The Importance of Piggie Friends

[thalestral]

One of the first things many of us learn when we first come to own guinea pigs or first come to learn about modern care methods is the mantra: guinea pigs need guinea pig friends. Guinea pigs are one (of many) animals that should never be kept alone except in very rare circumstances.

Guinea Pigs: A Herd Animal:This is primarily because guinea

Comments

[lisianthia]

I love your posts. Thanks for taking the time to share your knowledge.

[thalestral]

Thank you ^_^

[sherlock2040]

One of my seven piggies preferred being a lone pig, but then again he was a fairly strange guinea pig.

Everything in his cage had to be 'just so', his dinner bowl had to be in the same place otherwise he'd spend hours moving it, if you didn't put the water bottle in the right place he'd somehow get it off the cage - he was very neat. After cleaning out we'd stick a mountain of straw (we used straw for bedding as they tended not to eat it, they also got hay) in each compartment he'd literally spend the rest of the day organising his sleeping area. (Our piggies lived together in one giant hutch but separated down the middle so they could interact, talk... just not make little piggies or attack each other).

My current two have learned the hay rack removal trick, if I fill it up and then go back to bed in the morning all I can hear is the bang against the bars as they try to remove it. They're a little upset with me as I've cable tied it on now.

[ex_rita]

I have a loner pig as well. Even a pet psychic confirmed it. (Yes, I had a psychic do a reading on my guinea pig. What of it.) She won't tolerate other GPs, and sometimes gets hostile. She wants all the hooman love for herself. She's fastidious as well. Everything in her cage has to be arranged her way, and she even uses a litterbox, because no queen sleeps in her own poop!

[sherlock2040]

Sox (my loner pig) was very particular where he did his business as well, his cage was so clean that you could probably get away with scooping out his potty-corner (we never did though).

Guinea pigs are weird little critters..

[thalestral]

There are exceptions to every case but I think the population of true loner pigs is greatly exaggerated. Many of us who work with rescues have seen those true loner pigs but have also seen many more ex-loner pigs (like Purdie!), and I just hope that most owners, like yourself, do their best to determine exactly which category their pig truly fits in.

[_traj_]

Very nice work. Keep these articles coming (and any other members with info and experience to share!). While there are a few good piggie care sites out there that cover these types of topics, they don't always share multiple scenarios/experiences. This kind of stuff is really important to this community. There are too many sites out there offering BAD information - things like this need to be spread around!

[thalestral]

Thank you :) All our most informative entries here are added to the memories :)

[kikayume]

Your guinea pigs sound like a herd of buffalo roaming the carpeted plains.

[4o5pastmidnight]

My boys like to explore the boobie mountains quite a bit.

[thalestral]

My girls disapprove of boobie mountains D: I usually end up with a pig underneath my neck while Rosie jumps ship to the far more comfortable Jon :O

[thalestral]

Haha, definitely :D I love laying down on the floor with them like that, they're quite amusing. Also if I'm out in the hall and wheedle "hey giiirls!" they start wheeking and come pouring out the room xD

[zebrallama]

Wonderful post. Thank you.

[thalestral]

Thanks! :D