Sad Loss, Need To Get Another But What Ages Go Best?

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Winifred

Winifred

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Unfortunately we lost our oldest piggy honey on Saturday. She was 7 and the vet reckons she had a stroke. We left her and her sisters in the good care of my friend who is very piggy savvy but when we received the call she was poorly on Saturday morning, we rushed back but were too late. We rescued honey when I bought my other two who are now one and a half. Honey is the one in the middle on my pic. They all got on really well and I would like to now offer a loving home to another unwanted piggy. Her pic will be added to the rainbow bridge when I can stop crying.

I have a few questions regarding introducing another;

Do I go for younger, same age or older?

I have one (Winnie)who is quite dominant who is always the one who would prefer to sit on her own (she will also block off the other to stop her getting in the hutch or getting food as she is a right pig . The other (willow) is quite timid although she's been handled loads but was always cuddled up to honey. They don't fight, just know their place! What's the chances of either Winnie now turning on willow or there being problems with the introduction of another female?

I know they are all different but just wondered if it's worth thinking on another or just keep to the two I have. Willow has been very quiet since it happened but fortunately they are both eating well.

I've contacted one rescue place and they won't re home single piggies just in case they don't get on even though I'm happy to take my pigs for an intro. I'm waiting for Hertfordshire rescue to get back to me but they are on hols till Monday 7th. There's nowhere close to me that I can rescue from as there's no female piggies needing a home near me. Should I wait?
 
I'm so sorry to hear about your loss. I would wait unit you find a rescue you are happy with who can help you with the bonding. I know it's not easy but it will be better in the long run.
 
Hi! That is a very good age that Honey has lived to, but it doesn;t make your loss any easier!

How old are your remaining girls? If they are all on the mature/elderly side, then I would think about either a laid back middle aged or older girl or a quiet neutered boar past his teenage hormones. For the time being, your two other girls have each other for support, so they are not likely to pine acutely, unlike a single piggy.

Please take your time to do your research and wait. It is important that your girls can date; older sows are often not quite interested in somepig new, so it is vital that they can make the decision. It may be easier to try a pair of adult girls with them; that way they will form a small group with group dynamics - but the choice has to be theirs!
have you considered looking further afield? We have got a rescue locator on the top bar. Windwhistle Warren near Cheltenham may also be a good place to contact as well as Hazelcroft in St Albans. Both offer dating at the rescue.
 
My remaining girls are one and a half years old. I don't mind waiting and am willing to travel as my girls are used to coming away with me in the camper so we can perhaps have a holiday whilst pairing up new piggies. Hazel croft are the ones who are away till next week and I'll message windwhistle in a mo. Thanks guys. I'll wait for the right pig and place. Xx
 
At that young age, they will be much more accepting of other piggies and you have got a much wider choice as you can also look at subadults! ;)

Have you considered dating with a neutered boar of any age as an option (provided there are any within your reach!), as that will not impinge on the existing hierarchy? Trios can be tricky, especially adding a single newbie to a pair, but a "husboar" can live with a pair of already bonded sows after the initial acceptance by the sows without overthrowing the apple cart by creating an outsider issue; he is by nature an outsider to some extent, but one that will have your girls' instincts for you and not against you.

Otherwise I would recommend looking at a pair of bonded younger sows, so your two girls stay top but the two newbies have each other for company at the bottom of the hierarchy.
 
I was thinking two might be better, but you suggest younger ones. Should I go for babies or 6 month olds? I'm sure I could stretch to two more :D

Would a boar not fight or pester the girls?

Sorry for so many questions. These little critters really get under your skin and I only want what's best for them
 
Any age will do, as long as they click.

Boars may pester sows (and be told off for it), but it is the sows who call the shots, so unless during a failed intro there won't be any fights! That is why we recommend dating at a rescue where you can see how they get on without coming home with a piggy that is not getting on. With sows, you usually see within 15-30 minutes of first interaction whether acceptance happens or not, so you can try more than one meeting in one afternoon if necessary.

