DDs Guinea pig just died.

[FryingNemo]

I just got up to syringe feed him again and he's gone. She is going to be so upset when she wakes up.

Her poor old Fat Pig is now on his own. What should we do? Get another little boar? I can't see how introductions could work.

RIP skinny pig.

Condolences.

Losing a beloved pet hurts.

Love to Fat Pig too.

Thank you. It will be Dds first close contact with death. I expect she won't want to look at him. Poor Skinny Pig. I am not looking forward to the morning.

Skinny Pig.
Once they get to the stage that you have to syringe food into them, it's not a good sign sadly.

How old is Fat Pig?

Are you near a rescue or a good breeder where you can get a very young boar and have the chance to 'boar-match' them?

(One of my boars died in July leaving a very bolshy Alpha Male on his own. Remaining boar belongs to my DD who did not want him neutered so we got a 6 week old boy from a Rescue. GP1 was on his own for a week while we were waiting for the piglet but he was very unsettled.)

He lost a bit of weight and is now second in rank to the younger pig (who is a huge Rex). But it's happened naturally with no squabbling.

There are loads of threads on introductions and neutral territory.

for your pig - it does sound like he had a quiet peaceful passing with his cagemate.
Off to The Bridge SkinnyPig. There are many other piggies there to welcome you.

Fat pig is 2.5 y.o. He is a really bolshie character so I am really unsure of how successful any introductions would be. At the moment he's in the kitchen in a huge cardboard box squeaking madly when we open the fridge. He'll go back into the big run tonight.

Poor DD was devastated.

Sorry Nemo How

Oops sorry, how old is your DD?

Very for your DD. For lots of DC , the death of a pet is their first experience of loss.

Your Fat Pig will appreciate lots of cuddles and spoiling while he grieves.

(Our GP1 was the bolshy one out of the pair. I was very dubious at putting a tiny piglet with him. GP1 was 2.9 yo. He was very, very protective and 'paternal' . My piglet was weaned so didn't smell of his mum.
Over the weeks, as the piglet grew (and grew) he became the bolshy one but they get on really well.
Space. Food, Hidey spaces. And make everything neutral to introduce them.

But for now, you'll need to give your boar and your DD extra cuddles.

So sorry to hear about skinny pig. Best wishes to you and your DD.

Really sorry to hear about your lovely guinea pig, love to you all, great advice from 70 x

Sorry for your loss and poor DD, its very sad to lose a first pet

At 2.5 Fat Pig is still young enough to neuter. There is a risk attach with giving small furries a GA but I've never lost one actually on the vets operating table. And I think the incisions will be small not like my poor Fatimus' hysterectomy/mastectomy combined that she didn't recover from

If you do have Fat pig neutered, he can't go dating for 6 weeks after until he is definitely sterile. And I do mean dating Take him to a rescue where he can be introduced to a selection of sows. IME boars like any sow with a pulse but sows are selective .

My Old Boy was too old to neuter so he lived side by side with his girlfriends. Fatimus loved him, Naughty Girl only liked to sneak into his hutch to eat his food. But they gave him a new lease of life and lived to a ripe old age and they had each other when he passed though I don't think Fatimus ever got over losing him but that's another story.

Or introduce a small baby boar as 70 did. It has been very successful for her boars but again GP1 chose GP3.

RIP Skinny Pig

Baby boars need to be as young as you can for successful introductions (though Rescues can pair up older boys, it needs careful handling).
Boars can leave Mum at 4 weeks (but would need to be free of the smell of a sow otherwise the older boy gets [confused[ )

And - vitally important- Rescue will have a guarantee in place to rehome them if you cannot keep them.

We'd never return our pigs- if they suddenl;y went wrong I'd side-by-side them but the reassurance is peace of mind.

You'd need to phone a few and see if they have any boar babies. (Our boy was alone for a week. They need a bit of adjustment time but we knew he wasn;t happy alone).

He was very enamoured of his new piglet (even the non-stop noise and ultra dependancy . Thankfully he's got more independant)

I would have neutered GP2 if he'd been alone . DD wouldn't neuter GP1 (I think she was worried about him not making it )

It's a subject I'm letting filter into my brain now more often because GP1 is looking a bit middleaged saggy and ancient . He still eats and poohs. Loves a cuddle. But he feels a bit bony and baggy now

Thank you everyone for your kind comments and advice.

We are nowhere near a decent rescue or decent breeder and I will not buy a GP from a pet shop.

Fat Pig is worrying me now - he appears to have stopped eating. During the day we are putting him in a roamy but not really large enough run in the kitchen so he has lots of contact with us and petting and hugs. In the evenings we are putting him back in the huge GP run which he used to share with Skinny Pig. I can't really see much evidence of him eating much there either. Could this be grief? He doesn't seem to be losing condition though.

Poor DD spent a long time today writing Skinny Pig's headstone. She blames herself with the impeccable logic of a child but seems to be coming to terms with it.

Poor FatPig .
They do need to eat, their guts are designed to constantly 'trickle' feed, so you need something to tempt him.

Can you cut him some grass? Even when my GP2 was dying he'd eat some grass (we had him outside in the sheltered run because of the heat and we had to poke the strands into his mouth but he'd eat it.)
Apple cut tiny
Parsley
Cucumber
Rocket

They do suffer grief.

Our GP1 was a huge smooth but he's definately lost weight with all the trauma. We're working really hard to get condition back on him. He's picked up alot but it shows how they do miss their safe comforts.

Oh, very sorry to hear your news, and glad you have had lots of support on here, good advice from everyone.

Sadly guineas do pine terribly, especially if they have been part of a pair or more for some time, so you are doing the right thing by keeping him by you, and if you can, try and keep him indoors at night so he doesnt get too cold and lonely. Would echo everything 870* has said about getting him some treats to eat and lots of small tempting things. Lets hope you can find somewhere to get a friend for him, as he is young to be on his own. It will help your daughter to grieve, having another 'patient' to look after and give lots of attention to.

He's eating again! And pooping and weeing. He has lost weight and condition but now he's eating again I'm happier. He's not squeaking very much though...

How long do GPs grieve for?

We tempted him with sage and lavender!

RIP Piggy.

When you feel ready the Guinea Pig Obituary thread will make you laugh!

He's eating ( yes ) Good sign and a relief. I worry when pigs don't eat.

WRT squeaking. Our GP1 was the loud squeaker (not all the time, just when he was lifted up or if I walked down the garden and he heard my steps), He stopped after GP2 died
GP2 never squeaked. He purred or made nomnomnom grunty hog noises when he smelled food.

GP1 only does a little flutey wheee now when he's caught, more of a hiss.

But he probably can't get a word in edgeways because our GP3 never bloody shuts up is a very vocal little boy

So glad he's guzzling again - that's always a good sign.

Weegie - I've just been reading the GP obituary thread . Some of the poems are even tasteful!

So sorry. We lost our 2 girls in September this year and I was devastated. Amazing how small furries get under your skin. Big hugs to your DD :(