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Original poster

My little girl passed away this morning - what do I do with her cage mate?

32 replies

InAPickle12345 · 06/12/2023 16:38

My beautiful little Guinea pig passed away this morning. No warning, no signs, just gone and I'm devastated 😢

What I need advice on is what is best to do with my other girl? They've been together for over 4 years. What should I look out for in terms of signs of loneliness / depressions? Should I automatically get another cage mate for her or should I wait and see how she's coping?

Thanks in advance

OP posts:
Spencer0220 · 07/12/2023 05:59

The best advice I can give you as a fellow owner is, to put your grief aside and adopt another GP as soon as possible.

It will massively help your remaining piggy. But it will also help you to heal. The new pig will never replace the previous one. But it replaces the space in the cage.

We've had numerous now and wouldn't dream of keeping a solo pig unless advised to by medical professionals

So sorry for your loss

Refurbishmentino · 07/12/2023 06:33

So sorry to hear about your girl. I have 6 girls, all live together. I would definitely get another one. I recently rehomed someones singleton girl when she lost her cage mate. She’s been alone for 2 months, and she was in a sorry state when I got her. Sad, quiet, hair was limp and failing out. Two months later after blending her my my herd, she was like a new girl - hair all grown back, happy, chatty.

I would either try to find a baby (easier to bond with, likely to be no scuffles) or an older rescue if you aren’t wanting to be in the perpetual guinea pig cycle (although more challenging to bond, takes more time, possibility of a few fights at first - but if they are girls, its a lot easier to introduce them.

I would also get one sooner rather than later, however ‘heartless’ it may feel. Guineas don’t like being alone

Igglepiggleandhisboat · 07/12/2023 06:57

We just had the same thing although our guinea pigs are old. We decided to keep the remaining one on his own but to move his cage into our kitchen/diner so he’s not on his own as we are always there. He is living his best life! He comes to the bars, squeaks for cuddles and gets a cuddle or stroke. Kids dote on him. He is happy x

Original poster
InAPickle12345 · 07/12/2023 17:55

Igglepiggleandhisboat · 07/12/2023 06:57

We just had the same thing although our guinea pigs are old. We decided to keep the remaining one on his own but to move his cage into our kitchen/diner so he’s not on his own as we are always there. He is living his best life! He comes to the bars, squeaks for cuddles and gets a cuddle or stroke. Kids dote on him. He is happy x

Ah, I'm glad he's happy on his own. There's a part of me that hopes my girl will be too. She's located in the open plan space so she's always got things going on around her... and she knows when anyone's opened the fridge and wheeks incessantly until she gets a treat.

She seems okay today, my parents came and spent a bit of time with her this afternoon while I was at work but I'll see how she goes tonight. She was up and down the ramp over and over last night looking for her buddy, broke my heart. Fingers crossed it gets easier.

OP posts:
Original poster
InAPickle12345 · 07/12/2023 17:56

Refurbishmentino · 07/12/2023 06:33

So sorry to hear about your girl. I have 6 girls, all live together. I would definitely get another one. I recently rehomed someones singleton girl when she lost her cage mate. She’s been alone for 2 months, and she was in a sorry state when I got her. Sad, quiet, hair was limp and failing out. Two months later after blending her my my herd, she was like a new girl - hair all grown back, happy, chatty.

I would either try to find a baby (easier to bond with, likely to be no scuffles) or an older rescue if you aren’t wanting to be in the perpetual guinea pig cycle (although more challenging to bond, takes more time, possibility of a few fights at first - but if they are girls, its a lot easier to introduce them.

I would also get one sooner rather than later, however ‘heartless’ it may feel. Guineas don’t like being alone

Oh no, that's awful, the poor girl! I'll definitely get her a cage mate at the first sign that she needs one... it's just knowing what those signs are before it gets too far. I'll be keeping a super close eye for the next couple of days.

OP posts:
Original poster
InAPickle12345 · 07/12/2023 17:58

Spencer0220 · 07/12/2023 05:59

The best advice I can give you as a fellow owner is, to put your grief aside and adopt another GP as soon as possible.

It will massively help your remaining piggy. But it will also help you to heal. The new pig will never replace the previous one. But it replaces the space in the cage.

We've had numerous now and wouldn't dream of keeping a solo pig unless advised to by medical professionals

So sorry for your loss

Thank you x I will definitely get her another cage mate at the first little sign that she needs one, if she doesn't perk up massively and stop looking for her buddy by the end of the weekend latest I'll get on it. There's a few for adoption that I found today

OP posts:
Original poster
InAPickle12345 · 07/12/2023 18:00

NoraLuka · 07/12/2023 05:42

OP your guineas sound like they have a lovely life with you.

Edited

Thank you so much, your comment made me cry x The last thing I said to my girl yesterday before wrapping her up for burial was that I hope I had made her happy and she knew how much I loved her, because she made me so so so happy these last few years.

And now I'm bawling again

OP posts:
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