Smudge is depressed because Poppy died

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corbie03

Hi there - I am new to this forum, but wish I knew about it last week during Poppy's last few days :'(
My little Poppy died on Sunday night after a swift illness and old age, which was quite distressing for myself and family as she deteriated quite quickly (within a few days) which I suppose was a blessing really. Anyhow she has left behind Smudge who has become quite withdrawn. She is still eating and drinking well and we have placed a cuddly toy in with her but she still seems sad - any ideas on how we can bring her out of this or is a just a time thing?. She has never been on her own before. Any advice will be much appreciated. Thankx
 
Awwww so sorry for your loss :'( :'(

Are you planning to get any more pigggies to put in with your other one?
 
i think everyone here would suggest getting a little friend for smudge, Is she a girl? a new baby sow would be ideal,it would stop her getting lonely and will help her move on.
 
Awww thats so sad :(

Getting her a little girly friend would be a nice idea! :smitten:

You could take her to a rescue and let her choose her new friend! :smitten:
 
Hi there thanks for replying so soon. I dont really want to get another if I can help it, as my 6 year old daughter is quite distressed about the whole thing - about Poppy dying and now she is really worried about Smudge. This has sparked off a lot of questions about the life and death issue and I dont have all the answers. We had a nice Funeral in the garden and she sang a song and said a prayer - I know I will have to go through this with Smudge at some point (she is 4) and if we get another it will go on and on. We just want to make Smudge happy again! :'(
 
I think that guinea pigs especially girlies like to have a friend/s and get quite 'depressed' buy themselves :(. But for the meantime just giving her lots and lots off kisses and cuddles and attention, she will be okay! Maybe get her some new little toys and treats! :smitten:
 
you could get some new toys for her, set up a playground with things to keep her busy, Toilet rolls stuffed with hay,places to hide like cardboard boxes filled with hay, little balls (cat balls) and hide treats all around it so she can find them herself, you could even hang veg up so she has to work at getting it. Other people could give you some ideas, Though a little friend would enjoy this with her.
Lots of attention is important, lots of lap time
 
:DOrrrrrrrrrrr no look what your doing to me - I'm considering another one now - :smitten:I just cant bear going what I went through over the weekend again :'(
 
Awww so sorry. If another sow is really out of the question, then lots of love and attention is needed for poor Smudge :)

Welcome to the forum :)
 
So sorry to hear of your loss of Poppy, your situation sounds similar to mine - I lost my beloved guinea pig (also called Poppy) a few weeks ago. Her cagemate Bella (who is also 4, like your Smudge) seemed quiet and withdrawn after Poppy left us so we decided to get another guinea pig to keep her company. Since we got our new arrival Holly (from a home that no longer wanted her), Bella seems a lot happier.

I understand you being worried about getting another guinea pig due to what you have gone through, Poppy was the first guinea pig i've lost and i've been devastated. The thought of going through that again is awful - so I can relate! However, I felt the idea of us giving another guinea pig a loving, happy home was worth the sadness that you eventually have to go through. Also, try to think of what would be best for Smudge. Is she kept in the house, is someone at home most of the day? With my situation I thought it essential to get Bella a friend as my boyfriend and I are both at work all through the day - I was concerned the days would be quiet, lonely ones for her. However if you ro someone is about all day and has time to give Smudge more attention then perhaps she will be ok.

Good luck with whatever you decide, and hugs to Smudge.
 
sorry about poppy, can understand how you feel i lost munchkin a couple of months back and it broke my heart she was only 9 months, before xmas i lost snoopy also about 9 months.

none of my pigs get lonely since i have 37 but it still hurts when i lose one. when i lost snoopy i swore no more piggies had about 28 at that time but what i decided was to rescue some piggies and that way the hurt seemed to have a purpose.

i miss snoopy but cause of her i have rescued some lovely piggies and my memories are now happy.

i would say get a rescue piggy for smudge and explain to your daughter this is in memory of poppy and would make poppy very happy ;) especially to see smudge happy again.

as much as it hurts i think children learn to cope and understand animals dying.

atleast she would learn that out of hurt comes love, if that makes sense.
 
