Separating a sow from her herd to come and live with single bereaved sow?

[Teema]

Hi everyone,

I have no experience of herds of guinea pigs at all. I have always only kept two guinea pigs together.
Unfortunately our little old lady Penny recently lost her cage mate Thomas, it was a very difficult time for us all. I feel now is the right time to consider getting Penny a friend (I will only rescue/rehome, not looking to shop or from a breeder). We are on our local rescue’s waiting list but so far no match for Penny.
Penny is six years old and someone has very kindly reached out to us to offer one of her older sows from her herd of six - is this a recipe for disaster? I worry it could be too stressful for the newcomer to leave behind her herd and be uprooted? As I said looking for advice as I don’t know anything about herds but I just would not feel comfortable agreeing to this generous offer if I thought the sow would grieve for her herd, become upset or stressed leaving behind her family. I would feel really guilty taking her away from her herd - am I overthinking/worrying too much? Is it a risk that she could become depressed, would we be risking a completely failed bond?
Any advice would be appreciated. We just want to do the best for Penny but in the right way.

 

[Wiebke]

Hi everyone,

I have no experience of herds of guinea pigs at all. I have always only kept two guinea pigs together.
Unfortunately our little old lady Penny recently lost her cage mate Thomas, it was a very difficult time for us all. I feel now is the right time to consider getting Penny a friend (I will only rescue/rehome, not looking to shop or from a breeder). We are on our local rescue’s waiting list but so far no match for Penny.
Penny is six years old and someone has very kindly reached out to us to offer one of her older sows from her herd of six - is this a recipe for disaster? I worry it could be too stressful for the newcomer to leave behind her herd and be uprooted? As I said looking for advice as I don’t know anything about herds but I just would not feel comfortable agreeing to this generous offer if I thought the sow would grieve for her herd, become upset or stressed leaving behind her family. I would feel really guilty taking her away from her herd - am I overthinking/worrying too much? Is it a risk that she could become depressed, would we be risking a completely failed bond?
Any advice would be appreciated. We just want to do the best for Penny but in the right way.

Hi

It is worth an introduction but please brace yourself that things may not work out and the old lady can then simply return to her own group in that case. Personally, I have found old ladies difficult to match. It comes all down to the willingness of making a new friend from both sides, which is not always there.
Unlike older boars whose testosterone has run out and who mellow and appreciate the company of other boars more in older age, in sows over 3 years and past their ideal pup-bearing age the hormone output stays persistently high (they never stop being able to fall pregnant) but that makes them to often prefer to be a 'group of one' instead of being willing to form a new group in their territory.

They do however still profit from a next door companion if a bonding doesn't work out. If the old lady would like to stay on with another companion of hers as neighbours fro stimulation so they could return together to their original group and reintegrate without much problems there again after Penny has gone? As long as sows have not fallen out, they will go together again, even some years later and accept their old standing with each other - the old group identity is still alive. Perhaps it might worth discussing this option as a plan B?

Plan C would be a single older boar (neutered or not) as a neighboar - as long as they cannot meet in pigson and any divider is cable-tied.

The problem is that the only way you can find out is by trying.

I currently have 6 years old Cerian who has refused everything from my youngest girl, my most timid sow and my friendliest sow after never tolerating any guaranteed non-aggressive (neutered) boar in her space. I've never met another sow nonstop humping boars before - and she's met about three of them over the years while Breila was still alive! Cerian now lives next to the two young piggies she doesn't feel threatened by; the young sow and her neutered half-brother who she seems to rather like (or at least not feel threatened by) as long as he is not invading her space...
Whereas feuding sisters Llawen and Hapus decided to bury their hatches in their last months (after about 3 years apart) and similar aged widow Hyfryd made up a trio for my third incarnation of an old ladies' group; the three old ladies all passed beween last December and March aged around 7 years.
Just as a bit of an illustration that all you can do is try but to think creatively about further options.

All the best!

Bonding and Interaction: Illustrated social behaviours and bonding dynamics