Cagemate alone after recent passing

[Enby_Tragedy]

{Accidentally posted in the wrong area, so reposting here..}

Hi there, piggy owner from the US.

One of my two boys (Luke) had passed away yesterday, and I don't know what to do from here.. I'm currently sitting with his surviving cagemate (Nico) as I write this and the cagemate has outlived a friend before and I got Luke a couple days later since I was going to high school during the day and didn't want Nico to be alone. But after them being together for about a year, what do I do to help Nico during this time..?

I've noticed that he's been sitting where Luke usually hid today, not making much noise like he usually does..

 

[Piggies&buns]

I’m sorry for your loss.
This guide will help you - Looking After a Bereaved Guinea Pig

Ensure you keep up with the routine weight checks particularly during his period of grieving so you can ensure he is definitely continuing to eat enough hay.
Provided he is ok and continuing to eat, then you have a few weeks to look for a new friend for him.

 

[Free Ranger]

I'm so sorry for your loss x

Pigs love company and in the longer term a friend will be the thing that can best help Nico, but in the short-term just spend a little time with him so he knows he's not alone. I've had times when pigs have had to wait quite a few weeks for a friend but just keep an eye on whether he's eating and drinking as usual. Sometimes they grieve very much and can hide away and not want to eat. We've not seen anything that bad but George really appreciated my company when his cage mate Ivy passed as he'd not been alone before. They must think there are no other piggies in the world - for a short time at least! Then again, one of my sows once lost her cage mate and took it in her stride - quite literally, as she hopped over her flopped out body to get her morning treat. Her friend had passed suddenly in the night (she still had hay in her mouth!) and my girl didn't bat an eyelid!

There's no need to suddenly clean out the cage and remove all trace of Luke - we usually prefer to let their smell fade naturally for a few days. We don't really do 'toys' (any fluffies have been ignored) but if it's chilly where you are then something like a warm heat pad (we have a microwave type called 'snugglesafe') can bring comfort at nights or when no-one is around. We also get these things called 'hay cubes' or 'carrot cottage' - essentially a cardboard box covered in dried grass bits etc. which my piggies always find interesting and they will eat their way in. It can give him something to do and somewhere new to hide:

Bonding boars can be a tricky thing so if you were in the UK our standard advice is see if you can take Nico 'boar dating' at an animal rescue - then he can meet other boys and see if they get on. But I understand that in some parts of the States these things are few and far between.
Take care of each other x

 

[Bill & Ted]

So sorry you lost Luke, sending hugs

Perhaps at some point you may feel like reaching out to a rescue and see if you can bond Nico with a new friend