Hi all,
Some sad news. My little Roo died today in the vets at only 6 months old. I bought 2 from a pet store 6 months ago and Roo was the runt of the litter and was always sick despite doing everything for her. The vets said today it was congenital and unfortunately was terminal so there was nothing we could do.
But now I am stuck as what to do with my remaining piggy. My remaining piggy is in perfect health and a big girl.
I don’t want to get another guinea pig because firstly it’s too upsetting having them die (I’ve had 2 die now), and secondly then it’s a never ending chain of replacing one when the die.
I’m just hoping my piglet will be okay on her own. She was a bit of a bully to my other piggy.
Any tips on how to keep her happy please?
Hi!
I am very sorry for your loss of Roo!
Having to put a young ill guinea pig with genetically caused problems to sleep is very gutting and upsetting experience, and your first instinct is often to not wanting to go through that experience again. But please don't get stuck on a knee jerk reaction. Is denying her her most important species need really what you want to live with?
The normal life span for healthy and well cared for guinea pigs is 5-7 years; your girl is currently just a teenager at the most hormonal stage. Guinea pigs are group animals that really depend on companionship of their own kind.
With having a sickly piggy and a healthy teenager, the dominance would be naturally more pronounced. Guinea pigs are usually very tolerant with disabled companions that can keep up with the group but not necessarily so much with ill ones that would normally remove themselves to die away from the group in order to not spread any illness. It is not cruelty but rather a survival instinct.
Are you really ready to fill her social needs with several hours attention and interaction to the best of your limited human ability every single day of your life until her death, whatever else is going on? Keep in mind that her need won't go away just because you are busy or have another interest, and that you will never replace the stimulation and comfort that she gets from a round the clock same species companion. Single guinea pigs can become very clingy, demanding and very often develop unpleasant attention seeking behaviours - anything that gives them more time with you because of their overwhelming species need. Or they become gradually withdrawn and depressed.
If you really do not want to continue with the see-saw, then please rather consider contacting a rescue to adopt an adult neutered boar or sow as a companion; so your remaining girl has got company but you won't be left with another single young piggy. You will also have the rescue to fall back on when you come to the sharp end hopefully quite a few years down the line! Any good rescue will take back an adoptee if you do not want to continue with guinea pigs.
Grieving is the other side of the same coin that gives us all the love and enrichment that pets bring into our lives; it is the shade that brings the light of the unconditional love we can give to and receive from our pets to full shine.
But loss and grieving are actually not just all negative - learning to cope with loss, how to grieve and going through this experience is also pretty much the only preparation our society will give you for dealing with the death of family or friends later on in life. We sadly don't have much space for it in our society and our daily lives, and that often makes a difficult experience even worse. You mature a lot and become more sensitive to other people going through loss and hard times over the course of their lives; empathy from the background of your own experiences makes you a better human, a better friend, partner and parent in the long term.
Our grieving guide below will hopefully help you through this process.
Single Guinea Pigs - Challenges and Responsibilities
(Looks at the issues of single guinea pigs in various situations, companionship challenges and species needs and social expectations of single cavies that are transferred onto you. The guide also contains links to recommended good standard guinea pig rescues in several countries where we can guarantee that you and your girl are in competent and safe hands.)
Looking After a Bereaved Guinea Pig
Companionship
Human Bereavement: Grieving, Coping and Support Links for Guinea Pig Owners and Their Children
