Looking to get a new piggie

[HauntedLittleLunatic]

6 weeks ago I had 3 piggies.

Sadly we lost 2 within 2 weeks. So now I have 1. I know that they like a companion. My question is - what is my best approach.

My piggie is female and about 4yo. Her companions were probably sisters bought from the local farm.. she has an outdoor hutch on 2 levels with a closeable ramp. We have an outdoor run with mesh roof. The hutch is currently in the garage on a contrete floor with the bottom level unused.

I want the easiest introduction possible. I don't have a second hutch to house them seperately although in theory I could use the bottom level of the hutch but being on concrete isn't ideal and there is no seperation to creat a nest area.

So do I go for another baby piggie from the local farm? Would I be better to go for a rescue piggie of similar age. Which is likely to be the easiest to introduce?

Hi Haunted.

If you contact a rescue, they'll have alot of sngle females that you could match your GP with. Some of them will oversee the introductions and let your piggie decide who she wants to share her cage with. Then they might keep her for a couple of days so they can meet on neutral territory (while you scrub the cage at home to remove all the Resident Pig Smells )

If you introduce your 4 yo to a baby, then chances are you'll be in the situation when your sow dies, the new pig will be alone (so a never-ending match up goes on).

And if you rescue a pig, you're giving a little unwanted pig a good home

When I got the boars, the Rescue had loads of girls that could be paired up. But my DD steadfastly wanted boys (niffy, manky little boys.But we love them)

That was my concern regarding a baby tbh.

How do I find a rescue centre? Yellow pages?

When I was 9 yo my first GP was an accidental male, we ended up with piglets.

A couple of years later, when we had 2 sows (mum and daughter - male had died) I got a young sow. We tried to introduce them but the older one bullied her ( she bullied the male too).
We had to side-by-side them, until new sow had her own sow piglet (she was pg when we got her).

When the oldest sow died , her daughter suddenly got one with the two newbies, and happily shared a home with them.

So alot depends on the personality of the Resident Pig.

I got my boars from a rabbit rescue that was local. I phoned them and asked if they had any guineas.- particularly boars' pairs.
And the rest, as they say, is history.

Lots of the GP rescues were 25+ miles away.

There are some rescues listed here www.guineapigrehome.org.uk/gp/centres.asp but if you do a google search, you'll find more that aren't listed there.

It is always best to opt for a rescue as there are so many unwanted pets that need forever homes.

Good luck!

I'm just about to post as I've had an accidental litter of two - they are only a day old but I can sex them and see if you'd like one!!