Guinea pigs (need an opinion)

[LavenderDaFlerf]

Personally, I would not let a guinea pig live that long alone. Guinea pigs are highly social animals. While they can do fine alone, they are far happier with a companion. Often when guinea pigs don't do well together, specially for females, they don't have enough room or proper hiding places. There are so many people who get guinea pigs for their kids and end up rehoming them this time of year. It would be easy to get another.

If the guinea pig was old and may not live much longer, I wouldn't consider another guinea pig unless you were planning on continually having guinea pigs.

I had one guinea pig who was unable to live with the others for about a year. She became suddenly a terror. She then became sick and was starting to make a recovery. She wasn't as strong so we put her back with the others. She got along great and was the happiest she had been in a long while. So even though they can live alone, they will not be as happy.

All she does now is sit in her hides and mope and she is so young that it'd probably be cruel to keep her by herself.

 

[Isadora]

All she does now is sit in her hides and mope and she is so young that it'd probably be cruel to keep her by herself.

Oh, that's sad. Sounds like she needs a buddy.

 

[Quatie]

All she does now is sit in her hides and mope and she is so young that it'd probably be cruel to keep her by herself.

I would try adopting one if you can. Like I mentioned before, there a lot of people who get bored of them and end up rehoming them. If you can give one a good home, it would be a win-win.

 

[LavenderDaFlerf]

Oh, that's sad. Sounds like she needs a buddy.

Yep, we're looking for one.

I would try adopting one if you can. Like I mentioned before, there a lot of people who get bored of them and end up rehoming them. If you can give one a good home, it would be a win-win.

I'm looking on Craigslist for one because I don't support petstores and sometimes people get accidental litters.

 

[Isadora]

Yep, we're looking for one.

I'm looking on Craigslist for one because I don't support petstores and sometimes people get accidental litters.

Good plan.

 

[Lenny loves chickens]

Personally, I would not let a guinea pig live that long alone. Guinea pigs are highly social animals. While they can do fine alone, they are far happier with a companion. Often when guinea pigs don't do well together, specially for females, they don't have enough room or proper hiding places. There are so many people who get guinea pigs for their kids and end up rehoming them this time of year. It would be easy to get another.

If the guinea pig was old and may not live much longer, I wouldn't consider another guinea pig unless you were planning on continually having guinea pigs.

I had one guinea pig who was unable to live with the others for about a year. She became suddenly a terror. She then became sick and was starting to make a recovery. She wasn't as strong so we put her back with the others. She got along great and was the happiest she had been in a long while. So even though they can live alone, they will not be as happy.

That's fair but she is socialized so I guess. She shaves with my chicks until they are 3 months....and I have animal friendly dogs so she get socialized and if she didnt I guess I would get another and I do look at adoption pigs but I am waiting for the right one to come along

 

[Dinogrrl]

Yeah a piggy that young, I'd try to find her a buddy or two. Otherwise she's really going to suffer emotionally. They're really reliant on their herds for comfort.

I've always ended up with male piggies that just want to fight each other, so I've always had to keep them separated but I keep the cages right next to each other so they can socialize through the bars.

 

[LavenderDaFlerf]

We'll be picking out clover a friend tomorrow morning!

 

[EggSighted4Life]

She wonders around my room all the time. And is constantly with people. But does that count as socialization?

No, it doesn't. It counts as enrichment (which is good for sure) but not as socialization.

Imagine I put you in a room no-one speaks your language or looks like you.. is that socializing? Sounds kinda exciting and fun but still lonely to me.

Would you keep or recommend someone keeping a lone chicken?

Get her a healthy friend, please.. she is still so young. Or consider sending her to a new friends house since you don't want more G pigs. and she is fairly new to you (is my understanding). Please don't risk her health or well being by bringing in (or rescuing) another ill pig.

Animals are more emotionally complex than people realize. I just put my conversation out there for consideration, but mean no rudeness.

I really dont want another but it it benefits her i will....the first guinea pig was 8 and i got petuina well the eight year old died.

So at 8 years old.. the average long lifespan of a guinea pig THEN you got Petunia?? Did your first pig live alone all that time?

Sorry for your loss!

It's been about a month since my Poncho left his body at about 4 years old. His "brothers" Sancho and Honcho still have one another. It's the same reason we always recommend at least 3 chicks.. but even we do our best we may still all face this same issue some day.

Petunia is my mini pigs name also. So I like the name and your girl is such a cutie!

I'm in this boat with clover my guinea pig, her sister died last week at 4 1/2 months old to a unknown cause and we don't know whether we should get her a new friend. Clover was the dominant one and if clover wanted the hide she chased pumpkin out, so we don't know if she would be better on her own or we should get her a friend.

Sorry for you loss. Please consider post # 10 as someone who clearly gets it and gave good information!

Personally, I would not let a guinea pig live that long alone. Guinea pigs are highly social animals. While they can do fine alone, they are far happier with a companion.

Ditto this and the rest of your post!

I have all boars.. even if one is a jerk and stays in his own kennel then he still has sight and sound (even smell) of them nearby and still interacts.

Guinea pigs have so many sounds and motions they make.. they are even more enjoyable to me as a keeper when I get to see these more natural behaviors. My boys still motorboat, popcorn, wheek, bicker, and sing like the choir at grass time!

Don't mistake quiet for content. But thank you kindly for caring enough to try and figure things out!

 

[Lenny loves chickens]

No, it doesn't. It counts as enrichment (which is good for sure) but not as socialization.

Imagine I put you in a room no-one speaks your language or looks like you.. is that socializing? Sounds kinda exciting and fun but still lonely to me.

Would you keep or recommend someone keeping a lone chicken?

Get her a healthy friend, please.. she is still so young. Or consider sending her to a new friends house since you don't want more G pigs. and she is fairly new to you (is my understanding). Please don't risk her health or well being by bringing in (or rescuing) another ill pig.

Animals are more emotionally complex than people realize. I just put my conversation out there for consideration, but mean no rudeness.


So at 8 years old.. the average long lifespan of a guinea pig THEN you got Petunia?? Did your first pig live alone all that time?

Sorry for your loss!

It's been about a month since my Poncho left his body at about 4 years old. His "brothers" Sancho and Honcho still have one another. It's the same reason we always recommend at least 3 chicks.. but even we do our best we may still all face this same issue some day.

Petunia is my mini pigs name also. So I like the name and your girl is such a cutie!



Sorry for you loss. Please consider post # 10 as someone who clearly gets it and gave good information!


Ditto this and the rest of your post!

I have all boars.. even if one is a jerk and stays in his own kennel then he still has sight and sound (even smell) of them nearby and still interacts.

Guinea pigs have so many sounds and motions they make.. they are even more enjoyable to me as a keeper when I get to see these more natural behaviors. My boys still motorboat, popcorn, wheek, bicker, and sing like the choir at grass time!

Don't mistake quiet for content. But thank you kindly for caring enough to try and figure things out!

Hey thanks for your response and yes it all makes sense....my 8 year old had partners and when the other died then I got petuina then her freind died so I got another then that one died so she has been thru 3 pigs and no she is not new to me......however I did not read tour post as being rude but very informative. But I am a little confused how come you wouldnt rescue a guinea pig?