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My Guinea died

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Babs30

We went away on a 2 week holiday and after 2 months of checking out minders for our 2 guineas we settled on a lovely couple and sent our 2 boys off on their little holiday. We got back only to be told one died ! seemly one was a girl ? after nearly 3 years the minder who breeds guineas said one was a girl, we had them sexed when we got them first, I posted pictures on different sites to be doubly sure, I checked out what I should be looking for and was 100% they were both boys but that turns out to be not the case. Seemly the 'Female' was pregnant when we gave her over and she died in childbirth. I'm annoyed at myself for allowing this because I know how dangerous it is for females to become pregnant in adult years, we shopped especially for male pigs and did everything we were meant to do with them, I'm annoyed that I let this poor animal suffer, my son can't accept only one is coming home and why one died when all 'he' did was go on holidays. I know deep down the guinea suffered terrible pain because no one was with her and this is upsetting me so much and the fact 'she' won't be coming home. How do I comfort the other pig ? it'll obviously affect him, I want him to be as comfortable and happy as possible so all advice welcomed. thank you
 
Babs30 said:
We went away on a 2 week holiday and after 2 months of checking out minders for our 2 guineas we settled on a lovely couple and sent our 2 boys off on their little holiday. We got back only to be told one died ! seemly one was a girl ? after nearly 3 years the minder who breeds guineas said one was a girl, we had them sexed when we got them first, I posted pictures on different sites to be doubly sure, I checked out what I should be looking for and was 100% they were both boys but that turns out to be not the case. Seemly the 'Female' was pregnant when we gave her over and she died in childbirth. I'm annoyed at myself for allowing this because I know how dangerous it is for females to become pregnant in adult years, we shopped especially for male pigs and did everything we were meant to do with them, I'm annoyed that I let this poor animal suffer, my son can't accept only one is coming home and why one died when all 'he' did was go on holidays. I know deep down the guinea suffered terrible pain because no one was with her and this is upsetting me so much and the fact 'she' won't be coming home. How do I comfort the other pig ? it'll obviously affect him, I want him to be as comfortable and happy as possible so all advice welcomed. thank you
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dont want to upset you but are you sure your piggy died or is this breeder lying and possibly using your piggy for breeding?
i only as because i your piggy was a nice breed or particuarly pretty it could have happened:(
 
My husband said the same thing but she offered the corpse, I said no at first cos I know It would kill me seeing it, but I'm going to be speaking with them before they are brought back to me so I'll ask for it.
 
Did you have this pair of guineas for 3 years? If so, it seems an awfully long time for them not to produce young, only to do so when they are not in your care. Did the guinea seem to show any signs of pregnancy before you went on holiday? Any increase in size or thirst?

I am very sorry to hear about your loss, it must be very upsetting for you

xx
 
I've had them just over 2.5 years, never any suspect pregnancies or even seen them 'at it'. they got on really well, we had the usually few spate of fights but I could count them on one hand, the size of both was one was always bigger than the other even when we bough them at 8 weeks old, I'm not sure which one died, just waiting for the other one to be brought home. There was no difference that I noticed in them, they ate the same, drank the same, I always have a few bottles of water and a couple bowls of food around, I had just bathed them before they were collected for minding and I had cuddles with them and they felt normal, maybe I missed it all ? really flabbergasted at it all, so upset too.
 
It sounds extremely odd.
Guinea pig females come into season every 17 days (I think?) so for have them two and a half years and have no sign of babies is very odd indeed.

I would ask to have the body of the one you lost back. Just to check that it was your guinea pig.
 
All of this does sound suspicious especially with the amount of time you had them, if they were opposite gender and going to mate I would have thought they would have done that quite soon. It is upsetting but I would ask to see the body of the supposed passed on guinea pig to be sure.
 
thanks everyone, I'm not very up on pregnancies and trying to learn more from reading up on different sites and seeing if anything matches but I'm not getting very far. I have no idea of the whole process and how long it all lasts, I do remember when we were researching buying guinea pigs that the males suited us better as we didn't want more guineas and if we were to ever leave them to be minded that they had no chance of getting pregnant, then the 1st time we leave them we find out one is supposedly a girl and pregnant and died giving birth, just can't get my own head around it, they seem so nice the couple minding them, I didn't suspect them of anything suspicious, just don't know what to think.
 
How awful. There is every chance the person minding your pigs was wrong. If 'she' died in childbirth were any babes delievered? I would say almost certainly that this wasn't the case.

Do hope you find the truth and welcome to the forum. :)
 
Definately ask for the body or to at least it, to put your mind at rest that it is actually your piggy.

Part of me feels very suspicious, but on the other hand would they have offered for you to see the body if it wasnt your piggy?
 
oh how awful for you to come back from holiday to this sad situation. As above I think it's very odd that 2 pigs of opposite sex haven't had young in 2.5 years.

If they were 2 boars as you first thought, was the missing/deceased one a particular breed, that the sitters perhaps breed themselves?

As horrible as it might be, I would ask to see the body, at least then you would know and not always be thinking about it. Would your husband be able to identify said piggy if you find it too upsetting?

I hope it all gets sorted for you.
 
