Piggy murdered by his companion

[MercuryRising]

I have just been in to give the gps some veg and only the more timid of the two came out to get it. When I lifted the shelter up to check if gp2 was ok I found him dead with his ear and eye missing. Why would gp1 do this? They are both boys. We have had them about 4 months and there has never been any conflict between them. Will gp1 be vicious now? I just cant understand why this has happened

The gps are kept indoors in dcs room so definitely the other gp. Im so shocked. I dont know what to do now. Will gp1 be ok on his own? Was it because they were kept indoors do you think?

I don't think it will be because they were kept indoors. We had two males together indoors with no problem for a few years.

It's a horrible thing to happen and I'm worried that you will look for ways of blaming yourself. But I don't think you should. Boars can live happily together but I suppose there is always some risk. Goodness knows what provoked the episode. Dogs that have lived happily together for years or happily with a cat will sometimes kill their companion too.

The longer-lived of our two boars had to live out the last year or so of his life alone. He seemed happy enough. Its not ideal, but I would be hesitant about buying a companion, given what has happened. Just give him loads of human attention.

Timid piggy may not have been the murderer - i've kept russian hamsters and they nibbled a dead hamster, but as the hamster was soaking wet we think the hamster drowned and the surviving hammy took advantage of the free lunch. Your piggy may have been ill/ heart attack etc.

Oh yes, that sounds v possible.

Thank you for your prompt replies. I am blaming myself. Wishing I had checked on them earlier in the day. I am waiting for dp to get home so we can remove the dead pig and clean the cage. Im not sure how we are going to tell ds it was his pig and I know he will be devastated. Thank you for the info goat you have made me feel a bit better about the surviving gp

i would remove dead gp and give everything a good clean out, flies don't take long to lay eggs if given the oppurtunity.

Sorry, must be such a horrible shock for you.

Dp is on the way home to break the news to ds and remove gp and then I will disinfect everything. Now Im just hoping the other gp doesnt get ill. Thank you for the support. I am very tired and pmtish so I think I would have been sobbing if I didnt have anybody to 'talk' to.

Oh you poor thing. It's horrible when a pet dies. Hope you feel better soon.

Thank you oaty

Goodness, there are two very sad threads today - not a good night for guineas at the moment, I am sure you are very upset, what a horrible thing to happen.

I have never had experience of what has happened, but I tend to agree with get mygoat - Ithink it is very unlikely that the timid guinea would suddenly turn killer, although of course you do read about guinea mums eating their babies etc - it is more likely that he died in the night and the other one helped himself, not a nice thought, but I guess if we think like animals, it is more 'natural' to them than it is to us? Others with boars may have some experience of this?

The poor guinea left will be rather lonely, so he needs lots of attention - it might be worth looking on guinea forum to see what advice they can offer - I would be reluctant to get a new friend yet, until the cage is scrubbed and you can watch the other one to check there are no signs of disease, viruses etc. Sometimes they do just die with no clear explanation or sign, and the other one would have been quite distressed by it and probably a bit too ferocious in his attempts to resucitate (sp!?) - who knows the minds of these little souls? It might be you could get another older boy and integrate them slowly if you have the time and energy to do so.

Hope your son is not too upset - it is a sad rite of passage for our kids when they lose a pet, sending you kind thoughts.

Thank you guinea I have scrubbed and cleaned the cage. Gp has had lots of cuddles

My ds was upset but is ok. I have explained that we need to give our remaining gp lots of extra love.

Im going to be watching gp very closely to make sure he is ok. He has been eating and drinking but seems quieter, which could be due to the trauma I guess. Poor little fella.

Hi yes I don't think your timid guinea pig killed the other one. In the wild guinea pigs, and most small rodents, will eat their dead to avoid attracting predators from the smell of the dead animal. This is an instinct that has carried on in domesticated animals and is the same reason why rodents often eat their young babies if they are stressed or if the babies have been handled too young and the mother can smell an unrecognizable scent on them. This is a common behaviour. I'm sorry for the death of your guinea pig and he most probably died from a heart defect/attact or another hidden cause x

i think something must of got in and you accidentally left it open, or something, and the thing got in, and ate the guinea pig, and maybe the other pig was hiding.