A boar has to get on with all sows in order to be allowed to mate with them when they come into season. He is often the peacemaker and glue that holds the group together and soaks up a lot of the bad temper and grumpiness when sows come into season. Personally, I am very fond of my "husboars" and wouldn't miss them! Cross gender pairings are generally the most stable of all. Fall-outs between sows and neutered boars are extremely rare. ;)
 
Thanks Wiebke. I've decided to wait until a rescue contacts me as the two seem quite happy at the moment. I even caught the pair of them sharing cover in their outside run yesterday when I put them out after work which has never been witnessed before
 
Wiebke said:
Any age will do, as long as they click.

Boars may pester sows (and be told off for it), but it is the sows who call the shots, so unless during a failed intro there won't be any fights! That is why we recommend dating at a rescue where you can see how they get on without coming home with a piggy that is not getting on. With sows, you usually see within 15-30 minutes of first interaction whether acceptance happens or not, so you can try more than one meeting in one afternoon if necessary.

A boar has to get on with all sows in order to be allowed to mate with them when they come into season. He is often the peacemaker and glue that holds the group together and soaks up a lot of the bad temper and grumpiness when sows come into season. Personally, I am very fond of my "husboars" and wouldn't miss them! Cross gender pairings are generally the most stable of all. Fall-outs between sows and neutered boars are extremely rare. ;)
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Hi Wiebke. My timid one has just decided to start rumbling and trying to mount the other. Is this a hormonal thing? She's not doing it all the time and the other one quite happily tells her off. Otherwise they still seem fine.
 
I would guess that she is coming into season. Those tend to be stronger with a new companion. those tend to be generally quite understanding and fairly patient with the whole thing when compared with hierarchy establishing dominance behaviour. It should be over in a day or so. ;)
 
I thought as much. They've lived together so are not new to each other but I've never seen Nips doing that before. As least I can sleep tonight (that's if they're not too noisey)!
 
Going through the hormonal excess of a season together will serve to bond them more closely.
 
That's nice to read after the trauma we've all been through this past week.

I'm so jealous. You have so many piggies. If I had the space and the time I'd have a whole garden full. There's a house down the road from us that around 25 years ago used to have loads of piggies running loose. The days before red kites moved in around us! Anyone local here you speak to all call it the guinea pig house. Its so funny that the house is remembered after so many people admiring those little creatures.

My perfect holiday would be to take mine away in the camper van and meet like minded people with theirs and just chill out and chat. Now that's an idea. A campsite for guinea pig lovers :D
 
Having piggy groups has been a long time dream of mine; it's taken only about 30 years until it has come true... So you may get there one day yourself! ;)

However, it has some downsides, like piggies dying in batches (as they are currently doing with one generation reaching old age) and group dynamics changing with new piggies taking over and not everypig being happy about it!

The problem with a "piggy house" like that is to make sure that there is no uncontrolled breeding/inbreeding/lack of care. Several of my piggies have been rescued from similar situations where things got out of hand due to mis-sexing and total ignorance/lack of concern on the side of the owners. In the rescue world, piggies like that are called "cats takeaway". :(
 
Maybe that's why it is " no more". I'd be happy with knowing a lot more and providing a rescue place in my area as there's nothing round here. I'd never dream of interbreeding as I've seen what it can do to dogs, much of which is still being tolerated and people are still buying! It makes me so annoyed. :tu:

They seem to have forgotten about the hormones and all I can hear is nibbling on food. No change there then!
 
I'm so sorry for your loss. She sure was a cutie and it sounds like she had a wonderful life and was lucky to have you.

Do any of you know if they do this dating in the states? And how can you tell in 15-30 min that they like each other what are the signs? Sorry don't mean to side track.
 
KittyandNancy said:
I'm so sorry for your loss. She sure was a cutie and it sounds like she had a wonderful life and was lucky to have you.

Do any of you know if they do this dating in the states? And how can you tell in 15-30 min that they like each other what are the signs? Sorry don't mean to side track.
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Thanks. No, you carry on. All advice like this is worthwhile.
 
Thanks I'm thinking about adding a third. I guess I'm wondering what they do and how you can tell if they like each other or not.

I hope you find another wonderful piggy. I'm sure you'll know when you find it, that feeling. We are knew piggy owners so I haven't had to go through a loss yet. But we lost our gerbil of 4.5 years and that was very hard on us and we've lost other pets dogs, cats they all have their own personalities and it's hard know matter what. I wish pets could live longer than they do.

Again I'm very sorry. I truly believe we will see them again one day.
 
