nlkiser198343
Junior Guinea Pig
Chat gpt recommended putting a mirror or a stuffed animal in the cage with my guinea pig since his friend just died? Could a mirror by his hay help him feel less lonely and maybe promote eating?
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Mirrors
- Thread starter nlkiser198343
- Start date
Mrs Tiggy Winkle
Adult Guinea Pig
Do guineas recognise themselves in mirrors? I don't think mine ever did. A mirror doesn't smell like guinea and doesn't feel like one either, and it doesn't make guinea noises.
If the death of his friend was very recent, your current guinea may not be eating due to grieving. Maybe you could tide him over with syringe-feeding. But really, guineas need a companion guinea, so when you can manage you need to start looking for a companion for him.
I think some people on the forum do put in stuffies with their recently bereaved guineas, but it's not a permanent solution.
If the death of his friend was very recent, your current guinea may not be eating due to grieving. Maybe you could tide him over with syringe-feeding. But really, guineas need a companion guinea, so when you can manage you need to start looking for a companion for him.
I think some people on the forum do put in stuffies with their recently bereaved guineas, but it's not a permanent solution.
nlkiser198343
Junior Guinea Pig
He is eating I just wanted to do everything I possibly can now to make sure he keeps at it though and doesn't get depressed. After looking more online though it sounds like mirrors might stress them out more than anything. Ai is dumb sometimes.
Mrs Tiggy Winkle
Adult Guinea Pig
I'm glad he's eating!
This link probably contains better info than Ai: Looking After a Bereaved Guinea Pig
Even if you're at work all day, I'm sure that one of the best comforts you can give your bereaved piggie is to pay attention to him when you're home and have time - be there in the room, talk to him, feed him e.g. strand by strand of hay (I had ones who liked that kind of attention, despite the huge hay pile in their cage).
This link probably contains better info than Ai: Looking After a Bereaved Guinea Pig
Even if you're at work all day, I'm sure that one of the best comforts you can give your bereaved piggie is to pay attention to him when you're home and have time - be there in the room, talk to him, feed him e.g. strand by strand of hay (I had ones who liked that kind of attention, despite the huge hay pile in their cage).
I’m sorry for the loss of your piggy.
Mirrors and stuffed toys don’t serve any purpose in comforting a bereaved piggy. They don’t offer any communication or interaction.
All you can do is be with him when you can and then look to get him a new friend.
If your piggy isn’t eating following the bereavement then that is an emergency situation requiring you go step in with syringe feeding and it then also makes getting a new friend urgent.
Mirrors and stuffed toys don’t serve any purpose in comforting a bereaved piggy. They don’t offer any communication or interaction.
All you can do is be with him when you can and then look to get him a new friend.
If your piggy isn’t eating following the bereavement then that is an emergency situation requiring you go step in with syringe feeding and it then also makes getting a new friend urgent.