Betty (GP) died this weekend :-((((

[Curlybrunette]

Hey everyone,

We've been away this weekend and the girls Betty and Bertha went to the lovely lady who looks after them whilst we're away. The lady rang me in tears this afternoon to tell me Betty had died. She found her in the hutch this morning, said she was fine when she checked on them last night.

We're so sad. We've had the girls nearly 4 years and we think they're nearly 6 (got them from a rescue centre who thought they were 18 months old ish), so Betty had a good innings but still...it's the first pet we've had that's died and the pigs were presents for me ds2's 5th birthday and his little face is swollen from crying

So we've just got Bertha, who was always more timid than Betty so I can't say she seems any worse right now. We've cuddled her since I collected her at teatime and she's eaten but we don't really know what to do now. I don't really want to get into a cycle of getting a younger pig friend for her, I worry that as she is so old the shock of a new partner might be too much?

Obviously I don't want her to be lonely and suffer that way.

I thought about ringing the rescue centre and asking if they had an older lady we could take, but then I guess we risk losing another 2 pigs fairly soon? More heartbreak for the ds's?

I've read on here about giving the remaining pig a teddy. Probably daft question but does it matter what kind of teddy, does it have to be a particular material or not? Don't want her to chew something she shouldn't.

Any advice would be much appreciated
x

[fortifiedwithtea]

So sorry for your loss especially for DS.
My first pet was a cat we found abandoned in a car park when I was 4 yo She died in a cattery while we were on holiday. DM was so upset we came home early. I cried for a fortnight and I was 16 at the time. I can imagine how your DS is feeling.

No idea about toy for remaining guinea, probably best to choose something with a short pile that doesn't shed and is washable as they pee everywhere. Guineas have terrible eyesight and are easily fooled. My Old Boy used to natter his teeth and rumblestrutt hump my slippers. The slippers had teddy faces on the front.

RIP Betty

[FernieB]

So sorry to hear about Betty. In your position I would probably also look into a toy companion for Bertha. Some balled up socks would probably do the trick for her, but your DS may prefer her to have something else. Something that's easily washable.

Hope Bertha's doing okay and your DS is coping.

[70isaLimitNotaTarget]

Poor Betty.

She did have a good long innings as you say and it sounds like she went peacefully, quickly, with her cagemate and a belly full of supper.

Is Bertha indoors?
Maybe keep her in a 'busy' area like the kitchen or the sitting room.
You could make a soft toy from a rolled up flannel, form it into a sausage shape and a couple of stitches.

She is an older girl, and I understand exactly what you mean about the Pig Cycle when you keep adding. I read a website (I think it was in Sweden or similar) where they 'loan' you a pig to keep a lone one company (and it goes back to the Rescue after. Must say, it sounds a bit confusing fr the piggies though)

Lots of cuddles for your DS and Bertha

[FernieB]

It's Switzerland - apparently it's illegal there to have an 'only' pig. I can see the logic but it must be very confusing for the foster pigs who keep being loaned out.

[Curlybrunette]

Thanks for your replies.

I am feeling now that getting Bertha a toy is the best thing. I'll start with rolled up socks tonight and see if DS wants to give her one of his teddies tomorrow.

He was asking if we could get a gravestone for the garden, I've compromised and we've been looking at various plants that are called Betty. There's some lovely ones, not sure my garden really needs a gravestone. Bless him!

[millimat]

it's horrible isn't it? Think I cried as much as my dcs when gp1 died. I really worried about gp2 being lonely but he was probably fine. We got another but gp2 was only very young still. How about getting 2 younger ones so there'll be 3 for a while? Tough decision about replacing a pet when that age.

[EastMidsGPs]

So sorry to hear about Betty although you can be assured she had the best life possible with you.
We have found at garden centres round flat stones with carvings on and we have these as 'grave stones' one is a fox another one is like tree bark another is a wren and the other is a hedgehog.
I agree try a toy for Bertha and have her somewhere busy ... we rushed to find a youngish replacement when one of our older girls from a very bonded paired died. It didn't really work, as Lulu ignored the newcomer and actually died 6 weeks later .. we are convinced of grief and a broken heart ... and then we had to get another companion for the youngster. So for older GP i'd say wait ... we gave Lulu a rolled fleece bag we made ..she may have thought it was a GP

[lottielou7]

Sorry for your loss

We have an almost identical situation where our more dominant girl has died suddenly last night. She was fine and then I went out for dinner and found her dead when I got back.

My children have been devastated - particularly the 12 year old. She had been away for the weekend. She has put her toy GP in the cage and it seems to be soothing the remaining pig.

It's awful when pets die

I do want to get another one but I have no idea if it will work out. She's 4.

[Curlybrunette]

I'm sorry lottielou7 it's bloody awful isn't it. I hope your children are ok.

We decided defintaly not to get another GP for Bertha, she's about 6 yrs old and I just don't think she'd know what to do with another pig.

She doesn't seem too bad, except she's not asking for food. Before, whenever we went near their room, or at teatime if we dared be more than 3 minutes late for tea we would hear them wheeking away at us. She hasn't really made a sound since Betty died. She is eating what we put in though, so maybe it was Betty that was the noisy one?

Hugs x

[lottielou7]

Thanks Curly - it is very sad. Yes, ours would always wheel when we opened the door and the remaining GP waited for Mia to lead so now she's a bit lost. We are going to get another one or two I think.

[Woodhill]

sorry to hear about Betty: ) hopefully Bertha will recover. we have loan gp.

love the foster pig idea