Adopting Adopting may be harder then I thought?

Please do not call me selfish, as that is the last thing I am..But I still believe giving one pig a happy home, is better then no home..Isnt it the same as people arguing that only children need sibllings?? Show me the proof that pigs truly need a mate to be happy...I always thought maybe it was slightly better for them, but never to the point that someone on here is actually telling me not to get another pig..Wow..SO I gues aim going pigless.....Goodbye!

Yes, it is indeed a real fact that a single guinea pig is not as happy. Just because he seemed perfectly happy alone does not mean that he wouldn't have benefitted from a cage mate. Many single pigs seem very happy, but then you introduce them to another guinea pig and you realize what they were missing the whole time.

It is better to give a single pig a good home than to have them stuck in a shelter, but it's even better if you can improve their life more by giving them a friend. Since you are fully capable of giving them a friend but just don't want to, I don't think you should get one.

My star had it great to but I'm sure he would have loved a friend he could talk to. Whenever I would play videos of guinea pigs and they would squeak he'd squeak back. And actually hamsters can make great pets. Laura from piggiepigpigs had them you could check out her videos on YouTube. And her hamsters always knew who fed them and loved them. It just all depends on their personality.

jayval said:

That was not the case for us!...We had him since 4 months old...The pig was never ever cranky..Always happy to interact with me, and popcorning, etc...That pig never ever showed any sign of depression...

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Just because he didn't show it doesn't mean he didn't want a friend. Animals can't talk so how do you know he wasn't. My star seemed happy to but after seeing my two new pigs interacting I wish I had gotten Star a friend. I had actually intended to introduce him and Bella but so glad I didn't have the chance because Star turned out to be a boy.

jayval said:

You seriously are going to tell me that my one Twix was unhappy????????????? That pig was extrememly happy, always playing and having fun, pocorning...

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I never said that Twix wasn't happy. I simply said that if you got another pig, it will be more unhappy than it would be with a friend. I don't remember referring to your past pig.

OK..but Im being told here not to get a pig......I just feel animals and humans are similar....Are we as humans always 100% happy???..When we are not, does that mean we are not having a great life???....I cant imagine a single piggy being that unhappy , thats its better off I get no pig at all.!..Yes, I understand you are all saying he may be happier, but didnt realize it would affect the pig to the point that its better not to get one at all....Its like the only child that says they were unhappy with siblings, but then many only children say they were so happy without any siblings..Who are we to judge?

You can't put human emotions on animals. We are very different. Animals don't perceive emotions like us. And our minds are on two totally different wave lengths. Yes we have similar feelings but we act on them differently.

jayval said:

OK..but Im being told here not to get a pig......I just feel animals and humans are similar....Are we as humans always 100% happy???..When we are not, does that mean we are not having a great life???....I cant imagine a single piggy being that unhappy , thats its better off I get no pig at all.!..Yes, I understand you are all saying he may be happier, but didnt realize it would affect the pig to the point that its better not to get one at all....Its like the only child that says they were unhappy with siblings, but then many only children say they were so happy without any siblings..Who are we to judge?

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It's not quite the same. Even if we are an only child (which I am), there are still other interactions with our own species. Think about it this way... if you were alone on an island with only birds to talk to wouldn't you crave the ability to communicate with another human? That is what I have found to be so important in my experience with Daisy (the adopted 7 year old). She has spent 7 years without another guinea pig companion, and it took her a few days to find her voice. Now, that she has it... it's amazing to hear her talk to Clemmy and Indy. Her health has improved since she has had contact with other guinea pigs. She wasn't unhappy prior to coming home with me, but she has blossomed. It really has changed the way I view single pigs.

Ok, then Im not sure what I going to do , as I really still am nervous about owing 2 pigs, and I dont think my husband will be for it at all....I know what you are saying, but I still thinks its difficult to really see the ultimate happiness of each pig, since they are all different, and personalities are different...I will speak to the rescue about it, as one rescue is ok with adopting out one piggie, over 7 months of age....

jayval said:

Just like someone that has one dog, and not two..

