Guinea pig cremation

[GuineaPig Mom]

Hello,

I had two of my guinea pigs pass away, one about a year ago and another about a year and a half ago. Those were the first times I experienced death of a pet, and they both happened quite suddenly so I didn’t really have a chance to think things over and just buried them in my rental house backyard.

But recently, I kept thinking about them and found that you could cremate your pets, even after burying them.

I honestly want to have them cremated and by my side, but I’m not too sure about having them dug up and disturb them, so I wanted other’s opinion on it.

Thank you!

(Also, I wasn’t sure of another category to post this in except here, so sorry it isn’t really a health and illness category)

 

[VickiA]

Hi there
The sudden loss of our fur babies is always a shock and can take some time to process. Burying them was a perfectly acceptable solution.
Personally would not be keen to consider digging up a pet that has already been interred, I would suspect that after more than a year in the ground there would be little or no visible remains to be able to identify or that they would be very highly decomposed - and this in itself could be a source of distress and trauma to you.
You could perhaps consider creating memorial to your pets that could move house with you but that would not include their ashes or remains.

Just to let you know I’ve moved your post out of the H/I section as it isn’t strictly health related and may get more views in this section

 

[weepweeps]

I’m sorry for your losses. I agree with VickiA. I would leave them undisturbed. You could have a lovely photo of them both on view in your home.

 

[poggle]

I agree with VickiA as well; I would not want that to be the way I pictured any of my RB pets, and I'm sure that sight would haunt me.

They may not be physically by your side but you still keep them with you, anyway A special photo sounds like a lovely way to physically represent them.

 

[Swissgreys]

I have always had all of my pets cremated, because at the time of their deaths that seemed like the right thing to do.
But further down the track, after several house moves, I suddenly became aware of having lots of ashes in a house that really had no link to my previous pets.
This is just my experience, but at that point the initial comfort of having their ashes with me was lost, and I then had to decide what to do with them.

I suppose that this is just my way of saying that it is easy to question the decisions that we take at the time, when we are shocked and upset, but in the long run your piggies (and all of your other pets) are always with you. What happened to their bodies becomes almost immaterial, becasue they are so much more than that.

I would also leave them where they are, and maybe try to find another way to memorialise them.
But whatever you choose to do they will always be with you.

 

[Freela]

Thus far I've buried all my pets in the back yard, but would prefer to move over to cremation, if only because after twenty years in this house and having owned small pets the whole time, there are a lot of animals already buried in that yard! I looked into cremation when Hadley passed last summer, but unfortunately because of the pandemic shutdown the options were somewhat limited and I opted just to bury her instead.

Personally I wouldn't disinter pets with the aim of cremating them... I think that would probably be an upsetting memory. I know I would rather remember them when they were alive. I can understand distress at 'leaving them behind,' but I think it's important to consider the fact that, once they have died, the bodies are literally just bodies. You still have them, your love and your memories of them, with you no matter where you go. It might be better to do some other kind of memorial for them... I have pictures of pets I've lost on top of my desk so I can look at them whenever I want and remember my time with them... I think it helps me to remember them more than having their actual cremains would because the pics are of them alive and well and happy, which is how I want to look back on them!

((HUGS)) to you and I'm sorry for your losses. It's so hard to say goodbye to pets, I think everyone here can relate to missing piggies that have passed on.

 

[Wiebke]

Hello,

I had two of my guinea pigs pass away, one about a year ago and another about a year and a half ago. Those were the first times I experienced death of a pet, and they both happened quite suddenly so I didn’t really have a chance to think things over and just buried them in my rental house backyard.

But recently, I kept thinking about them and found that you could cremate your pets, even after burying them.

I honestly want to have them cremated and by my side, but I’m not too sure about having them dug up and disturb them, so I wanted other’s opinion on it.

Thank you!

(Also, I wasn’t sure of another category to post this in except here, so sorry it isn’t really a health and illness category)

Hi

You may find it rather an even more upsetting experience when digging up the bones or - if you are unlucky - the not yet quite fully decomposed bodies because they won't be anything like the piggies you have laid to rest and whose tangible memory you are craving. It is frankly not the most pleasant of experiences if you accidentally come across not fully decomposed remains in my own experience. What you are seeking and missing is not there anymore; the soul has gone as the remains are now unrecognisable - that was my own experience.

If you have such a physical need of a tangible physical presence (grief can work that way; I had that problem after my Telyn died so suddenly and and so young due to a genetic heart defect), why not grow some forget-me-not seeds on the graves, have the flowers dried and worked into a piece of jewelry - like a pair of earrings or a ring? This way you have something you can touch what has been directly nourished by them.
Or if you want something more direct, have a picture of your piggies turned into a medaillon, a stone or crystal that you can wear and touch every day that actually corresponds to your own memories and with the piggies you loved? There are places that offer services like that on etsy or when you google.

If you have current pets, what you want to do is take their footprints in a little modelling mass or print them on paper so you can use that for turning into something tangible that can stay with you in your daily life. Or take a snip of hair from your live pets and use those for any commemorative piece of your choice.

