introducing new guinea pig

[SvenandSven]

I have a lonely boar. He was in a trio all brothers. We lost one earlier this year. Unfortunately we lost his remaining brother a week ago.
I would like to get another boar to join him so I have some questions.
How easy is it to bond a new pig?
I have bonded many bunnies but never piggies.
I was thinking living along side each other to get used to smells and sounds then neutral ground to actually meet and take from there.
They would then live in existing piggies hutch and I would deep clean the hutch before putting both in.
Am I on the right track?
We have yet to get new pig but I am thinking pig of similar age rather than baby. Or is a baby easier to bond?
Existing pig is 4 years old.

[70isaLimitNotaTarget]

Hi Sven

I was in this situation a couple of years ago with our adult boar when his brother died. (There's a thread back in July/August 2013)
We got a very little piglet from a Rescue (6 weeks old).
I didn't quarentine him (my bad) because our adult was lonely and piglet had been through his vet check.

(we later bonded the younger boar with two sows then in May we got a new boar when he died. But we had to seperate while they went sterile)


Neutral bonding territory. Get a cheap paddling pool to bond them in. Towel or newspaper and food.
If you phone some Rescues they'll tell you what they have. There may be an older male that will boar match but a piglet is an easier bet.

They;ll put them in a neutral space to let each other suss the situation.(Our boar was instantly enamoured of GP3)

Then put them for an hour or two in the paddling pool and watch them.

We;ve put ours in the Pighouse but I deep clean with a steamer and VirkonS .
That's THE saddest thing, removing all traces of the piggie that has died

Change things round a bit. New boxes. Two doors cut in the boxes.

Spaces between the foodbowls.

When we got the sows (and then later when we got our newest boar) the new arrivals stayed in the indoor cage which we put inside the Pighouse so they could chat but not meet.
Then the bonding as before but it was 2:1

Pigs generally like company.

And we on SmallPets demand photos of new arrivals

[FernieB]

I did this earlier this year when one of my boys died leaving his 4 year old friend. I was lucky to find a baby boy at a rescue. So Scruffypig and I went off for some speed dating. They spent about an hour together at the rescue which went very well and have been together ever since.

I did steam clean the cage and for the first few days they were in our large indoor run, then I moved them into the cage once I was sure they were fine. Once you've put them together, they need to stay together or you have to do the whole introduction thing again.

Baby Gingerpig is now 5 months old and on the cusp of terrible teens but has not yet challenged for top pig status. Scruffy is still the boss and it's very funny watching Ginger run to him to tell him about the arrival of cucumber.

[70isaLimitNotaTarget]

@ Baby Gingerpig - we need some new photos , he's a strapping lad now.

Though GP5 stilll gets called Baby Oreo Doublestuff and she's 2 .

[everygalaxy]

We picked up our new little boar (7weeks) last night. Our poor lonely, bereaved old boar had an afternoon date with him at the rescue and they hit it off hadn't realised how lonely Mr darcy was
The rescue staff talked us through it but with such a tiny pig he just loves his new big friend. There was a bit of rumbling strutting and chasing at first but settled down v quickly. Poor tiny thing is terrified of the change today keeps snuggling Mr D.
I did get very sad yesterday though miss Mr Bingley terribly hate "replacing" him.

[everygalaxy]

Mr Darcy and his new minion friend Mr Wickham

[FernieB]

So cute - hope Mr Wickham turns out to be a good boy and not like his namesake!

My boys were introduced at a similar age and still get on well, although they do square up to each other sometimes. Gingerpig does back down quickly though once Scruffypig asserts his seniority.

[everygalaxy]

Well the traitor pigs have decided they love each other more than boring old me!

[70isaLimitNotaTarget]

Aww they are gorgeous boys galaxy Beautiful markings. It's strange having a piglet after adults (they are so tiny and light with such sharp nails.)
You are still Numero Uno but your boar has piggie company again so he's bound to be excited

They'll creep back up to you when their stomachs remind them.

We've had GP6 (our neutered boar ) for 3 months now. The sows are livelier , before they tended to stay in the haybox. Now they all pootle about like a Benny Hill sketch.
GP6 is delighted to have his ladies (he was in Rescue with his brother but they had to seperate).
He;s not the AlphaPig though, thats GP4 job.