Two Lonely Pigs - What To Do For The Best?

[Katherine]

As some of you will know, we lost our lovely Angelina last Thursday, which left her little friend Cupcake on her own. Now, obviously we didn't want her to be by herself for too long, but we decided not to rush into anything because we were still very concerned about Ivy, who had a gut stasis about 3 weeks ago, and was not recovering. Ivy and Flora lived together in an adjacent cage to Cupcake and Angelina.

We were so worried about Ivy, who was eating less and less, and we were really struggling with syringe feeding her, and were not able to get enough down her (I feel like a very bad guinea pig owner because of this) that we contacted @furryfriends Excellent Adventure Sanctuary who very, very kindly said she would take on Ivy for a while, and also get her checked over by Simon Maddock. So, Ivy is staying at the sanctuary now, and Flora is on her own.

This leaves one guinea pig in one cage, and one guinea pig in another! I don't know what we should do about this. Flora and Cupcake are both obviously lonely. We held them together on our laps last night, and they seemed glad to see each other, especially Cupcake, who just wanted to snuggle up, and even managed to squeeze herself into the snuggle sack that Flora was reluctant to come out of!

Do I see if they will bond, and put them together? But that begs the question of what we would do presuming Ivy recovers and comes home (we do miss her, and really want her to get better and eating normally again so we can bring her back, but I guess it is not something that would necessarily happen very quickly. Although nothing can be guaranteed, if anyone can get Ivy back to normal again, it will be Debbie, and we are so grateful to her).

How would Ivy feel to come home and find everything had changed, and that Flora was with another piggy? Of course, we could find Ivy another friend. In some ways, I have wondered how much Ivy really likes Flora. Flora has certainly been pushing her around a bit for some time, (perhaps sensing Ivy's weakness) although when they were first together, Ivy was the dominant one.

I'm completely confused here. I don't want them to be so lonely, and I want to do the best for them, but I'm not at all sure what that best is. Both guineas are still eating well, but they're not terribly active, and are rather quiet most of the time. (I have pushed the cages nearer together, by the way). I hope someone might have some good ideas!

 

[Wiebke]

It is not an easy one to call for as long as things are in flux re. Ivy. I would give Flora and Cupcake daily run time together, so they have got company and interaction, but you are not yet fully committing. It looks rather like Flora and Cupcake will pair up quite happily. If you could push the cages next to each other so they can interact through the bars when they are not together, that would be ideal. If you are lucky, they may form a trio eventually, especially if Cupcake is a submissive sow.

I am keeping my fingers firmly crossed that Ivy is making a full recovery! You are looking at a formal re-introduction on neutral ground with all trimmings anyway, as the bond will be broken by the time she will come back. Gut stasis/gut problems are not quite quick to cure and to stabilise.

 

[Katherine]

It is not an easy one to call for as long as things are in flux re. Ivy. I would give Flora and Cupcake daily run time together, so they have got company and interaction, but you are not yet fully committing. It looks rather like Flora and Cupcake will pair up quite happily. If you could push the cages next to each other so they can interact through the bars when they are not together, that would be ideal. If you are lucky, they may form a trio eventually, especially if Cupcake is a submissive sow.

I am keeping my fingers firmly crossed that Ivy is making a full recovery! You are looking at a formal re-introduction on neutral ground with all trimmings anyway, as the bond will be broken by the time she will come back. Gut stasis/gut problems are not quite quick to cure and to stabilise.

Thankyou Wiebke, that is most helpful. We'll let them have run time together, as you suggest. I think Cupcake is submissive. I think Ivy would probably like to live as a trio, she does like lots of company, be it human or piggy. We have two Ferplast 140 cages, but I'm not sure whether one of those is really big enough for 3, although we did have 3 in one a few years ago.

I'll bear in mind what you say about the need for a re-introduction for Ivy and Flora.

 

[Wiebke]

That cage is just below the minimum recommendation. Could you push the cages together, fold up the side panels and connect them with either a large log tunnel as "bridge" or by creating a platform with sleeping space underneath, similar to the insert I've got for my traditional cage?



This is my traditional cage insert (as seen from underneath):

 

[Katherine]

Thanks for the pictures @Wiebke It might be possible to connect them, but we've got the cages on stands, so wouldn't want to risk any piggies taking a tumble if the joins were less than absolutely secure. The problem is that our house is old and so incredibly draughty in winter that we feel it's important for them to be well raised up out of the way of at least the worst of the draughts! Sometimes I can be sitting on the sofa with all the windows and doors shut, and wonder where on earth that howling gale is coming from! (Slight exaggeration!)

 

[Wiebke]

Althernatively, if your three girls are really settling in well together, you could consider a 2x4 or 2x5 grid C&C cage on top of an Ikea table. You could think about inserting three pieces of correx to prevent drafts during the colder months, but that can be taken out during heat waves, when every bit of draft is welcome. In winter, you can additionally drape a big fleece ot two over the cage for insulation.

If you find that Cupcake and Flora really don't want to be separated, I would let them live together and take a punt with Ivy when she returns; she will need a formal intro anyway. Piggies have very much got their own minds!

 

[madguinealady]

My house is cold so I use plastic coated grids put together with cable ties.Available on eBay under vonhaus interlocking system.

 

[Katherine]

Well, Flora and Cupcake have had run time together twice now, and it has been very interesting. The first time, Cupcake made a beeline for the other end of the room, and was running and leaping around, having a great time, while Flora stayed more or less in the area underneath the cages - she seemed as though she wanted to join Cupcake, but was a bit nervous of going so far out into the big wide world. She was calling to her at at times! Cupcake came over and sort of said hullo occasionally, but they weren't really playing together.

Last night, we put them on the floor again after a bit of lap time together, and it was very different. Flora kept mounting Cupcake! And it was very different from the mounting I have seen before from our various sows, which has been a bit half-hearted, with the one being mounted trying to get away and grumbling. Flora kept getting onto Cupcake, clinging onto her with a sort of desperation, and burying her nose in her fur, and what is more, Cupcake seemed quite happy for her to do this! She just wandered off after a few seconds, and it must have happened lots of times. They also trotted all round the room together, one following the other. There was no teeth chattering or anything like that at all. Sometimes Cupcake lay down under the cage, with one back leg stretched out, looking very relaxed.

Flora has never been so active and gone to the other side of the room when she's had floor time before, with Ivy. Cupcake seems to be bringing out a different side to her. Their cages are adjoining, and sometimes they stand up on their hind legs, and look for each other, or Cupcake bites the bars to try and get Flora's attention.

Is this the start of a beautiful friendship? I would be very interested to know what @Wiebke thinks about their behaviour.

 

[Wiebke]

It sounds very much like Flora and Cupcake are hitting it off. I have seen that intensive mounting behaviour a couple of times from undersows that have suddenly and unexpectedly found themselves in a position of authority. The other undersows have usually been very tolerant of that. It looks very much that this could be the beginning of a big friendship!