RIP Twinkie

Autonerd

Autonerd

Junior Guinea Pig
Joined
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Location
Los Angeles
Hi all -- Wanted to share some sad news, since this site has been so helpful in getting us going with our piggies...

We have (well, had) two boars, Oreo and Twinkie, bought by a friend's friend during the pandemic for the kids, who got bored of them almost instantly. We pig-sat and loved them, so we adopted them. I got lots of advice here, and all has been going well (hence my lack of activity on the site).

All well until last night -- Twinkie seemed a bit lethargic, and didn't want to eat his romaine heart (a favorite treat). This morning he was lying there, not moving a whole lot, and not eating. He let me pet him (which he normally doesn't do) and picking him up wasn't a problem (which it usually is). My wife took him to the vet, and they said he had a mass in his abdomen. There was nothing we could do. Did we miss the signs? No, said the vet -- they don't show discomfort until very late.

I'm way more sad than I thought I would be, but glad at least that it wasn't anything we did wrong, and glad we got him to the vet quickly.

So, now I have a single, healthy, two-year-old male. We have a great guinea pig rescue here in Los Angeles, and I have an appointment with them on Friday. One of their specialties, apparently, is finding mates for single pigs. I feel a little sad about this -- you can't just replace a pet -- but I think that Oreo really needs a companion. So far he seems to be doing okay, but it's only been a few hours and I don't know what the signs of a lonely guinea pig are...

Anyway, thanks all for your advice here -- Twinkie had a good life, I think, albeit one that was way too short.

Aaron
 
I’m so sorry for your loss.

You are doing the right thing in finding him a new friend but provided he is eating and otherwise seems happy there is not an immediate rush (if he stops eating, and seems to lose interest in life then it does become much more urgent to find a new friend). He will also be grieving himself. Generally they are ok on their own for a couple of weeks while you both grieve and make arrangements for finding a new friend.

Dating is the best way to find him a new friend. He will be able to choose his own new companion which will make for a more secure bond.

The guide below will help you in helping Oreo (plus detailing the signs of acute pining), there is also a human bereavement guide below.

Good luck for the dating on Friday. Do keep us posted on how things go

Looking After A Bereaved Guinea Pig
Human Bereavement: Grieving, Processing and Support Links for Guinea Pig Owners and Their Children
 
I’m so sorry for your loss. You did everything right. They hide any illnesses so well. Good luck finding a new friend for Oreo. You’re not replacing Twinkle. You won’t ever forget him. Take care ❤️
 
So sorry to hear about the loss of your beloved Twinkie. I hope you can find a companion for Oreo who will bring you as much love and joy. Twinkie will always be special in your heart. Sleep tight little one 🌈❤️
 
Oh I’m so sorry that you have lost Twinkle. Guinea pigs hide their issues until they are no longer able to cope. Many of us have also had similar experiences of suddenly finding there is a major issue that our pigs have hidden so please don’t be hard on yourselves. It’s part of the grieving process - questioning what we did or didn’t do, so please be gentle with yourselves as you grieve his passing.
Good luck to Oreo going on a date at the LAGPR. Hopefully he will choose himself a new cage mate. You are doing the kindest thing for him by taking him dating. Please do let us know how he gets on.
 
I am so sorry you lost Twinkle. I think everyone has felt like you that “what did I miss” or could I have done more” but the reality is you did everything you could have done. Take heart that Twinkle was very loved :hug:

Sleep tight little one 🌈
 
Thanks all for your kind words of support. I'm not gonna lie -- I was concerned about getting scolded for something I did wrong, but I do want to learn so I can avoid putting Oreo (or his future cage-mate) though unnecessary pain. My wife was a large animal vet tech for many years and saw many people who allowed their horses to suffer because they couldn't bear to let go. In our opinion, it's the absolute worst thing one can do to any living creature. So, yes, everything you are saying above is a great relief.

Piggues&buns, thanks for that advice -- he hasn't done much with his pellets (which is typical for the AM) so I did an early veggie feeding just now, and he did "sing for his supper" when he heard the fridge open and is happily munching away on some cilantro and parsley as I type this. He was the dominant pig and I don't know if that makes a difference.

It's good to know we have time. I am away on a business trip all next week, and our dog will be recovering from surgery (she tore her ACL -- what a week! My wife actually took the dog and the pig to the vet at the same time). We do have my aunt here to monitor the cage, but if new pig has to go back, that could be tricky. I'll discuss the timing with the folks at the Rescue, and will happily take any advice you all have to offer.

Off to read about grieving piggies (and grieving people, though I think I'll be okay).

Thanks, again, for your continued support -- you are all so generous with your knowledge, and Oreo and Twinkie's lives are/were better for it. Had I not found this place, they'd still be in that stupid little cage their original owners had.

Aaron
 
Sorry for your loss. You sound like a really caring owner and Twinkie was lucky to have you. I hope you find Oreo a friend soon. Sleep tight Twinkie x
 
I am so sorry to hear you had to say goodbye to Twinkle Aaron. I'm sure you didn't miss anything, piggies are so good at hiding their illnesses. Oreo will be in excellent hands at LAGPR and will hopefully find a friend. You aren't replacing Twinkle you are finding a friend for Oreo and before you know it the new boy will burrow into your heart without you even noticing he's done it! There will always be a place in your heart for Twinkle too.
 
So sorry for your loss.
Abdominal masses don’t seem to show themselves until it’s too late to do anything.
You gave Twinkle a lovely life and he will always have a special place in your heart.
I hope that you find a lovely new companion for Oreo, a worthy successor to Twinkle.
Be gentle with yourself as you grieve
 
Continued kind words very much appreciated!

Spoke to the LA Rescue and they agreed with you here that given all the signs, Oreo will likely be OK for a week on his own. He seems OK, not quite as noisy, but eating and drinking regularly. I cleaned the cage today and even got a little popcorning (though he might just have been leaping over one of his toys).

They LAGPR said the process includes picking my top three pig choices, whichever I thought cutest -- I told them I don't care what the new pig looks like, I just want someone close in age and compatible with Oreo, no matter how ugly. She opined that there are no ugly guinea pigs! I said, "If it's got two mismatched eyes and a few missing teeth, that's fine." She said that as a matter of fact, they do have a pig with mismatched eyes...

She also thanked me for calling a rescue and not a pet store. I thought that was very nice though truth be told I never considered anything else!

Off on a biz trip, but if all goes well, I'll be posting soon to introduce you to Oreo's new cage-mate.

Aaron
 
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