How to deal with my grieving Guinea pig

[Ami]

Hi happy thanksgiving to you all. Sadly this morning after 5 years with my guinea pig Rosie she sadly passed away this morning from old age. Her cage mate Simba(hes a boy i keep them separate but under my supervision i let them roam the floor together for floor time. ) has been quiet and just lies down in his little hiding hole. I assume just like me hes grieving the loss of his friend. How can i help him get through it? I would assume more love and food but I'm no expert i dont even know how to cope with the loss of my grumpy potato.. If any of you have any suggestions i would love to hear. We buried her in front yard under her favorite apple tree that grows there. I took simba and we had a funeral for her as well.

 

[Wiebke]

Hi happy thanksgiving to you all. Sadly this morning after 5 years with my guinea pig Rosie she sadly passed away this morning from old age. Her cage mate Simba(hes a boy i keep them separate but under my supervision i let them roam the floor together for floor time. ) has been quiet and just lies down in his little hiding hole. I assume just like me hes grieving the loss of his friend. How can i help him get through it? I would assume more love and food but I'm no expert i dont even know how to cope with the loss of my grumpy potato.. If any of you have any suggestions i would love to hear. We buried her in front yard under her favorite apple tree that grows there. I took simba and we had a funeral for her as well.

Hi and welcome

I am very sorry for your loss. We do have a Rainbow Bridge for those members who feel that it would help them to leave a tangible reminder of their lost ones' lives.

You can find all the necessary detailed practical information about what you can do and what you need to look out for in a bereaved companion in this guide here, which covers both the immediate aftermath and the medium term: Looking After a Bereaved Guinea Pig

Please switch from weighing once weekly to weighing daily at the same in time in order to monitor the food intake (you cannot control the 80% of hay that makes the bulk of what a piggy should eat in a day by eye), so you know whether or not you need to step in with feeding support at any time. Most piggies will come out of deep grieving within about 4 days but a few can give up on life and some with underlying issues can fall ill because of a lowered immune system. More on this in the guide link above.

Here is practical information and resources for yourself as you go through the grieving process: Human Bereavement: Grieving, Coping and Support Links for Guinea Pig Owners and Their Children

Since you are posting Thanksgiving wishes, I assume that you are in the USA? It would help us a lot of you please added your country and/or state to location in your account details (accessed by clicking on your username on the top bar) to make it appear with every post you make. We are UK based but have members and enquiries from literally all over the world with very different background, climate, vet and rescue access, medical brand names/medication access etc. and of course this year also the constantly changing pandemic situation. Adding your location allows us to tailor any advice or recommendations straight away to what is relevant and available where you are and allows us to support you better in your individual circumstances right from the start. Thank you.

 

[Merab]

So sorry for your loss.
Be gentle with yourself as you grieve