LilyandGeorge
Junior Guinea Pig
Sorry for long post, hope someone has patience to read!
Lily is now alone after George passed yesterday. She is coping well so far. Although she is hiding more and not wheeking when I come with the veg, she does come out and eat it. She is also eating grass and hay and drinking water. She has never been into cuddling much. I made her a small cushion using the fleece George slept on before he died and put it in the bedroom area. I cleaned the cage and washed one of the beds today, leaving the other one smelly. So she doesn't feel so alone in the evenings I have set up a small cage with an open door in the living room so we can hang out together (the main cage is upstairs). Not sure what she thinks of this yet. She is clearly not quite the same. She showed her personality when she was interacting with George.
My big worry is what to do long term. Over the time we have had the guinea pigs, my kids have both developed an allergy to them, confirmed by a test. My daughter's is severe and she is now having to use a range of daily corticosteroids and antihistamine. I love guinea pigs, but we cannot continue to keep them as pets into the future because of this.
I don't know what to do for Lily. I don't want her to be lonely, but if I find her a cagemate, we are furthering our commitment to keeping pets which are causing health problems. I thought of rescuing an elderly pig, but cannot find a rescue locally. Lily is about 4, George was a year older. I would be afraid to rehome her. There is very little knowledge of guinea pigs here. I see dozens of them on free ad sites in sad little cages. I can't imagine finding a good home for her. Is it possible for her to continue alone? I just don't know what to do for the best.
Lily is now alone after George passed yesterday. She is coping well so far. Although she is hiding more and not wheeking when I come with the veg, she does come out and eat it. She is also eating grass and hay and drinking water. She has never been into cuddling much. I made her a small cushion using the fleece George slept on before he died and put it in the bedroom area. I cleaned the cage and washed one of the beds today, leaving the other one smelly. So she doesn't feel so alone in the evenings I have set up a small cage with an open door in the living room so we can hang out together (the main cage is upstairs). Not sure what she thinks of this yet. She is clearly not quite the same. She showed her personality when she was interacting with George.
My big worry is what to do long term. Over the time we have had the guinea pigs, my kids have both developed an allergy to them, confirmed by a test. My daughter's is severe and she is now having to use a range of daily corticosteroids and antihistamine. I love guinea pigs, but we cannot continue to keep them as pets into the future because of this.
I don't know what to do for Lily. I don't want her to be lonely, but if I find her a cagemate, we are furthering our commitment to keeping pets which are causing health problems. I thought of rescuing an elderly pig, but cannot find a rescue locally. Lily is about 4, George was a year older. I would be afraid to rehome her. There is very little knowledge of guinea pigs here. I see dozens of them on free ad sites in sad little cages. I can't imagine finding a good home for her. Is it possible for her to continue alone? I just don't know what to do for the best.
