Today one of my male guinea pigs passed. I am not fully sure what the reason was but he had a host of other problems. Unfortunately, he left behind his beloved brother/cagemate. They were both a little over 2 years old. The surviving one was very dominant and much larger. He is actually about 1.6 kilograms. In the beginning, they would "argue" a lot but later became very loving brothers. Neither were neutered. My worry is that I am leaving on vacation for a few days starting tomorrow. My pig will have someone to take care of him once or twice a day but I worry that is not enough if he's grieving. What can I do?
P.S. I can't cancel my trip because it is out of my control.
I am very sorry for your loss. Like all these things, they often happen at the most unfortunate time!
Please ask the person to weigh your boy once daily, preferably before feeding to keep an eye on the food intake; as long as your piggy is not losing more than 50g (ca. 2 oz), in a short time there is nothing to worry about.
It is normal for a piggy to become withdrawn for a few days, but you need only worry if they are not eating/drinking at all and kind of give up on life (acute pining). Sometimes, a syringe feeding session (you can use mushed pellets and a needle-free 1 ml syringe from the pharmacy with the tip cut off like shown in the guide) to trigger the eating reflex again. Acute pining is thankfully not all that common.
Looking After A Bereaved Guinea Pig
Complete Syringe Feeding Guide
The good news is that your boy is now over the teenage hormones (4-14 months of age) when testosterone output is at its highest and any bonds are under the highest stress. It also means that re-bonding is that bit easier.
Can you get to one of these recommended rescues in your state? They can help you find a mate that is character compatible; any piggies they put up for adoption are properly sexed and healthy/fully quarantined, so it is worth any extra effort and the adoption fee. You also have the backing of the rescue if the bond fails. Any rescues worth their salt will be closed for adoptions over the holidays, but most bereaved piggies will thankfully keep for as long as it takes, if without their sparkle.
If any of these rescues is too far away, a baby boy from a shop is likely your best alternative. Ideally you look for one that is more submissive, but not ill. Make double sure that he is properly sexed and follow our recommendations for intros. Be prepared to keep your boys in nex door cages in case the bond doesn't work out now or fails during the baby's teenage months.
Guinea Lynx :: US Guinea Pig Rescue and Shelter Organizations
Travelling with guinea pigs
Illustrated Bonding / Dominance Behaviours And Dynamics
Boars: A guide to successful companionship.
Cage Size Guide
