RIP !!!!!! (guinea pig) - advice required

Unfortunately we discovered this evening that our guinea pig !!!!!! has died.
His hutchmate Dom (yesss I know) is looking pretty lonely bless him.
I'm wondering if I should try introducing a baby boar as a companion, or whether that would be a bad idea?

Dom is a 20 month old boar.

Comments

  • I had this situation many years when i kept GPs. My GP Wallace died and left Gromit pining for him. I visited a local GP rescue for advice. They told me that there little chance of the older male GP accepting the younger one, unless they have living together from a very young age. The older one may be territorial and as the younger one is smaller the result wouldn't be pretty. A better bet would be to introduce a female (neutered) as they are much more likely to get on. In this case it might be worth considering adopting a GP, as they are neutered as a matter of course. It might be worth ringing the RSPCA, they might be able to advise you a bit better than i can. I got a female and never had any problems between them.
  • I had this dilema in september when one of my guinea pigs passed away and left the other by herself. I decided against getting another as when the older one passes away, the younger would be left alone. I
    nstead I have made sure the guinea pig is in a room where alot of people go through and she gets fussed and played with daily, she also has lots of new toys etc to keep her busy and i make sure she has either hay to bury in or a box to hide in.
    The first couple of week she seemed quite unhappy and wouldnt do much or eat alot. Now she squeeks when people go past and when shes out she will sit with us etc.
    Virgin CC=£2652, Next= [STRIKE]£102.88,[/STRIKE] Very=£475.60, Natwest=£800, Sainsburys CC=£1777.02, Lloyds CC=£498.29, Lloyds Loan= £13,946.18, Car=£4000Total = [STRIKE]£26,147.23[/STRIKE] £23,849.09:eek:
  • in the past we have found as long as the older piggy hasn't been sexually active,as this is what makes them get very territorial, they seem to accept the newcommer quite easily.we introduce them on nutral teritory and make sure the hutch is well cleaned out before they go back.(might be worth thinking about introducing 2 babies as then you won't have the same problem again)
    Lead us not into temptation...

    just tell us where it is and we'll find it....
  • In the end we spoke to a local breeder. She's been breeding for years and we discovered she'd actually bred Dom 2 years ago! She recognised his features from a stud boar she used to have!

    Gave him a full health check and said he was a very healthy pig, in beautiful condition and he wouldn't disgrace himself on the show circuit!

    She recommended we put him with a couple of teeny boars (8 weeks) as the younger they are the better and the less potential for conflict. She actually put him in with the babies for an hour or so just to check there was no territorial behaviour.

    All was fine, we actually ended up getting THREE eight week olds in the end (if we'd only got two one would have been left on his own and we couldn't bear to do that).

    All is well, Dom is loving the company and giving the babies rides around the run on his back (in the innocent sense of course!). They all huddle up together too, it's lovely to see.

    Just a case now of finding names for the new arrivals!
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