Thank you. We lost our dog back in September but we were expecting that as she was well over 16. For some reason the recent loss of honey has hit us harder than the dog and we only had her a year and a half. My two piggies that are left, Winnie and nips seem to be really getting on well. More so than before. Nips is being a bit randy and they've even been pop Corning around each other tonight in the garden which has never been seen before. I think I'm going to stick with the two for the moment unless I hear back from a rescue. I've emailed a couple but not heard anything back yet.
 
That's great that they're getting along so well. Might be best to stick with the two of them. I asked my question in a separate thread and it sounds like two is better then three in most cases. I would still like to get more as my son wants one also, but maybe down the road when I get better at the piggie mom thing we will just get two more? Maybe lol. We have a pretty full house as it is. But they sure are a lot of fun.

I looked at your pic and honey was so darn cute. I love her fat face. What was her personality like? If it's not to hard to talk about.

Angela
 
Winifred said:
That's nice to read after the trauma we've all been through this past week.

I'm so jealous. You have so many piggies. If I had the space and the time I'd have a whole garden full. There's a house down the road from us that around 25 years ago used to have loads of piggies running loose. The days before red kites moved in around us! Anyone local here you speak to all call it the guinea pig house. Its so funny that the house is remembered after so many people admiring those little creatures.

My perfect holiday would be to take mine away in the camper van and meet like minded people with theirs and just chill out and chat. Now that's an idea. A campsite for guinea pig lovers :D
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I am starting to wish I lived across the pond. I don't think there are as many pig lovers in the states or maybe I haven't met them yet lol. I can only find a few breeders in mn ( which I guess is good). I was so mad the other day at the pet store I saw 5 boars in a small pen two were big and then three little ones and the big ones were fighting. I told one of the employees about it and she sort of brushed me off. So I wrote an email to corporate. That cage was too small for two males of any size let alone 5. Poor pigs. :(
 
KittyandNancy said:
That's great that they're getting along so well. Might be best to stick with the two of them. I asked my question in a separate thread and it sounds like two is better then three in most cases. I would still like to get more as my son wants one also, but maybe down the road when I get better at the piggie mom thing we will just get two more? Maybe lol. We have a pretty full house as it is. But they sure are a lot of fun.

I looked at your pic and honey was so darn cute. I love her fat face. What was her personality like? If it's not to hard to talk about.

Angela
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She was like their mum. Always the leader as she was older and a lot more braver. She was so laid back but when she wanted to she was also very stubborn. When it was floor time, she was always first out and the others would follow as a piggy train. They've been out since and don't know what to do! She used to squeak at the top of her voice if you walked past the hutch without giving her anything and then when you got there, the paw would go up in the air like a little dog. I wished I'd got a video of it now. I now know who used to eat the majority of their dried food as the bowl has hardly been touched since she went. Thanks for asking xx
 
KittyandNancy said:
I am starting to wish I lived across the pond. I don't think there are as many pig lovers in the states or maybe I haven't met them yet lol. I can only find a few breeders in mn ( which I guess is good). I was so mad the other day at the pet store I saw 5 boars in a small pen two were big and then three little ones and the big ones were fighting. I told one of the employees about it and she sort of brushed me off. So I wrote an email to corporate. That cage was too small for two males of any size let alone 5. Poor pigs. :(
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Well done you. I don't know how they get away with it :rant:
 
Awwww how cute her little paw would go up lol. I can't wait until I see and know Kitty and Nancy's personalities better. We've only had them for 3 weeks today. And they were 3-4mo old when we got them.

I did hear back from the pet store. I'm going to go in there again later today and see if anything has changed. They said they were going to take care of it and contact the store.
 
KittyandNancy said:
Awwww how cute her little paw would go up lol. I can't wait until I see and know Kitty and Nancy's personalities better. We've only had them for 3 weeks today. And they were 3-4mo old when we got them.

I did hear back from the pet store. I'm going to go in there again later today and see if anything has changed. They said they were going to take care of it and contact the store.
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At least they've acknowledged the problem.

It's amazing how different their personalities can be. Most of the time they just poo and eat but they'll then do something really random to get your attention and that's when their personalities shine. I've posted a pic of them with poor old honey on the rightimage.webp
 
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