I had 2 male guinea pigs and one recently died. I noticed my guinea pig is now lonley, what should I do?

Question

The 2 guinea pigs grew up together and they were only a year and a half old when it happened. I want to introduce a new friend for him but I didn't know if he is too old or not, if I should introduce a male or a female or if it would be okay to introduce a younger guinea pig or an older one. I know guinea pigs crave companionship and I hate seeing him lonely.

Answer 1

He definately does need company.  There are several options:  

Males can be a little agressive with each other so you could get a female.  Your male or the new female or both will need neutering to prevent pregnancy.  The operation costs money and is obviously a little stressful for the guinea pig but is a low risk operation.  A younger female would be easiest to introduce but an adult would probably work too.  

You could introduce another male.  The younger the better as the old guinea pig would take to a baby much easier than an adult male.  However it is possible to introduce adult males if it is done very carefully (I have).  

If you want more than one extra pig then it must be two females as if there are two males and one female they will fight over her whether they are neutetred or not and three males that have not grown up together would just be too risky.  

Whatever you decide you should house them separately for the first week or so and introduce them on neutral territory every day (providing food as a distraction from fighting is good).  Don't panick if the first meeting goes badly.  the first time my males met one humped the otherone constantly to show who was boss and evetually got bitten on the nose badly - but after that bite he understood he wasn't boss and they now live together happily.  When it is time for them to move in together thoroughly clean the cage so that there is no scent left amnd if there is room rearrange the cage a bit (like move the bed and the hay rack etc.) this will make it less the first pig's territory.  Initially provide two of everything: water, food dishes, hay rack, bed.  But once the have lived together for a bit without any incidents you can take out the extra stuff (maybe leave the extra bed as they may never like sleeping together) because they will be friends and happy to share.  

Good luck!

Answer 2

It is a myth that males will fight.

Don't get a female unless one is neutered.

Here

http://www.guinealynx.info/companionship...

http://www.cavyspirit.com/sociallife.htm...

http://www.petfinder.com/

Answer 3

Spend more time with him, cuddle him every day, or if you must, buy a new guinea pig.

Answer 4

OMG.

That has happened to me before. And sadly, buying another guinea pig isn't going too cure his lonelyness. He will mourn for a while.

My died shortly after of a broken heart          

=[

Answer 5

well some people would probably say buy a new one, but sometimes thats very hard for guinea pigs. they are very territorial so they may fight. just play with him everyday. make him feel happy, and then both of u will be happy!

i hope this helps!

good luck!

oh also see if there is a 4h club in ur area. join! its a great way to make friends and have fun with ur animal! fyi im in 4h with my pig!

Answer 6

Get another male

Answer 7

Aww I'm sorry your guinea pig died.

I had that happened with the femal pair of guinea pigs I used to own.

I think it'll be quite difficult to find the right guinea pig to match with your guinea pig.Territorialism,conflicting personality,ect.

With mine I just gave her more attention and a little extra food.I also put on music during the day when I was away.And she was sad for a bit and would look all over for her sister but eventually she cheered up and started being herself again.

Maybe try that before getting another guinea pig?

Answer 8

i would be careful about getting a new one for your old one to be friends with. there's the possibility one won't like the other and then bad things could happen. i remember reading in a book that at first u should get two cages and keep them next to each other so they can get to know each other and just in case they don't like each other right away. Also if u get a female u might end up getting baby guinea pigs.

Answer 9

You should buy another guinea pig that is the same gender as the one who died. It really doesn't matter if your guinea pig is old or not, same with a new companion. All that really matters is how your guinea pig feels around the new guinea pig.

Answer 10

Then buy a female guinea pig.It may take some time for your and the female guinea pig to get together but in case you don't another guinea pig it will feel very lonely.You can also buy a male one also.But if you buy a female one it will reproduce.And your guinea pigs will not be lonely anymore!

Answer 11

get another one, and if you introduce a male and female, they will have 8 babies every 4 months.- not reccomended, get another male about the same age, but keep them in seperate cages, but close together, until they get used to each other, and then you can try moving them into the same cage.

Answer 12

well, thats a tricky one...

    the only reason that those two guinea pigs didnt fight was because they grew up together.  if you were to introduce another male, there is a very high chance that they will fight.  if you get a younger one, the older one will become territorial and bully the new one. and if you get and older...  vice versa!!  what i would do is get a younger female. but they would have babies. the only way you could do the male thing is if you got a same age male, and you could just introduce them in a new invironment so it would be new 2 the both of them.  but you'd have to rearange the stuff in the cage & clean it GOOD to get all the scents off...  again so it would be new to the both of them. that way they wouldnt fight.

heres a page about introducing guinea pigs...

http://www.jackiesguineapiggies.com/Comp...

go down to the "introductions" section

hope this helps

Answer 13

buy another one or play with it more

Answer 14

i would buy a new one u could get one mabey a year at the most apart from the one u have now if u get a female get it spayed or soemthing or u could let them have their nice little family :P yay!!!!

im not really sure about gettign another male if this one is friendly enough ya but some times they wont like them becouse they dotn know them as good u know ?

or if u perfer not to get another buy some more toys for the one u have now and make sure to play wit it 3 times as much becouse it will be all lonley :(    

well i hope i sorta kinda helped good luck :P

let me know if u get another one !!!!!! :P

Answer 15

bring him indoors and give him loads of attention, the same thing happerned to me and my paddy has lived indoors for 2 years now,he loves it.do not buy a young female,they will mate,do not buy another male,they rarely get on unless they have grown up together.

Answer 16

guinea pigs live in large 'packs' and like the company of other guinepigs

try getting another guineapig but dont introduce them in the cage of where your guineapig lives as it is best to do it somewhere where they can have a bit sniff with each other.

Answer 17

Get him another male friend. It's a complete myth that they cannot be kept together. If introduced properly and in an adequately sized cage, they can get along just fine. Susan's answer is good.

Answer 18

you can buy another one or if you dont have enough money you can spend double - tripple the time spent and playing together and if you dont have time give him or her lots of things to do!

Answer 19

well

maybe

you

should

get

another

one

so

that

one

isn't

loney.

Answer 20

i know it may be hard but any of the free time you have you should spend with the guinea pig because he may be lonely but sometimes guinea pigs fight if they didn't grow up together so you should not get another one it would be better if they both were born together and they were babies but just try to spend as much time as you can with your guinea pig.good luck!!!!!!!!

Answer 21

buy a new one! otherwise it may get soo depressed and die also like my friends guinea pig :(

Answer 22

You could play with it more or get another one for it

Answer 23

get another one a younger female cuz males may get in fights.

Answer 24

I'm basically going to echo some really good advice given to you.  Susan's links are fantastic and you really should read through them.

Definitely consider adopting a male friend for your guinea pig.  By adopting you'll be saving a life and you may get a better idea of the guinea pig's personality.

Please get a male pig, it is a complete myth that males can't live together.  They don't have to be born together to get along, they just need plenty of space and a careful introduction.  Having a female would result in a large number of babies, more than you could possibly handle.

I've only introduced a young guinea pig to an older one but I'm sure that two same age guinea pigs can be introduced.  Just be patient, and follow the excellent advice given on Guinea Lynx and Cavy Spirit.

Answer 25

buy a new one.i think you should buy a male because you had a male one before.