Baxter passed away this Tuesday, on January 3rd 2023, being only 4 years and 4 months old. Baxter was my first guinea pig ever and I was only in 8th grade when I got her.
At first I thought she was a male, that's why I named her Baxter but I later found out that Baxter is a unisex name. Baxter basically grew up with me, I am now just a few months away from graduating and it just feels so weird that she won't be here with me no more, I wish she'd see me graduate. Baxter started showing symptoms in mid November 2022 and she was under treatment since then. At first she was treated for fungal infection and later on in December she started losing a lot of weight so the vet had her done vitamin injections and I was also syringe feeding her. I really thought she was gonna make it because the vet never said that my time with her is cutting short or anything like that and she seemed to be doing better. She died in my arms after the longest 20 minutes of her twitching and what it seemed to me as fighting for her life. I have called my friend to urgently rush her to a vet but her heart stopped beating at about 2 minutes before they arrived.
Baxter used to run laps in her cage and popcorn everyday. She was just such a mood lifter, every time I had a bad day I'd come home tired, feeling stressed and her silly little face would always make me feel better. In her early days, she used to climb up her wooden hutt and sit there. She was really one of a kind and I wish she lived more. It's hard to think that this summer I won't be sitting with her and feed her watermelon tiny slices, which she really loved. Looking back at videos from 2022 before November I realize that she was in good shape, dashing around and wheeking. I'll just never really understand what happened to my guinea pig, and it will never sit right with me.
She was a big fan of exploring. I remember her little silly face sniffing around every corner when I moved her to a bigger cage (her first couple months were in a pet shop cage unfortunately) She was not into cuddling that much, whenever I was petting her she used to make this purring sound which was always cute for me though. It was a little confusing because when I'd pet her sometimes she would look like she's not into it and make this sound but other times she would yawn and stretch while I was petting her and make the same sound.
Anyways, Baxter was always a vocal pig and not shy to express her wishes. She would wheek whenever she heard certain sounds like the sound of the door and the sound of plastic bags. My dad was once in my room with my guinea pig and he told me that Baxter started wheeking and getting excited before I even entered the room (she probably heard the sound of footsteps on stairs) A couple times when she was about 1 year ago she was chirping at night, which I still don't know if it was a good sign but I do now it's a rare sound.
She loved cucumbers, hay, spinach, lettuce and parsley. Ocasionally she'd eat tiny bits of bananas, apples and watermelons which were like her favorite treat. But on the daily bases, she'd never get tired of cucumbers which was the first veggie I fed her. For some reasons Baxter wasn't the biggest fan of bell peppers, tomatoes, kale and a lot of other popular guinea pig veggies, she was pretty picky with her food. She indulged a lot in pellets and I just miss hearing the sound of her bowl, it was one comforting sound along with the sound of her eating. It will really make me sleep better since I was sleeping in the same room with her.
I am planning to make a little memorial for my guinea pig in my room. I have some bits of her fur that I've collected after she passed away, I'll also include some pictures and wrap it all up nicely for Baxter.
I remember doing my research on owning guinea pigs like it was yesterday.. Time passed so fast I guess. I don't know how I will accommodate without my guinea pig and I'm probably not getting any guinea pigs right now because in October I'll be going to college and as much as I wish to get another guinea pig, I know that this isn't really the time to commit for another guinea pig.
Baxter (2018-2023)
I have no words, rest easy Baxter and I'm so sorry..
At first I thought she was a male, that's why I named her Baxter but I later found out that Baxter is a unisex name. Baxter basically grew up with me, I am now just a few months away from graduating and it just feels so weird that she won't be here with me no more, I wish she'd see me graduate. Baxter started showing symptoms in mid November 2022 and she was under treatment since then. At first she was treated for fungal infection and later on in December she started losing a lot of weight so the vet had her done vitamin injections and I was also syringe feeding her. I really thought she was gonna make it because the vet never said that my time with her is cutting short or anything like that and she seemed to be doing better. She died in my arms after the longest 20 minutes of her twitching and what it seemed to me as fighting for her life. I have called my friend to urgently rush her to a vet but her heart stopped beating at about 2 minutes before they arrived.
Baxter used to run laps in her cage and popcorn everyday. She was just such a mood lifter, every time I had a bad day I'd come home tired, feeling stressed and her silly little face would always make me feel better. In her early days, she used to climb up her wooden hutt and sit there. She was really one of a kind and I wish she lived more. It's hard to think that this summer I won't be sitting with her and feed her watermelon tiny slices, which she really loved. Looking back at videos from 2022 before November I realize that she was in good shape, dashing around and wheeking. I'll just never really understand what happened to my guinea pig, and it will never sit right with me.
She was a big fan of exploring. I remember her little silly face sniffing around every corner when I moved her to a bigger cage (her first couple months were in a pet shop cage unfortunately) She was not into cuddling that much, whenever I was petting her she used to make this purring sound which was always cute for me though. It was a little confusing because when I'd pet her sometimes she would look like she's not into it and make this sound but other times she would yawn and stretch while I was petting her and make the same sound.
Anyways, Baxter was always a vocal pig and not shy to express her wishes. She would wheek whenever she heard certain sounds like the sound of the door and the sound of plastic bags. My dad was once in my room with my guinea pig and he told me that Baxter started wheeking and getting excited before I even entered the room (she probably heard the sound of footsteps on stairs) A couple times when she was about 1 year ago she was chirping at night, which I still don't know if it was a good sign but I do now it's a rare sound.
She loved cucumbers, hay, spinach, lettuce and parsley. Ocasionally she'd eat tiny bits of bananas, apples and watermelons which were like her favorite treat. But on the daily bases, she'd never get tired of cucumbers which was the first veggie I fed her. For some reasons Baxter wasn't the biggest fan of bell peppers, tomatoes, kale and a lot of other popular guinea pig veggies, she was pretty picky with her food. She indulged a lot in pellets and I just miss hearing the sound of her bowl, it was one comforting sound along with the sound of her eating. It will really make me sleep better since I was sleeping in the same room with her.
I am planning to make a little memorial for my guinea pig in my room. I have some bits of her fur that I've collected after she passed away, I'll also include some pictures and wrap it all up nicely for Baxter.
I remember doing my research on owning guinea pigs like it was yesterday.. Time passed so fast I guess. I don't know how I will accommodate without my guinea pig and I'm probably not getting any guinea pigs right now because in October I'll be going to college and as much as I wish to get another guinea pig, I know that this isn't really the time to commit for another guinea pig.
Baxter (2018-2023)
I have no words, rest easy Baxter and I'm so sorry..
It’s clear that you loved her very much. Sleep tight Baxter x
