Solo Guinea Pigs

[BStiglitz]

Okay, so this problem requires a long winded story that I’ll attempt to shorten.

Basically, my father’s coworker got a Guinea Pig for their son for Christmas, but needed someone to watch it before the big day. My dad signed me up and I’ve been watching it since (Little girl’s name is Squeaker). Anyways, it turns out she was pregnant and has recently had three little pups that I have yet to gender because it’s only been a few days.

I have tried my best to educate myself quickly on how to care for pups, but my question lies on what to do after. I have grown attached to these little guys for obvious reasons, but I can only keep one due to me being a full time college student. I just needed to know how bad of an idea that is because it seems like a bad one.

I spend a lot of time in my dorm and plan to socialize with the one I choose every day, I just don’t know if that’s enough for them. I’m not a guinea pig. What do I do? My mother has vetoed us keeping two, no matter how much my dad bargains. I just want the little guys to be happy and we haven’t found homes yet.
Please help.

 

[Piggies&buns]

Guinea pigs need to be kept in pairs. Keeping one alone isn’t in their best interests as they get lonely. No amount of human interaction is enough for them as people and piggies can’t speak the same language, so if you can’t have two piggies then it would best to surrender them all to a rescue centre so they can be paired up and live with another piggy.
Companionship

The mother piggy needs a companion also so it is a shame that your fathers colleague got just one piggy as well. Is the colleague not willing to have them all? It would be best if they can take back mum and at least one of the babies if they are sows, and then if you can’t keep the other babies (either because your mum won’t let you have two or because they are mixed sex), then they could be rehomed (via a centre ideally).

 

[BStiglitz]

Guinea pigs need to be kept in pairs. Keeping one alone isn’t in their best interests as they get lonely. No amount of human interaction is enough for them as people and piggies can’t speak the same language, so if you can’t have two piggies then it would best to surrender them all to a rescue centre so they can be paired up and live with another piggy.
Companionship

Thank you, I appreciate the timely response. I will do my best to keep them in pairs.

 

[Piggies&buns]

Please ensure you weigh the pups daily and sex them correctly. Any baby boars need to be separated from sows at 3 weeks or 250g in weight and put into a separate cage, otherwise they can get their mum and any siblings pregnant.

please read the guides below on how to care for piggies following birth

https://www.theguineapigforum.co.uk/threads/after-birth-mother-and-baby-care.109389/
https://www.theguineapigforum.co.uk/threads/sexing-separating-baby-boars-and-rehoming-babies.109391/
https://www.theguineapigforum.co.uk/threads/pregnancy-and-nursing-diet.109377/
https://www.theguineapigforum.co.uk/threads/illustrated-sexing-guide-for-all-ages.156297/

 

[Free Ranger]

The difference in their happiness when another guinea-pig is there is hard to describe. I've had pigs alone for a few weeks/months as I tried to find a companion and I put so much time into them. They seem OK - until you bring in another pig and then they come to life! Here's hoping that mum and babies make two good pairs

If your mom won't budge it might be best to delay your personal guinea-pig journey until you're in a better position. Folks can't quite understand a guinea-pig's need for companionship unless they've looked into it or got a bit of experience (or unless they're from Switzerland, where it is illegal to just keep one!) and if you're in a country where a lot of people keep one alone it can seem 'normal'. When I was a child we had two girls but one passed after 3 years and the other lived for another 2 after that. She seemed OK - and we didn't know any better - but she must have felt like the loneliest pig in the world. Sometimes we heard her call out in the late evening or early morning and we would just smile, thinking she wanted veggies, but it was more likely she was calling out for another pig. Of course, there was never an answer. I hope she's happy now. Now I'm a grown-up with my own place and my own pigs and only myself to answer to! Good luck with college and the future x