GP died today

[crocodileshavenoears]

One of my 3 year old guineas died this afternoon. He seemed absolutely fine yesterday, eating and coming over for carrot. He was a little bit quiet this morning (but I assumed that was just all the noise of Christmas, visitors, etc as the cage is in our living room). Then as I was clearing away everyone's soup bowls I looked over and he was lying flat on his side, which I've never seen before and by the time I put the bowls down and went over to him he'd stopped breathing.

He was always the quiet one of my two but now I'm worried about his much braver and louder brother. I really don't want to get another one - I feel as if I've let down the one who died and don't want to do this to another GP. Also I don't want to get another one and then be in a cycle of always having to get more.

As the cage is right in the middle of the house, do you think it's worth seeing how the other one is alone? (He's also 3). Feeling really shocked and sad just now, so maybe this is not the best time to think about it anyway.

No advice but sorry about your piggy

Oh bless him and poor you.

Piggies often hide how ill they are-you didn't do anything wrong or let him down. I'm sure you gave him a really happy life and in some ways it's better when they go out quickly rather than lingering.

When we lost on of ours we thought the remaining one was fine on his own but we wanted more anyway and he totally changed. He was so much happier with wives. You don't need to make a decision now while it's such a shock. Please don't feel you've been a bad owner before do you shouldn't get another. It's the natural prey instinct to hide any weaknesses and you can't always tell.

Apologies for the typos-Christmas gin!

I'm so sorry we lost GP 2 on New Year's Eve still not over it. Take time to think it through and get used to it.
Our remaining piggy was still a baby so we eventually got him a wife - he is so much happier.
We got advice from a fab rescue centre - maybe you could do that in the new year?

you haven't let him down, they really can do the Well-To-Dead thing, fine one minute then sometimes so signs at all.

They hide illnesses very well and even if you catch them early and 'read' their signs there's no guarentee that you can turn them round.
Part of the charm of guineas is they go quickly (our GP2 and GP3 were unwell and both died within hours of seeing the vet so even professional intervention doesn't always save them)

Right now cuddle and keep a check on your boy. I know the cycle of piggies is a never ending spiral but its what he needs thats important. They really do thrive better with company.

Sounds like your piggie went quietly and with the company of his cagemate. Nicest way for your piggie to slip away.

Thanks for the kind messages. I think I'll need to start looking for a possible friend for him. Looks like it's easier said than done though - we got these two from the SSPCA rescue centre, and they don't seem to have single boars (definitely don't have space for two more!) or do any piggie-matching. Think that's a problem for in a few days time though.

Whereabouts are you OP (roughly)? I know two great piggy rescues in the North who have lots of boars and will do a speed date?

Oh, and I'm very sorry about your piggie, I lost one of mine last month and was genuinely surprised at how upset I was they are such sweet pets.

I'm in Scotland. Not finding much apart from the SSPCA, who don't appear to be particularly helpful.

Sad to say but if you wait a week or so you'll have your pick off Gumtree of "Bought for the kids but they're not interested" guineas from the dozy pillocks who'll buy pets for Christmas (without realising what messy little ratbags they are )

I'm very dubious about Gumtree but I wouldn't pay a seller (I did consider giving a donation to a Rescue when I was considering a Gumtree pig but I got GP7/GP8 from rescue after all)

Have been looking for a week and the only single male rescue guinea pig I can find is in Caithness, which is about 300 miles away. There are loads on Gumtree, but it just feels wrong.

In the meantime the surviving piggie is ok, but clearly lonely - he seems to be lying in his covered-up area whenever we're out and only being active when we're about.

So I'm looking for advice from some of the very knowledgeable people on here - hold off a bit longer to see if a suitable piggie comes up as a rescue, or give in and buy from Gumtree?

Are there any on Gumtree that are close? If they want to get rid of them you could offer to take him off their hands for free?
We lost our gp recently and got another from a rescue. I really wanted one the same age as gp1 (3ish) but he was happiest with a much younger one so that's what we went for. I hated seeing gp1 all alone.