Grieving

[Disabledmummyto5]

Hi, we lost our boar yesterday. He lived with 3 girls. Two of the girls are totally fine, however the other girl is grieving. We left a towel in there home that had the scent of the boar on, and the girl that is grieving has been extremely quite and just lying on the towel.

We have now removed the towel and will give there home a good clean, in the hope this will help.

Is there anything else we should be doing?

 

[Piggies&buns]

I'm so sorry for your loss

This guide gives further information
Looking After a Bereaved Guinea Pig

 

[weepweeps]

I’m sorry for your loss

 

[Bill & Ted]

I’m so sorry for your loss, sending hugs x
Hope your little lady pulls through she obviously loved him very much

 

[Wiebke]

Hi, we lost our boar yesterday. He lived with 3 girls. Two of the girls are totally fine, however the other girl is grieving. We left a towel in there home that had the scent of the boar on, and the girl that is grieving has been extremely quite and just lying on the towel.

We have now removed the towel and will give there home a good clean, in the hope this will help.

Is there anything else we should be doing?

Hi

If you still can, please put the towel back and leave it in for the coming days; even if it is getting really grotty as the scent slowly fades. It will give your grieving girl the comfort she craves as she is feeling lost without the mate she has emotionally relied on so much.
Make sure that your badly grieving girl is eating and drinking. If needed syringe feed. This can trigger the survival instinct.

Guinea pigs grieve no less deeply but the acute stage is generally shorter because the immediate survival needs are stronger. It usually takes around 4 days to a week. Give them the time and the space as long as they are still eating and drinking. If you have concerns about that, then please switch from weighing once weekly on your kitchen scales to weighing daily first thing in the morning for best day to day comparison.
You can find more practical tips for the immediate aftermath and the medium term in this guide link here: Looking After a Bereaved Guinea Pig

We also have a helpful guide for owners that talks them through their own grieving process in a sensitive but very practical way: Human Bereavement: Grieving, Processing and Support Links for Guinea Pig Owners and Their Children