Bonding Piggy Trio VS Piggy Pair - Your Experiences?

[Unicornucopiae]

Hi there,

My piggy Fudge has just recently lost her furever friend of 7 years, Raindrop

While Raindrop's passing is still fresh and painful, Fudge is a very healthy and active 7 year old girl and we don't want her to be lonely during what we call her 'retirement'. We have been pondering different options for finding her company, and I would like to hear some of your own experiences if you are willing to share them =]

We would like to adopt two female (or desexed male) piggies of a similar age to each other to bond with Fudge and keep her company. I'm hoping that way when Fudge passes from old age her new companion/s won't be left on their lonesome. What makes me nervous is that I have only ever kept paired piggies before and I'm worried that with a trio there might end up being a close bonded pair and an odd piggy out.

What have your experiences been with keeping three piggies together? Would you recommend it?

 

[RodentCuddles]

I'm so sorry to hear about Raindrop - I know you did all you could of for her and she understands that.

Trio's are what I like - as just like what you're thinking..if one pig passes then you're not left with just one single pig who's alone.

I've had two trios - full male and they got along really well no one was ever left out, they were best buds.
The other trio had my girl Trixie, my other girl Gigi and my de-sexed boy Pluto in it - It was Gigi & Pluto who were often together..but then even with 6 pigs living with her Trixie is often away from them - she likes them but isn't a very social girl (the girl she did bond to was my little Angel who got killed by the SPCA foster cat).

I know the SPCA has 3 guinea pigs, the two that are up for adoption are males so that'd be a no but they have a single one - just not sure if 'it's' male or female. If not - You know I'll be happy to work with Fudge and you *but mostly fudge* to find two perfect buddies for her.

 

[Skylarnz]

Hi sorry to hear about raindrop. We have 3 girls at the moment. We got them all at different times. Sammy and Zoey got along fine from the start but Zara took awhile longer. Now all 3 are best of friends and they are always together.

 

[pinky]

I have two trios. I have a neutered male that was paired with a senior male. After the senior passed, I reintroduced him to two females he used to live with. I think they remembered each other because they immediately bonded. They all sleep together and the dominant female no longer picks on the other female so it improved their relationship. My other trio is made up of a mother-daughter pair and another younger female I added to the group. The mother and daughter are very bonded but they did accept the the youngster. They don't let her sleep with them, though, and aren't bonded with her. They don't fight with her.

 

[MrWhistles]

I am sorry for your and your pigs loss.

I've had a single, 2 pairs and a trio. Personally, I prefer a trio. Bickering among pigs is to a min and there are very few issues among them. They also seem much more peaceful and happier than when they were just as a pair.

If I find a pig that prefers to be a single, I might take him or her. They say pigs bonding to humans doesn't change wither or not they are grouped, paired or alone. I absolutely think it does. My single boar was the most friendliest pig I've ever met and his behavior was almost dog like. He bonded much more closely to me in 3 months than my grouped girls have done in 3 months of constant handling and hand feeding. Apparently there are some pigs that still bond closely to their humans when grouped with another pig(s). But it seems like those pigs are few and far between.