 

[GuineaPig Mom]

Hello,
Thank you so much to everyone for the kind words and helpful advice.
I decided not to unbury them, and leave them as is. I guess I just selfishly wanted them by my side as their memorial day was coming up.
I think I’ll try placing photos of them in the house and growing flowers on their grave and drying them later, as you guys mentioned.
However, would the idea of cremating a guinea pig who has recently died be okay? I still do want to cremate my other guinea pigs when they pass on in the future.

 

[Freela]

Hello,
Thank you so much to everyone for the kind words and helpful advice.
I decided not to unbury them, and leave them as is. I guess I just selfishly wanted them by my side as their memorial day was coming up.
I think I’ll try placing photos of them in the house and growing flowers on their grave and drying them later, as you guys mentioned.
However, would the idea of cremating a guinea pig who has recently died be okay? I still do want to cremate my other guinea pigs when they pass on in the future.

I think choosing cremation instead of burial going forward is absolutely fine! I just think that disinterring remains would probably be more upsetting than helpful, which wouldn't be an issue in the future.

((HUGS)) and again, I'm sorry for your losses. It can be really hard. Honestly, it sounds sad, but when pictures of Hadley (my pig in my avatar pic) come up in my Facebook memories, I find myself using the cursor to pat her little forehead the way I used to pat her when she was here. I miss her a lot. I'm so thankful for the years I had with her and I'm fine day to day, but at times a picture or something will make me really, really wish she was still here.

 

[poggle]

However, would the idea of cremating a guinea pig who has recently died be okay? I still do want to cremate my other guinea pigs when they pass on in the future.

I dont think anyone can really answer this one but you; only you know what you're comfortable with.

What I will say is that by digging up a recently deceased pet you will certainly have to see their partially decomposed corpse. Again, for me, I just don't see how this wouldn't be deeply upsetting - but you may cope with it better.

I'm also thinking, will your local pet cremation services accept a partially decomposed body? It might be worth confirming before you move forward, if you do decide to dig them up.

 

[Wiebke]

Hello,
Thank you so much to everyone for the kind words and helpful advice.
I decided not to unbury them, and leave them as is. I guess I just selfishly wanted them by my side as their memorial day was coming up.
I think I’ll try placing photos of them in the house and growing flowers on their grave and drying them later, as you guys mentioned.
However, would the idea of cremating a guinea pig who has recently died be okay? I still do want to cremate my other guinea pigs when they pass on in the future.

Hi

You can alway have any further guinea pigs cremated if you choose so; what you do with your pets after their death is entirely your own decision.

Most vet clinics offer a cremation service if you enquire although it is a lot cheaper if you are lucky enough to be within easy reach of a pet crematorium that accepts private intakes (not all do), even for guinea pigs that have not been put to sleep at their clinic.
You can also take a newly euthanized piggy home where the companions have not been aware of them being very ill (i.e. you had to make the decision at the vet's) and they have not been able to say goodbye before you took your piggy to the vet. You can bring back the body for goodbyes and then back to the clinic for cremation afterwards.

You can find more options and information in the coping chapter of our bereavement guide: Human Bereavement: Grieving, Coping and Support Links for Guinea Pig Owners and Their Children
More information on pts/euthanasia (including what happens afterwards at the clinic): A Practical and Sensitive Guide to Dying, Terminal Illness and Euthanasia in Guinea Pigs
Saying goodbye for the companions - when has it already happened and when should companions be given the option to say goodbye (plus what reactions to expect): Looking After a Bereaved Guinea Pig

PS: A piggy tattoo from a picture - if you are so minded - is another option to always carry them with you.

PS2: Here are some ideas when you google personalised pet memorial jewellery

Individualised engraved paw prints or picture pendants - something that you can still do for your buried piggies



Jewellery for holding pet ashes:


Jewellery incorporating pet hair:


Just to give you a bit of an idea as to the wide range of memorial jewellery that is out there and that is actually very affordable if you find cremation cost too expensive. Quite a few vet clinics will take the paw prints or cut a lock of hair of that euthanized pet as a routine gift or will do it upon your request.

 

[GuineaPig Mom]

I dont think anyone can really answer this one but you; only you know what you're comfortable with.

What I will say is that by digging up a recently deceased pet you will certainly have to see their partially decomposed corpse. Again, for me, I just don't see how this wouldn't be deeply upsetting - but you may cope with it better.

I'm also thinking, will your local pet cremation services accept a partially decomposed body? It might be worth confirming before you move forward, if you do decide to dig them up.

I decided not to dig them up, but if I did, I was thinking of having a handyman dig them up for me. I don’t think I would be able go dig them up myself. I found that a local cremation service does accept partially decomposed bodies.

 

[Wiebke]

I'm really sorry to hear about your guinea pigs. Losing pets can be incredibly tough, especially when it happens suddenly like that. I totally get where you're coming from about wanting to cremate them and keep them close to you. When my childhood dog passed away unexpectedly, we buried him in our backyard too. Years later, my mom decided to have him cremated so we could keep his ashes in a beautiful urn. It felt comforting to have him with us again, and we didn't disturb his resting place at all.

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