Goodbye and Hello

[FrostyFlakesNz]

Unfortunately a few days ago we had to make the really tough decision to euthanize our wee blind and deaf guinea Gemima. Due to an internal bleeding problem in her uterus we were going to have her spade in an attempt to stop it but after an MRI our exotics vet revealed she had a very large tumor in her bladder which was making the bleeding worse.

We were told she had about a day left so we made the decision there to euthanize her while she lay on my lap and peacefully passed away.

Due to us having a second 16 week old guinea called Momo at home (who had been weeping for the last few days sleeping by herself and missing Gemima) we obviously had to find her another younger female to have in her cage. We managed to find a young 12 week old called Jackie, who is slightly smaller then and at the moment we have them seperated, having introduced them a few times in neutral environments and Momo getting a bit aggressive (not fighting but more trying to show dominance as Gemima was the dominant one before)

We have put Jackie in our main cage alone after we fully cleaned it out and letting her settle in while Momo is in a spare cage we have until Jackie gets her bearings and feels a bit more comfortable. Shes barely moving or eating at the moment but i'm well aware that a new guinea will appear not to be moving or eating while your looking at it.

Was wondering if theres anything more I can do to help them get to know each other better? Would hate for Momo to become a solo sleeper for when we got her a month ago she was trying hard to snuggle with Gemima and now being the other way round with Jackie trying to snuggle and Momo giving her a few shoves and then moving away.


Few pics of Gemima below. She pretty much slept the entire time but cant seem to load the others onto my computer of her running around.

 

[FrostyFlakesNz]

Couple more photos

 

[Siikibam]

I think with bonding you have to put them together for a few hours and just watch them. Every time you separate and re introduce they have to sort out the hierarchy. If she’s showing dominance that’s fine, I think it’s part of the bonding thing. As long as no blood is drawn you have to leave them and just watch them...I think.

Here is a link on introducing and re-introducing. The first link within that would also make a good read.

Sorry about the passing of Gemima and welcome.

 

[sport_billy]

First off I am so sorry for the loss of Gemima

PTS is always an agonising decision to have to make, you really did the right thing for her. And the decision we make to help them accross the brdige is one we make with the love for them at the forefront of our minds

With bonding it is not advisable to keep taking the pigs in and out. Also bond in a neutral area, once they are bonded make sure they go into a cleaned out cage with no scent

Please take a read a read of this thread on bonding Bonding: Illustrated Dominance Behaviours And Dynamics

 

[YvonneBlue]

So sorry to hear of the loss of your little one. RIP little piggy.

Good luck with the bonding, i'm sure that they will be the best of friends in no time.

 

[Wiebke]

Unfortunately a few days ago we had to make the really tough decision to euthanize our wee blind and deaf guinea Gemima. Due to an internal bleeding problem in her uterus we were going to have her spade in an attempt to stop it but after an MRI our exotics vet revealed she had a very large tumor in her bladder which was making the bleeding worse.

We were told she had about a day left so we made the decision there to euthanize her while she lay on my lap and peacefully passed away.

Due to us having a second 16 week old guinea called Momo at home (who had been weeping for the last few days sleeping by herself and missing Gemima) we obviously had to find her another younger female to have in her cage. We managed to find a young 12 week old called Jackie, who is slightly smaller then and at the moment we have them seperated, having introduced them a few times in neutral environments and Momo getting a bit aggressive (not fighting but more trying to show dominance as Gemima was the dominant one before)

We have put Jackie in our main cage alone after we fully cleaned it out and letting her settle in while Momo is in a spare cage we have until Jackie gets her bearings and feels a bit more comfortable. Shes barely moving or eating at the moment but i'm well aware that a new guinea will appear not to be moving or eating while your looking at it.

Was wondering if theres anything more I can do to help them get to know each other better? Would hate for Momo to become a solo sleeper for when we got her a month ago she was trying hard to snuggle with Gemima and now being the other way round with Jackie trying to snuggle and Momo giving her a few shoves and then moving away.


Few pics of Gemima below. She pretty much slept the entire time but cant seem to load the others onto my computer of her running around.

Hi and welcome!

I am very sorry for your loss. You are welcome to post a tribute to Gemima in our Rainbow Bridge section if you would like to!

You may find these guides here helpful. Take the time to read them; you will find them very interesting and helpful.

