Sudden Death

[Gemforsh]

hello,
I purchased 2 piggies around 6 weeks ago, buzz and woody, done everything we were told too, buzz has alright been a bit different to woody, wouldn't let you pick him up, would always hide from you, and sadly today I came home from work to find he had passed away, I'm totally clueless as to why as there was no change in his behaviour any ideas what could of happened to him?

 

[AuntyC]

I am so very sorry that you lost your piggy, Buzz. It is heartbreaking when things happen out if the blue like that. Guinea pigs are very good at disguising illness, and if he was eating, drinking and producing poops and wee then you might not have suspected anything was wrong. I hope one of our Health a experts comes along soon to help you. I would recommend getting Woody checked out by a good guinea pig vet, and then going to your nearest rescue centre to find him a new companion. I hope all is well with Woody.

 

[Wiebke]

Hi and welcome!

It is very sorry that it is under such sad circumstances. What a horrible shock for you!

Heart attacks and strokes can happen at any age out of the blue in apparently healthy piggies. Guinea pigs - as all prey animals - are also very good at hiding the signs of illness, so it can easily deceive a new and inexeperienced owner. They can also go downhill very quickly.

You are most welcome to post a tribute to Buzz if and whenever it feels right for you.

Here are tips on what you can do for Woody right now: https://www.theguineapigforum.co.uk/threads/looking-after-a-bereaved-piggy.110463/

As we have got members from all over the world, we find it very helpful if you please added your country, state or (for the UK) your county, so we can adapt any advice or recommendations to what is possible or available where you are.

 

[Gemforsh]

I am so very sorry that you lost your piggy, Buzz. It is heartbreaking when things happen out if the blue like that. Guinea pigs are very good at disguising illness, and if he was eating, drinking and producing poops and wee then you might not have suspected anything was wrong. I hope one of our Health a experts comes along soon to help you. I would recommend getting Woody checked out by a good guinea pig vet, and then going to your nearest rescue centre to find him a new companion. I hope all is well with Woody.

We phoned back where we got the piggies from as only had them 6 weeks and they were really sorry but the best option was to take woody back and he will now be checked over then put in the adoption center and they gave us 2 new piggies free of charge as if we kept woody and got a new piggies they would be different ages so would take a lot of interaction ect, so we now have 2 new girlies elsa and Anna

 

[Wiebke]

Is there a chance to bring Woody back and have him neutered so he can live with your new two girls when he is old and safe to do so? If I understand you correctly, you just popped him back to the pet shop you got him from where he will be most likely going to be sold as a single pig to an unchecked home.

 

[Gemforsh]

Is there a chance to bring Woody back and have him neutered so he can live with your new two girls when he is old and safe to do so? If I understand you correctly, you just popped him back to the pet shop you got him from where he will be most likely going to be sold as a single pig to an unchecked home.

no they wanted him back to do a proper health check and advised us to take new piggies home, woody had only been with us 6 weeks so was only just settling in properly, they reassured us he will go into adoption center with in the store and whoever adopts him will be briefed on why we had to take him back ect, they were worried about us having him and the new girls because there's quite a large age gap and we would of had to do an interaction programme and keep him separate for a while and we don't really have the time or space, so was either have woody on his own or 2 new ones, at least by giving him up we know he will get rehomed with either the piggies who grew up with or ones of a similar age ect it was hard but seemed like the best thing we could do

 

[Wiebke]

I understand the need for a quarantine, but it is a real shame that you haven't been here long enough for us to point you towards a good standard rescue with a mandatory quarantine that would have taken care to bond Woody with a character compatible boar at the rescue (age is not the issue with boars and an age gap often helps to stablise a bond; the key is whether mix of dominance/submission balances out) and that would have rehomed him only to a home checked good home with a companion he got on with. We have got a recommended rescues locator on the top bar.

 

[biscandmatt]

sorry for your loss.

such a shame this place has given you the wrong info regarding bonding aswell and you've now been parted with your remaining boy - was it the dreaded pets at home or a local petshop or breeder?

i hope your girls settle well

 

[Freela]

I'm sorry you lost one of your pair, and am sorry that the pet store (I assume?) suggested you give back your other pig. Age really isn't a barrier to bonding... I bought two same-age pigs together, but then lost half of my initial pair to illness at 18 months. I then bonded two girls together when one was 18 months and the other a baby, and just recently after my oldest pig passed, I bonded my almost-5-year-old girl with another girl about 3 months of age at the time. I'll be looking at doing the same again in the future, as there is such an obvious age gap between 5-year-old Sundae and six-month-old Hadley. Obviously what's done is done, but just in case a similar issue ever comes up in the future, there are good resources on bonding pigs of both sexes and various ages here.

Unfortunately, you likely won't know for sure what happened to the poor little guy. Heart attacks and strokes can strike at any age and kill suddenly. Pigs often hide signs of illness and he may have had a respiratory illness or other low-level illness that wasn't apparent to you. Again, I'm sorry for your loss.

 

[PiggieWigs12]

That's terrible, if it's the pet shop in thinking off I hope you realise if they are unable to rehome him they are sent back to the Piggie mill...

As others have said they've given you some really poor and frankly incorrect advise.

I have three pairs of boys, none related, various ages. Also a group of five, two related the rest various.