we've all gone through what you have recently been through some more then others I think its a perfect time to talk to your kids about life and death all 5 of my kids were brought up to know why they died and have even seen them born, its helped them understand a lot actually seeing for themselves, we lsot one of our dogs last year and he was at a pet crematorium my 2 year old Grandaughter Kassidy went with her dad ( my son Ryan who had picked charlie as a pup ) to say good bye to him she seemed a lot happier knowing he didn't just disapear from her life and next day at nursery she drew a picture for Charlie in heaven her teacher thought it was a family member ( well to us he was ) and was impressed how well she took it all,
as what the others have said if you dont want another one then a lot of cuddles and fuss is needed I have lost run mates before they just pine away so it is quite a serious subject good luck and so sorry to hear about Poppy
 
:smitten: Many many thanks to all of you for your kind words and advice today! I've just put Smudge to bed after giving her hutch a makeover (with new toys extra tit bits etc) she seems a little more with it, although tired I think from all the fuss - I wonder what she is really thinking as my mothering instinct has really kicked in since she has been left on her own?? ? Once again thanks very much and I will keep you posted as to how she is doing and when I sus out the digital camera I will post a picture of her :)
 
That very true actually....I know a lot of people that have said once one dies, if the other is left on their own then they pass away not long after...thats so sad...maybe something to think about :( :-\

I didnt want to comment on the kids thing...as I dont want to tell someone how to bring up their kiddes...but you cant shield them from life....if they have experience of death now, if and when a person they know or a family member dies, they will be able to understand it properly and you can all grieve and then celebrate the persons life together, rather than the child not understanding...they will be a bit more accepting of death if its explained after a pets death rather than a grandparents for example...so maybe its best to 'get it out of the way' so to speak, and to make sure they are not somehow 'emotionally stunted' but like I say, she is your daughter and you do what you think is best :)
 
Hi there and welcome from OZ :)
I'm so very very sorry you lost your dear little Poppy :'( :'( :'(
RIP Poppy, run free at the bridge :'( :'( :'( :'(
We too lost our Sully :'( just over 10 months ago at age 4 1/2 years young, to illness and abscess :tickedoff: problems. His cage mate, who we did have separated as Duke kept on errr humping poor Sully ::) but they loved to play together and have lap time together, and chatted constantly thru the wire divider we had, it was gorgeous to watch :smitten: Duke was devastated so i bought him a cuddly toy, Brownie, who he sleeps with and even goes to the vets with. Ideally i would have loved to have had a friend for Duke but family said no >:(
You will know what's best and what you can cope with, and as far as your daughter, i think it's beautiful that she sand and did a poem that's the best way to handle the death of your little one, well done.
All the best i do hope all goes well, and yes would love to see piccies of your beautiful Smudge and some of Poppy too if you have some :smitten: :smitten:
 
Hi, I know just how you feel. We lost one of our pigs last Friday and she left behind her sister who had never been on her own. I think she just knew that May had gone and she was very quiet that evening. Me and my hubbie said we wouldn't get any more cos it was too painful to lose them (even though I have been keeping them for 11 years, it is still so sad to lose one) but the next day we had to go out and get 2 more to keep her company. She is so much better now with them running around and keeping her occupied. I think you just have to see how she goes, if she stays quiet and withdrawn, it may be better to get another pig to keep her company. The trouble is you will never not have guinea pigs now! And it's the same every time one dies. I just get some comfort from the fact that for the time they were alive they were extremely spoilt! ::)
 
Hi, welcome to the forum, so sorry to hear about little Poppy :'( :'( :'( 0:) RIP Poppy, have fun at the rainbow bridge

I do think a little friend would be a good idea for her. Our rabbit died before Xmas and left our gp Molly on her own and she hid away until we got a little friend then she seemed much more like her old self . . . we have 3 more pigs now as well and Molly is very happy!

My kids were 9 & 7 when Mitzi our rabbit died and it was very traumatic for them, their first experience of death, (apart from my nan when they were baby & toddler of 2 and it didn't sink in then) and Mitzi was their first pet too, I know what you're going through with the death thing, I really do, it's not easy for us to deal with is it. And whatever age they are when they brush with death the same questions come up, they have to go through it at some stage . . . but it doesn't help you cope with it. My heart goes out to you. It seemed to help mine a bit when instead of always thinking of the sad way we lost her (tumour at one and a half), we started to try and think along the lines of "well, her little life was only short but we're so glad that she spent it with us".
We have her photo up and a flowering plant on her grave and talk about her a lot even though it was over 6 months ago.

I'm sure people will have different opinions on this but I wonder if maybe the first loss is the worst simply because it is unlike anything they have ever experienced before? :-\

Thinking of you and wishing you all the best, I know how hard this time can be for you and the little one . . . xx
 
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