Is He Grieving?!

[LB14]

Evening all,

wanted to pick your brains!

Yesterday we had to have the lovely Hope put to sleep. Long story, over in pregnancy section if anyone is curious.
Anyway, we had just introduced her to our Gus for company so she wasn't lonely. Gus is the best option as he is happy as long as he has food!
The cute thing was though, it was as though he could sense she was very poorly and curled up beside her and kept her warm and comfortable. This piggy doesn't DO snuggling up to other pigs. So it was lovely to see him being so nice to her and looking after her.

Point now is, today he has stayed in an igloo all on his own, he's back in the C&C pen with all his cage mates, but hasn't ventured out at all. Anytime I lift the igloo to check he just looks at me as if to say "What?!"
So I take him out for our evening cuddles, and he just sits silently on my lap. This little guy normally chats the worlds stories to me and licks my chin but tonight he just looks sad and wasn't making a sound the whole time - like he'd lost his squeaker!

question is - do they grieve for other piggies? he only had her as company for a couple of days, but his behaviour is so out of character I don't know how to help him

 

[Wiebke]

Gus is very much grieving; he has obviously fallen hard for Hope! Piggies feel much better than us humans when something is not right. Gus has been very supportive of Hope and shown the typical behaviour of a caring companion.

Hopefully, he will come out of deep mourning in a few days. Please weigh him daily to make sure that he is not losing weight and also that he is not coming down with anything due to a lowered immune system, considering that he is not the youngest.
http://www.theguineapigforum.co.uk/threads/looking-after-a-bereaved-piggy.109674/

 

[LB14]

Thanks @Wiebke he's a wee soul. Has always been the one piggy that gets on great with every other, and sits with me every day chatting away and cleaning my chin for me! So to see him so quiet and fed up is sad Makes me feel sad all over again, and he really could tell she was ill i believe as he doesn't generally cuddle up to the other piggies but guarded her so carefully. poor guy x

 

[Julesie]

Aww thats so sad, bought tears to my eyes.

Poor Gus.
Ryou was the same with looking after Gilbert despite being a new cage friend to him. They were only 5 months together when Gilbert went down hill. Ryou would guard the door to the pigloo Gilbert sat in and often helped him despite only being a baby and before Gil got too ill he enjoyed jumping all over and around Gilbert like an annoying baby would.

Ryou didn't grieve because he seemed to know Gilbert was ill but it sounds like Gus fell hard for poor Hope, how bittersweet.

I'm sure he will perk up eventually. x

 

[Wiebke]

Thanks @Wiebke he's a wee soul. Has always been the one piggy that gets on great with every other, and sits with me every day chatting away and cleaning my chin for me! So to see him so quiet and fed up is sad Makes me feel sad all over again, and he really could tell she was ill i believe as he doesn't generally cuddle up to the other piggies but guarded her so carefully. poor guy x

It is sad and upsetting to see Gus grieving so badly, but at the same time, he and you have given poor Hope a very, very precious gift - that of unconditional love and moral support during her last days. It has made her passing so much easier on her.

 

[LB14]

And i'm off again ! It's been an absolutely emotional rollercoaster..i'm a hard faced cow at the best of times, but the last few weeks have broken my shell! who'd have thought such little creatures could bring so many emotions with them x

 

[Wiebke]

HUGS!

You've had a rough few weeks; even going into it with your eyes open doesn't mean that you won't feel the pain and despair. You have in fact experienced very much the downside of anyone who goes into rescuing. Sadly, there are always those lives you can't save and it can be very dispiriting indeed! Knowing that you have made a difference doesn't mean that you can't feel anguish about not having been able to make enough of a difference.

Just be there for Gus... Guinea pigs are much more emotionally aware and differentiated in their behaviour than most people are aware of. It's hwy we are so hooked on them!