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jayval said:

Experts can say kids do better with siblings, ..Others will not..There will always be controversy...its not always true what the research says...

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Comparing kids and dogs to guinea pigs is a false analogy. Neither is a prey animal, so neither inherently relies on its own kind to alert it to danger--which is true for guinea pigs. Herd prey animals have evolved their desire for company because there is safety and power in numbers. Domestic guinea pigs may not be under constant attack from predators, but those instincts live on and so a buddy will provide them with a sense of safety that the most attentive owners cannot. Plus, although an only child might not have siblings, they are not isolated from their own kind. The can talk and communicate with you, and every other human they come in contact with. Single pigs have no one. Similarly, although dogs and guinea pigs have both been domesticated for many years, the symbiotic companion relationship between dogs and humans has a significantly longer history and, as a result, they have actually evolved to where their emotional needs can be met by humans. The same cannot be said about guinea pigs.

I understand what you are saying about one pig with a happy home being better than no pigs with happy homes, however what about the pig that pig was already bonded to? What about the people who would have adopted the pair and made them both happy? The mission of rescues is to assure pigs are going to safe homes that will provide them with the best of care. If they start making one allowance, why not another? Considering a single pig will be less happy than a pair, adopting out a single would be letting a pig go to a home that isn't doing everything they can to make the pig happy. Should they also adopt out to people who will love and take good care of it except keep it in a small cage? Except not give it floor/lap time? Except not monitor their health in case of illness? These are all concerns of health and quality of life, and rescues shouldn't be criticized for not making an allowance.

jayval said:

Please do not call me selfish, as that is the last thing I am..But I still believe giving one pig a happy home, is better then no home..Isnt it the same as people arguing that only children need sibllings?? Show me the proof that pigs truly need a mate to be happy...I always thought maybe it was slightly better for them, but never to the point that someone on here is actually telling me not to get another pig..Wow..SO I gues aim going pigless.....Goodbye!

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Heres the proof:
https://www.cavyspirit.com/sociallife.htm
https://jackiesguineapiggies.com/Companionship.html
(broken link removed)
https://www.petfinder.com/pet-care/small-and-furry-care/guinea-pig-basics-companionship/
(broken link removed)

Not to mention that this forum is proof enough.

Think of it this way. Would you like to live with no contact from other people. If you lived in a house in a remote location with a dog but never saw any other people would you be happy? Even with the dog as company you need contact from your own species to be happy. Also comparing only children with guinea pigs is not at all correct; children go to school with other children, they go outside to play with other children, they interact with other children all the time. If you had a guinea pig on its own it would likely never see another guinea pig in its life.

jayval said:

Ok, then Im not sure what I going to do , as I really still am nervous about owing 2 pigs, and I dont think my husband will be for it at all....I know what you are saying, but I still thinks its difficult to really see the ultimate happiness of each pig, since they are all different, and personalities are different...I will speak to the rescue about it, as one rescue is ok with adopting out one piggie, over 7 months of age....

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Random suggestion... have you considered two degus? They are smaller than guinea pigs (so maybe easier to fit into your lifestyle). But, they are kind of like a guinea pig and a chinchilla had a baby and then it shrunk to a little bigger than a hamster. They are similar in many aspects to guinea pigs, and even eat a mixture of guinea pig and chin food. I was going to adopt a pair before I ended up with Daisy. I've heard wonderful things about them.

ETA: Their life expectancy is the same as guinea pigs too.

ETAA: I think a lot of people are kind of going on about the same stuff. I'm thinking that isn't really constructive...