I am so sorry that you have came home to this but I am afraid I agree with everyone else as it does sound suspicious. 2.5 years as a long time for a female piggy not to become pregnant when living with a male. I do hope that you get some answers xx
 
yes its funny how suddenly dieds in birth after that long . ? making me worried now got mine book with some one 29th aug going away for week my partner would kill me if any thing happened to ours . i would not live it down because i have organised every thing
 
I agree with all said too..
seems VERY suspect, and i do not believe what they are saying at all.
I would phone asap and ask for the body back (so they cant say it has gone) i understand how devastating this must be, but dont feel you would get any answers otherwise (and even then I'm not sure you would)
Is there anyone close by who could maybe take a look for you or a vet who could?
was the "female" a certain breed?
Sending love x
 
I am so sorry; I just lost one of mine, when she fell ill during a long weekend away last week, and by the time we collected her, her illness was too far developed to save her.

Apart from the feeling of guilt and sheer devastation that, the explanation you've been given is most unexpected, and I would urge you to ask to see the body and have it checked by a vet. My heart goes out to you and your son; I hope that you can get to the bottom of this.

It might be best for your remaining boy to be paired with a young boar; that way you avoid dominance fights. Look for a boy with a complementary nature, i.e. a submissive character to go with a dominant boar or vice versa.

You can post a thread in the "guinea pigs wanted" section on this board or go to this website to find your nearest rescues; it is worth ringing them up first as they may well have more animals than on their website: http://www.guineapigrehome.org.uk

Best pursue both avenues; your poor boy will be pining right now and will be happier with a new friend. You will find that his fur goes shiny again as soon as he's got company! If you can, let him choose his new friend himself.
 
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So sorry for your loss, it does sound odd thought. Big Hugs to you and your family...
 
so sorry this has happened, but i have to say, i also don't believe what they have told you at all. sounds very suspicious to me. hope you find out what has happened. hugs to you x
 
Suspicious would be a bit of an understatement!
 
I am so sorry for your loss - and the horrible horrible circumstances surrounding it.

If your piggie was a girl and was pregnant - and was that close to delivering - i am sure you would have known about it before you went away. She would have been noticable bigger than your 'male' and it would be very difficult to miss ~ especially if you bathed her.

Also - as said - it is very unlikely a male and female would have waited 2.5 years before getting pregnant.

I wonder how the lady knew your piggie died "in childbirth" - i wonder if your piggie just passed away and she is wrong about the reason?

It is all very confusing and i really feel for you. It is HORRIBLE to loose a pet - especially when you are not there - and all this confusion must be making it even more difficult for you.

Please keep us updated with what happens - as i am very curious

Take care x
 
I'm so sorry :( what an awful thing to happen, try not to think it's your fault because you did nothing wrong, you did everything you were supposed to. It's very odd that they would just have babies nearly 3 years later, maybe this minder was to blame for the death of your other pig and so is trying to make up a story to cover it up :( seems odd. Hope you're ok and your son x
 
I'm so sorry that this has happened - as others have said, I think it is very strange. Hop eyou can get some answers xx
 
Thank you everyone for your replies, I have been so upset today, I spoke with the lady again and she said it's no problem to bring the body when she returns my other guinea in the morning, they are a good distance from me and just want them back with me, I have no way to get to them to get them and I just want to cuddle them. I think I'd be the only one able to identify the body, my husband thought they looked the same alive, one was always a bit bigger than the other, I'm still not sure which one is gone. I can't seem to grasp that there was nothing before this, I can't find anything on the Internet about guineas not mating for that long, the longest I can see is 6 months ? the lady told me when she got up one morning she found the guinea dead in the cage and she examined her and found a baby caught in the pelvis, she said she could not have given birth without a section cos of her age (this I knew and reason for wanting males only) what's upsetting me most is the thought of the guinea suffering, I don't know how long 'she' was in pain and struggled ? I am so feeling it for my male guinea, I just want him here with me, he must be so lost. I really did not notice any difference at all, maybe there was obvious signs and I just missed them, I'm kicking myself here. thanks again for all the advice, oh and they are white fur pink eyed, these I don't think are in great demand ?.
 
Babs30 said:
Thank you everyone for your replies, I have been so upset today, I spoke with the lady again and she said it's no problem to bring the body when she returns my other guinea in the morning, they are a good distance from me and just want them back with me, I have no way to get to them to get them and I just want to cuddle them. I think I'd be the only one able to identify the body, my husband thought they looked the same alive, one was always a bit bigger than the other, I'm still not sure which one is gone. I can't seem to grasp that there was nothing before this, I can't find anything on the Internet about guineas not mating for that long, the longest I can see is 6 months ? the lady told me when she got up one morning she found the guinea dead in the cage and she examined her and found a baby caught in the pelvis, she said she could not have given birth without a section cos of her age (this I knew and reason for wanting males only) what's upsetting me most is the thought of the guinea suffering, I don't know how long 'she' was in pain and struggled ? I am so feeling it for my male guinea, I just want him here with me, he must be so lost. I really did not notice any difference at all, maybe there was obvious signs and I just missed them, I'm kicking myself here. thanks again for all the advice, oh and they are white fur pink eyed, these I don't think are in great demand ?.
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I don't think you're in the wrong at all, dear. I have been pondering this all day and apologize for not offering my condolences earlier. I still don't see how it could have been a female because in 2 and a half years you would have noticed a little something different going on in the back area (notice a lack of testicles....).

Something is really fishy about the whole situation, on this lady's end. I hope you figure out what happened.
 
I'm sitting here and just keep trying to remember the guinea in detail, I do remember the testicles because they protruded out, I remember when I bathed them for the last time that I gave their whole area a good wash , then I'm thinking maybe I imagined it, maybe one was a girl, I'm driving myself insane here.
 
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