Level of Effort? How Much More Effort is 2 pigs versus 1 pigs?

Well, I have two piggies and they live in the same cage. I'm sure I have to clean the cage more often than if I had one piggie but it's not a lot of work. They have playtime together so that's not any more effort than having one. I believe they really do like a companion. But I suggest you get what you can comfortably care for.

Any rescue worth their salt, wont let you adopt one pig, unless you already have one at home.

Pigs are social creatures, they need same species companionship. I'm going to give you a scenario:

Your on an island, alone no humans, their is a monkey there. Sure you can talk to the monkey, you can hang out with it, but it's not going to give you exactly what you want back. And, eventually you are going to go crazy and talk to a soccer ball named Wilson (Castaway reference)

I have two pigs, and will probably get a third, after I find some steadier employment.

The difference between 1 pig and 2? Hardly noticeable, why?

Sure your going to double the pellets and hay, but honestly some hay gets wasted anyways. And if your pigs get proper veggies, they don't even eat all their pellets anyways.

As for vegetables, I find I waste less vegetables with 2 pigs then if I was to have one. I'm a very lazy cook, almost all the vegetables I eat are frozen or in cans. I know they don't have as much vitamins, but I just don't take the time for cutting/cleaning/skinning vegetables. The fresh vegetables in the home are for the piggies, and realistically if I only had one, I'd be wasting vegetables.

So please adopt two pigs, it is much better to have a friend. Don't give your pig a monkey and a soccer ball as their only outlet.

Read up on lonley pigs. And how they can develop depression. I know it's nice to have pet's. But it takes more than lots of love and cool toys to play with to take complete care of them. As you've mentioned vet bills and food are examples of this. I dont mean to sound rude as I know I am not saying what you want to hear. But if you are streching your budget that thin, Do you really think it's wise to get another pet. You seem to have a few as it is already.

Triggs has a point, if you're worried about the expense of two pigs versus one, then it might be worth considering if you have the time and funds to be able to afford them at all. After all, getting two is clearly what is best--and with so many pets already, you may not have the time to fill in for the second pig that would be keeping the first company.

As for two pigs, you may find that this actually is a more economical choice as well as being one that is right for them. Fresh veggies won't go to waste because feeding both will use them up before they have a chance to spoil. Having a buddy means less boredom, which cuts down on destructive tendencies like chewing, and keeps pigs healthier, which could possibly reduce vet costs. Of course, you need to be ready to provide vet care, but two happy healthy pigs will be less likely to need it than one lonley, bored one.

Use reusable bedding like fleece and you're really only looking at repeating expenses for food, hay and checkups. You'll waste less, and your pigs will be much happier, especially when you're attending to your other animals.

Hope this helps.

I read somewhere that a 2nd piggy only costs approximately 25% more to care for. It makes sense when you factor in the greens and veggies not having time to spoil and that maybe there won't be as many vet bills with a happier, healthier pig that has a friend to keep him/her happy.

I was actually looking for Jolly a friend until I found out he is a she and is going to be giving birth any day to what will be her companion (s).

I think it might depend, If you are afraid of 2nd piggy vet costs piggies may not be the pet for you.

Here is why,

When I got my first piggie charlie, I thought that it was time for a buddy so I Went to my not-so-local(1.5 hours away) spca and just fell in love with jake,

Turns out jake had mites, Bad mites and so far after being to the vet 4 times and 180$ later, they are gone and him and charlie will be together in feb.

Just an example, Sure I got unlucky and my piggy came with mites, But I think I am the luckies girl in the world to even be able to have these Beautifull creatures.

So you may end of spending hundreds of dollars on vet bills even with just one piggy, you never know.

I appreciate all of the advice everyone has given. I don't plan on getting any pigs right now (still have time to decide if I should get piggies). My dad is thinking about building a cage for me similar to kmbchance's, where there will be plenty of space. I may just have to wait until I get a steadier job. However I did find a way to minimize vet expenses via exotic pet insurance ( I posted a link to this). 2 piggies sound nice, I just need to be prepared for them.

I have three. I recently adpoted a third and I am not used to having three. With two it's not as bad. I would clean their cage once every day and this was spot cleaning. I would drop clean fresh hay into their cage every 2-3 days and give them 1/4th of a cup of pellets every day. Along with 2 cups of veggies (Remember that for every piggy adds another cups of veggies). Now I have to double everything, I'm cleaning their cage twice a day, I'm adding fresh hay every day and I'm giving more veggies along with having to clean their cage (Deep clean) 1-2 times a week.

I really think you can handle two pigs. It's not as bad as it sounds when it comes to bills and everything all you have to do is give a little more pellets and hay and veggies. Veggies might be a little more expensive but I find that buying produce from small stores like ethnic markets is alot cheaper than big grocery chains. That's what I learned to do when it came to veggies.

As for vet bills. If your guinea pigs are healthy you'll only need to take them in for 6 month to 1 year check ups. Worst case senario is you adopt an unhealthy pig that needs to be quarantined and you need to set up a whole other cage then have to take that pig to the vet. The most money I've spent on a guinea pig was $80.00 that went towards a guinea pig's check up and x-ray. I found that price reasonable.

If you can afford buying double of everything then you can afford a guinea pig.

Having 2 piggies is hardly any different from having 1 piggie. Adopt a pair. That's the right thing to do. If you can not afford to properly care for them then leave them be. It wouldn't be right or fair to them. I hope you make the right decision.

I can tell by my own experience that more pigs almost don't make a difference.
I have 4 boys and I don't have to clean the cage more often then when I had just Stephen. Maybe that's also because I am always cleaning it when I am at home. In fact it makes such little difference that we are thinking of getting one more piggie in the future.
I believe that happens to any pet you get. I don't have any extra cost with 2 rabbits, compared to when I had only one. The same for the cats and all of my pets.
Now I don't waste any more vegetables or hay, because they eat it all, and chew on things around the cage. Not to mention how much fun it is to watch them playing around.
My boys are healthy and never got really sick, so I just go to the vet once a month to make sure everything is OK. Since I always take all of them together the vet always charges me only once (not 4 times more for 4 piggies)

Anyway, I think there is really no difference to getting 1 or 2 piggies, but please, don't get only one. He'll feel very lonely and then you might have to spend more with the vet, for just one pig.