At least with people we're almost always in contact with other people. We go to school, go to college and work. A guinea pig lives in a cage so from their perspective it would be like someone living on an island by themselves. Without that companion living with them its likely they'll never see another pig.

jayval said:

I still thinks its difficult to really see the ultimate happiness of each pig, since they are all different, and personalities are different

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Well, sure. But you can still strive to give them the things that are known to make them more happy than not. Also, pigs are not plagued by the same level of human emotional baggage and potential for enui as you and I. A pig isn't going to look at the lettuce you give him and wish he had ordered a nice slice of cucumber instead, and wonder about how the other pigs are judging his caloric intake, and think about whether it is locally grown or the pigs in other countries who might not have lettuce, or the rich pigs who get better lettuce; he's not going to be distracted by problems at work, or thoughts of that girl he saw on the subway; he won't fret about the cost of the lettuce, or be transported back to a moment from his childhood when his parents bickered over their lettuce dinner. Instead, the pig will feel safe and less anxious because his basic needs are being met, and as those with knowledge and experience can tell you (and have told you), having a friend is one of those basic needs.

ginipigsinspace said:

Well, sure. But you can still strive to give them the things that are known to make them more happy than not. Also, pigs are not plagued by the same level of human emotional baggage and potential for enui as you and I. A pig isn't going to look at the lettuce you give him and wish he had ordered a nice slice of cucumber instead, and wonder about how the other pigs are judging his caloric intake, and think about whether it is locally grown or the pigs in other countries who might not have lettuce, or the rich pigs who get better lettuce; he's not going to be distracted by problems at work, or thoughts of that girl he saw on the subway; he won't fret about the cost of the lettuce, or be transported back to a moment from his childhood when his parents bickered over their lettuce dinner. Instead, the pig will feel safe and less anxious because his basic needs are being met, and as those with knowledge and experience can tell you (and have told you), having a friend is one of those basic needs.

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That actually made me laugh! about the better lettuce, etc..

ClemmyOddieIndy said:

Random suggestion... have you considered two degus? They are smaller than guinea pigs (so maybe easier to fit into your lifestyle). But, they are kind of like a guinea pig and a chinchilla had a baby and then it shrunk to a little bigger than a hamster. They are similar in many aspects to guinea pigs, and even eat a mixture of guinea pig and chin food. I was going to adopt a pair before I ended up with Daisy. I've heard wonderful things about them.

ETA: Their life expectancy is the same as guinea pigs too.

ETAA: I think a lot of people are kind of going on about the same stuff. I'm thinking that isn't really constructive...

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I think I have heard of them, but not sold in NJ?? I have never seen one in person..But thanks for the suggestion....Heres the deal, believe it or not Im kind of a perfectionist and natural worrier...Thats we ere on the side of caution..Im not sure if I have it in me to adopt to pigs, i woudl kind of be overwhelmed and nervous...And yes, we onyl have one child..LOL Thx I guess for being so passionate about your thoughts..I am like that with many things...Thats How I found my way here 3 years ago

ClemmyOddieIndy said:

ETAA: I think a lot of people are kind of going on about the same stuff. I'm thinking that isn't really constructive...

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I can't speak for everyone, but I think this is sometimes due to response times and similar ideas. By the time I post about something no one had mentioned someone may have and it is unintentionally redundant, not intentionally a. "Pile- up."

guineapigcraz27 said:

Heres the proof:
https://www.cavyspirit.com/sociallife.htm
https://jackiesguineapiggies.com/Companionship.html
(broken link removed)
https://www.petfinder.com/pet-care/small-and-furry-care/guinea-pig-basics-companionship/
(broken link removed)

Not to mention that this forum is proof enough.

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Ok..So if I did get 2 pigs, adopted together as a pair, then I wouldn't have to worry about quarantining them etc, correct? And they would be healthy since a foster home would already be caring for them, such as no worries like bringing home, ringworm, etc, and the other pig catching it, like what would happen from a petstore....They would already be friends/siblings ? I assume the foster home would make sure they are the same sex correct to avoid pregnancy?

Maybe I should just focus on adopting one from the rescue that they said didnt get along with other pigs? Unless I decide on the 2? Not sure hubby woudl go for 2 of them..LOL..