Please help as one of our guinea pigs has died

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Helen88

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I have just found this forum and wanted to ask for advise. My daughters have had two guinea pigs for about 2 months and this afternoon we found one dead at the bottom of its run (I’m not sure if it tried to go under the ladder leading from its house to the run but it looked trapped when we found it) the children are obviously absolutely devastated as am I. They lived outside under a shelter with a thermal cover so I have said to bring the remaining boy inside now - is that the right thing to do? When we found them Marley was nudging Milo and making lots of squeaks - he seemed to be all fluffed up and had ‘sad eyes’ but we have brought him in and given him plenty of cuddles and he has been eating etc.
I just don’t know what to do for the best? Do I take Marley to the vet to get him checked over or do we just give him plenty of cuddles and love and keep him as an indoor piggie - do we get another one in time as he is so young? I really don’t know what to do for the best!
Thank you for any help you may be able to offer or any previous experience you may have and any things I should be worried or looking out for.
 
So sorry that you have lost Milo X
I would keep Marley inside now so you can keep an eye on him while he grieve. Make sure he is eating and pooping well and does not go into a decline. When you are all ready as a family then contact a local rescue that does boar dating so he can choose a new companion. x
 
Helen88 said:
I have just found this forum and wanted to ask for advise. My daughters have had two guinea pigs for about 2 months and this afternoon we found one dead at the bottom of its run (I’m not sure if it tried to go under the ladder leading from its house to the run but it looked trapped when we found it) the children are obviously absolutely devastated as am I. They lived outside under a shelter with a thermal cover so I have said to bring the remaining boy inside now - is that the right thing to do? When we found them Marley was nudging Milo and making lots of squeaks - he seemed to be all fluffed up and had ‘sad eyes’ but we have brought him in and given him plenty of cuddles and he has been eating etc.
I just don’t know what to do for the best? Do I take Marley to the vet to get him checked over or do we just give him plenty of cuddles and love and keep him as an indoor piggie - do we get another one in time as he is so young? I really don’t know what to do for the best!
Thank you for any help you may be able to offer or any previous experience you may have and any things I should be worried or looking out for.
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Hi and welcome

I am very sorry for your loss!

Please bring your remaining boy inside so you can monitor him closely and he is not all on his own.

Here is our detailed advice for what you can do for a bereaved companion in the short and the medium term; including acute pining and finding a suitable new companion: Looking After a Bereaved Guinea Pig

Allow him time to grieve; he will be withdrawn for a few days but at as long as he keep eating and drinking, you have time to research for a character compatible friend.
If not, please have him vet checked asap and follow the care tips in this guide here. Step in with feeding support asap. Emergency, Crisis and Bridging Care until a Vet Appointment
A Comprehensive Guide to Guinea Pig Boars
Cold Weather Care For Guinea Pigs

You may also find this guide here very helpful: Human Bereavement: Grieving, Coping and Support Links for Guinea Pig Owners and Their Children
 
Bill & Ted said:
So sorry that you have lost Milo X
I would keep Marley inside now so you can keep an eye on him while he grieve. Make sure he is eating and pooping well and does not go into a decline. When you are all ready as a family then contact a local rescue that does boar dating so he can choose a new companion. x
Click to expand...

thank you so much for your reply.
He is pooping loads and has a few wee’s on us which he normally doesn’t do. But we will give him lots of cuddles and keep him inside with us from now on. Think we are all just in such shock as they were such well looked after guinea pigs and the girls dotted on them and they r still so little. Thank you for your reply.
 
Tigermoth said:
I’m sorry you lost your pig xx

Other more experienced folk will be along shortly, but for now you could look at the bereavement guide.

Looking After A Bereaved Guinea Pig
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Thank you so much for your reply. I will look at this guide and keep a close eye on him - al though we are worried with everything he does and I think we are now analyzing his every move.
 
Wiebke said:
Hi and welcome

I am very sorry for your loss!

Please bring your remaining boy inside so you can monitor him closely and he is not all on his own.

Here is our detailed advice for what you can do for a bereaved companion in the short and the medium term; including acute pining and finding a suitable new companion: Looking After a Bereaved Guinea Pig

Allow him time to grieve; he will be withdrawn for a few days but at as long as he keep eating and drinking, you have time to research for a character compatible friend.
If not, please have him vet checked asap and follow the care tips in this guide here. Step in with feeding support asap. Emergency, Crisis and Bridging Care until a Vet Appointment
A Comprehensive Guide to Guinea Pig Boars
Cold Weather Care For Guinea Pigs

You may also find this guide here very helpful: Human Bereavement: Grieving, Coping and Support Links for Guinea Pig Owners and Their Children
Click to expand...
Thank you for all this information.
He is indoors now and we will get an indoor cage. He is eating plenty at the moment - but just seems a little quiet and subdued - he is just sat curled up on my daughter and has his eyes half shut - is this a worry? She is petrified he will die too if he isn’t moving all the time. All the shops are shut so we will make an emergency house for him tonight and look into this tomorrow.
 
So sorry for your loss. 😢 Its never easy.

Would just like to add most pet shop cages are too small.
Zooplus.co.uk do good cages. The 160cm cage is a good indoor cage for a pair of boys. They usually deliver within a couple of days. Even a bathtub with towels etc on the bottom will do for a few days.
 
Helen88 said:
Thank you for all this information.
He is indoors now and we will get an indoor cage. He is eating plenty at the moment - but just seems a little quiet and subdued - he is just sat curled up on my daughter and has his eyes half shut - is this a worry? She is petrified he will die too if he isn’t moving all the time. All the shops are shut so we will make an emergency house for him tonight and look into this tomorrow.
Click to expand...

Please do not get a new piggy until your boy is ready. If he is still eating and drinking, then he is not pining and you can research rescues for pairing up with a personality compatible piggy that is fully quarantined and healthy.

PLEASE read our guides!
 
I’m so sorry for your loss. You’ve been given great advice about looking after the surviving piggy. Please do read all the guides and don’t rush into anything with regards to getting a companion.
 
So sorry for your loss.
It is devastating to lose a beloved pet.
The bereavement guide has some very good tips for helping children grieve as well as adults.
Be gentle with yourselves as you grieve
 
Thank you all for your wonderful advise and I really do appreciate every one of you for taking the time to help us in this horrible situation. Our boy seems ok today - he is eating and drinking and is wandering out of his make shift home to come and have a look at us so I’m guessing he is not pinning too much. I have read all of the guides and they really have been a great help. We are definitely not going to rush into getting a new companion for him yet as we will just need to adjust to this all before we even think about it - it was just so upsetting to see him so distressed last night and I just wanted to ease a bit of his pain but I want to research everything first and not make any quick decisions. Thanks again here is a little pic of him today and he is in his little enclosure to keep him safe for the next day until I can research an indoor cage.
 

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