First, let me say, I feel terrible about the death of our pig, Chino. I suspect she had a URI, but she was acting fine, I thought. Ate her veggies, played and talked. I was keeping an eye on her, but then suddenly she was gone, and I feel horrible. Liz, her cagemate, doesn't show any signs of breathing distress, but I'm watching carefully and she'll go to the vet immediately if she does.
Liz is a one year old Abyssinian female. I don't want to get into a cycle of replacing cagemates, but since she's just a year old, I wonder what is best for her. She doesn't seem to be grieving for Chino, but she is quieter without her cagemate to push around. She liked stealing veggies from Chino and popcorning around her. There's none of that now, of course.
So my question...Is it okay to let her be a lone pig, or should I try to find her a cagemate? How do I go about this without purchasing another, and then being stuck with two cages if they aren't compatible? How long should I wait? I figure she needs to be isolated for a bit to make sure she's not sick. I know there will be differing opinions on this, but I'm open to suggestions and comments.
Thanks in advance.
Liz is a one year old Abyssinian female. I don't want to get into a cycle of replacing cagemates, but since she's just a year old, I wonder what is best for her. She doesn't seem to be grieving for Chino, but she is quieter without her cagemate to push around. She liked stealing veggies from Chino and popcorning around her. There's none of that now, of course.
So my question...Is it okay to let her be a lone pig, or should I try to find her a cagemate? How do I go about this without purchasing another, and then being stuck with two cages if they aren't compatible? How long should I wait? I figure she needs to be isolated for a bit to make sure she's not sick. I know there will be differing opinions on this, but I'm open to suggestions and comments.
Thanks in advance.