Please be aware that most piggies are not actually snuggle-uppers. They do this most as babies needing the support and safety from an older guinea pig or giving support to an ill piggy. Some piggies enjoy spending at least part of their sleeping time sharing a hidey, but that is not the rule.
If the top piggy prefers to sleep alone, the underpiggy has to sleep elsewhere. Please always make sure that you have got one hidey per piggy, as well as one bowl, water bottle and unblockable access to hay each. Hogging the goodies is part of dominance establishment; the dominance phase can last for several weeks after an introduction.
Give your piggies time to getting used to each other. They have not been able to choose each other, so they will not necessarily be best of friends and certainly not straight away; it is the same if you stick to humans into a small office and expect them to be great mates - it won't necessarily work out that way!

Please also be aware that piggies with a shop/breeder background have generally not had anything in the way of human interaction. How they react to a new situation is also determined by how stressed out their mothers at the supply breeders were and what kind of diet they had before they have been sold. Guinea pigs learn from their elders what is safe to eat and how to drink from a bottle.

You may find the section on settling new guinea pigs (which includes information on prey animal instincts and piggy whispering tips), bonding and social interactive behaviours as well as diet and how to minimise food hogging helpful.
Please weigh your guinea pigs weekly in order to monitor their health; over 80% of the daily food intake should be unlimited hay which you cannot check simply by eye! The guide collection also contains guides on spotting illness early and when/how soon you need to see a vet. You can access our extensive guide collection on a very wide range of subjects via the shortcut on the top bar.
Getting Started - New Owners' Most Helpful Guides

 

[Flutterby]

I'm so sorry for your loss xx

 

[FrostyFlakesNz]

Thank you all for your support and advice.

If i was to swap the water bowl for a water bottle (now that both guineas have their eyesight would they take to it fast or would i have to have both bowl and bottle in there and sort of ween them off the bowl once they get to understand the bottle?... bit of a pain in the ass to keep cleaning the waterbowl of poo and pellets

 

[Wiebke]

Thank you all for your support and advice.

If i was to swap the water bowl for a water bottle (now that both guineas have their eyesight would they take to it fast or would i have to have both bowl and bottle in there and sort of ween them off the bowl once they get to understand the bottle?... bit of a pain in the ass to keep cleaning the waterbowl of poo and pellets

Try the bottle and see how it goes. It is learned and not an instinctive behaviour. Get their smell on the nozzle.
Guinea pigs will go where other guinea pigs have gone before.

 

[Merab]

So sorry for your loss.
Your Gemima was so cute and she had a lovely life with you despite her health issues.
Hope the bonding goes well

 

[Tim]

Oh Gemima, such a cutie! So sorry for your loss x

 

[FrostyFlakesNz]

Have tried your suggestion @Wiebke and they have taken to it almost instantly, thank you very much.

Momo (the oldest) seems to be quite a lot more vicious towards the new guinea pig (which is just territorial behavior (not fighting) and also towards me and my girlfriend which she has never been, was just wondering if she'll grow out of this behavior with more handling (handling both at the same time together) or whether it might be a continuous trait because of her mates recent death + a new guinea pig (even thought we left a few days for her to grieve in which we handled and pet her multiple times a day (where she never used to bite) and introduced the new guinea pig very slowly keeping them separate for a few days apart from neutral introductions once or twice a day depending on our work schedule)

Just wondering whether she'll grow out of it considering she's still only 16-17 weeks old

Thank you <3 <3 <3

 

[Wiebke]

Have tried your suggestion @Wiebke and they have taken to it almost instantly, thank you very much.

Momo (the oldest) seems to be quite a lot more vicious towards the new guinea pig (which is just territorial behavior (not fighting) and also towards me and my girlfriend which she has never been, was just wondering if she'll grow out of this behavior with more handling (handling both at the same time together) or whether it might be a continuous trait because of her mates recent death + a new guinea pig (even thought we left a few days for her to grieve in which we handled and pet her multiple times a day (where she never used to bite) and introduced the new guinea pig very slowly keeping them separate for a few days apart from neutral introductions once or twice a day depending on our work schedule)

Just wondering whether she'll grow out of it considering she's still only 16-17 weeks old

Thank you <3 <3 <3

Hi! She will hopefully settle down again as she is becoming more comfortable and secure with her new leading role, which has for her obviously meant a real change in status. She is only a youngster herself that is just about starting to hit the teenage months when boundary pushing is par for the course.

The positive side about the tweaking is that she is no longer afraid of telling you what she things about what you are doing to her. Use our pick up and transport tips - that is when tweaking happens most commonly.
How To Pick Up And Weigh Your Guinea Pig

Keep on asserting your authority while also assuring her of your love.

It is an ongoing process.