Bonding Question About Companions?

[millsma]

Okay, so I know this website doesn't recommend pet store piggies, but I adopted Pierre before I knew that.

Pierre is about 6 or 7 weeks old, and adopted from a pet store. This store had 4 piggies of the same age, in the cage together. I only purchased Pierre, about 5 days ago. I am thinking about going back to adopt one of his buddies, and I was wondering how this would affect Pierre and his territory? They had been living together before, so will the 5 day separation require a quarantine period still, and will Pierre become territorial if I adopt one of his old cage mates?

There still is the option of adopting a pig that needs re-homing...but will the age gap be a problem for the two, especially since the younger one is the one who has previously lived in the territory?

 

[bpatters]

The short answer is, there's no way to know until you put two pigs together. Pierre may remember his buddies, he may not. He may remember, but one or the other start a war just because they're in a new cage.

Age gap doesn't matter nearly as much as the personality of the pigs. Whatever you do, read Guinea Pigs Social Life -- the introductions section is halfway down.

And please find a pig to adopt rather than buying another one. You won't be adopting a pig if you go back to the pet store, you'll be buying one that is almost surely the product of a breeding mill, and the pup of a mother who was continually backbred and had no veterinary care. Every pig you buy in that situation just creates the need for another one to be bred to take its place.

If you're having trouble finding pigs to adopt, post the name of the city you're closest to, and we'll help you find a rescue or a shelter.

 

[mufasa]

I would wait before you do anything, since you bought a pet store pig. It can take a while for problems to show up. I bought Mufasa at a pet store before I knew any better, and he was dead of a URI in 15 days that he apparently had when I bought him. There were subtle signs, but unfortunately nothing drastic enough to make me realize he needed a vet until it was too late.

There are plenty of different adoption routes and piggies of all ages. After Mufasa died, I adopted one guinea pig from a humane society and another via Craigslist. I strongly urge you to adopt your companion piggy after waiting a suitable time to make sure Pierre is healthy. Buying a second one is like playing Russian roulette, and I wouldn't want you to go through heartbreak like I did (and possibly double in your case, since the new pet store pig could infect Pierre without a long enough quarantine).

Good luck in finding Pierre a suitable buddy!