At what stage do you end the cycle of guinea pigs

[ArklePig]

So as some of you might know, we lost our lovely Nóinín the other day. Síoda is left behind and was always the more timid, she was the runt of her litter. She is 4 and a bit. I'm really not sure what's in her best interest as I am obviously against lone piggies but at this stage in her life and with her personality I'm not sure she'd take to a new pal. I hate the way when one dies you have to start thinking about a new addition. With the exception of the two girls who we've had since they were babies we've always rehomed older pigs and I'm sick to death of them dying it's heart breaking.

Any thoughts on the best thing to do for my wee girl?

 

[AmyMay]

Unless you specifically want more, then no I wouldn’t get another.

 

[TPO]

Calling @ester the guinea pig guru

Sorry to hear of your loss

 

[julesjoy]

Is she indoors or outside? I think when I get to one, I'll probably bring it inside, give it a cuddly toy and hope for the best. Or ask a rescue if they could take it on and donate generously for them to keep it until its life ends.

 

[ArklePig]

She is indoors @julesjoy
She's not very cuddly but enjoys a little head scratch and a sniff about - I set up little forage stations/toys for them. But her sister usually would take the lead on all adventures. I'm really leaning towards leaving her alone but I don't want her to get lonely. I also can't decide if what's really holding me back is me not wanting to go through losing another. But if she could go on for another couple of years is that really fair? Hard to know. I guess I'll see how she fares over the next few days at least before making any decisions.

 

[forever broke]

I was worrying about this with my two elderly ferrets and what to do about the lone one when one eventually died - I didn't really want any more as I struggle for time for everyone. I applied to foster for a local rescue and got two young kits on foster who went in with the old ones and kept my old Jill company when the old boy died. Of course, the old girl died over winter and I still have two naughty foster babies who don't seem to be showing any signs of being adopted any time soon!

 

[FinnishLapphund]

She is indoors @julesjoy
She's not very cuddly but enjoys a little head scratch and a sniff about - I set up little forage stations/toys for them. But her sister usually would take the lead on all adventures. I'm really leaning towards leaving her alone but I don't want her to get lonely. I also can't decide if what's really holding me back is me not wanting to go through losing another. But if she could go on for another couple of years is that really fair? Hard to know. I guess I'll see how she fares over the next few days at least before making any decisions.

I'm so sorry about your loss.
I'm not sure anyone can give a definite answer. Sometimes a more timid one stays that way their whole life, whether they have a "leader" to follow or not, sometimes they don't do well without someone to follow, but sometimes they can blossom, and become less timid. It really could go either way.

As you say, it's probably best to wait a few days to see how Sioda does. And perhaps also your own feelings about it might change, maybe you start to feel that actually, you do want a new one because they can be such lovely, sweet pets. Or you continue feeling that No, this is my last one.

It was so many years ago, I'm not quite sure if my last Guinea Pig was an old male that lived alone for some months to a year, or if it was Livia and Claudia that died quite close in time to each other.
But I do remember that I bought a fake, live size plastic buddy to my last Budgerigar Inga. The plastic budgerigar had/have feet formed as a circle + a weight below them, so it could be put on a branch, and occasionally bobbed a little back and forth. Inga seemed quite happy, and content with her plastic buddy, she spent a lot of time with it, and always noticed when I took it out of the cage to clean it, or switch it to a new branch.

Perhaps you could get Sioda a live sized fake Guinea Pig as companion. If it's made of fabric, and you want to add an extra touch, get an alarm clock and stuff inside the fake Guinea Pig, so Sioda can hear that there's something ticking inside.

{{{{{{Hugs}}}}}}

 

[PinkvSantaboots]

I had 2 guinea pigs years ago I ended up with them when friends of ours moved to Hong Kong, Brian died after about a year so Bob was on his own and I decided not to get another as Brian did bully Bob a bit, also thet were not really pets I ever really intended to have.

Bob was the most friendly loving little thing he lived indoors and would quite happily sit on the sofa for hours with me in the evenings, I honestly think he was quite happy on his own and when we got the dog they would often lay together near the Aga.

In summer he was outside quite a bit I had a massive run for him so he had a pretty varied life and lived until he was 8, he actually died in my arms I was pretty heartbroken to be honest but I've never wanted another.

I think because yours is quite timid I'm sure she will be happy on her own I wouldn't get another one.

 

[scats]

I have a lone piggie now. Phineas was got as a cage mate for Murray, then Murray died unexpectedly 6 months later. But I’d had to separate them as Murray was bullying Phineas so when Murray died, I thought I’d just see how Phin got on for a while before making any decisions. Well he thrived! He seems to be a pig who is prone to getting bullied (I got him as his previous cage mate had bullied him so old owner had to rehome him) and he is much happier without another piggy.
He is actually oddly good friends with my female cat and they often spend time sleeping next to each other, and pretty much whenever I’m at home and not working, he’s with me anyway.
If I’m pottering in the garden, he goes out in his run in there, but mostly lives indoors where there is always someone around. My cat spends 70% of her time with him anyway.

 

[meleeka]

I love guinea pigs but I just couldn’t cope wight their relatively short lifespan. I’d probably see how things to before making a decision.

 

[ester]

Don't rush to make a decison it was a 'problem' I tried to fix as quickly as quickly as possible for lunar at the same age (and it went badly partly as she was also hiding a bladder stone).
It's worth saying that she was also the quieter/more timid of her pair but I think she was settled enough to be on her own/actually came out of her shell a bit in that time.

And this is why I now have 4 because I don't want to go through that again.

 

[Clodagh]

I’ve had one alone and he just used to be with me as much as possible. He seemed happy

 

[ester]

I do think boys seem to be better as lone pigs generally and often on the friendlier/tamer side compared to girls which I think helps when they are then on their own.

 

[ArklePig]

Thanks everyone, there are some really helpful responses here and glad to hear I'm not a monster for not getting her a mate straight away. She's not been very chatty since, but she is eating and drinking with no change to routine and tolerated a little scratch last night so we'll watch and wait for now.

 

[ArklePig]

I love guinea pigs but I just couldn’t cope wight their relatively short lifespan. I’d probably see how things to before making a decision.

Tell me about it we got our first pair in 2016, they were around 3/4. Then Julius died in Jan 2019 and we got Arkle for Attilla. Arkle was also a couple of years old. Then Attilla died that same summer of an illness so we got the two girls for Arkle in the hope that they would grow old together. Arkle died last February. It's too much loss. All my pigs get the best of everything, never hesitate to take them to the vet, fed expensive veggies and good food and still that's two who have just dropped dead with no warning.

Agree with what other people say about boars v sows too, my boars were the cuddliest little personalities and each one was my best pal. Especially Arkle he had the personality of a terrier.

I'm really leaning now toward keeping her alone and never getting pigs again, I can't do it anymore

 

[ester]

I said that and was adament until about 6 weeks later . .