't keep with you goes to a loving new home or a safe rescue until they find a forever home!