Hello, was wondering please if anyone could give me any advice, with a broken heart my 2 year old Guinea pig past away yesterday. I’m so worried now about my other pig being on his own,will he be lonely alone? could he live happily with all the love and attention he gets from his human family. Don’t think I can keep going through the loss of an animal. Anyone in a similar situation with any advice I would really appreciate it. Thanks Mel
Guinea pig past
- Thread starter Mel P
- Start date
I’m so sorry for your loss
A single piggy will get lonely and I’m afraid no amount of human interaction will be enough as there is no mutual communication. However we totally understand the pain of their passing and not wishing to continue that cycle.
Some rescue centres offer fostering. This is very useful as it enables you to foster a new companion for your piggy so they have the essential piggy companionship, but allows you to return the foster piggy to the rescue when your piggy passes, thereby ending your cycle. Perhaps this is something you can contact some rescue centres about
A single piggy will get lonely and I’m afraid no amount of human interaction will be enough as there is no mutual communication. However we totally understand the pain of their passing and not wishing to continue that cycle.
Some rescue centres offer fostering. This is very useful as it enables you to foster a new companion for your piggy so they have the essential piggy companionship, but allows you to return the foster piggy to the rescue when your piggy passes, thereby ending your cycle. Perhaps this is something you can contact some rescue centres about
Thank you for your reply I will look into that
I’m so sorry for your loss. Our 4 year old Guinea pig passed away in January. We’ve had her and another girl since they were 12 weeks old. I was so worried how “Socks” was going to be without her best friend “Fluffy”. I was also told that she would be lonely on her own…. but amazingly, 6 months later she is still doing great! We have her in a 2x4 c&c cage in our living room and she talks to us all the time lol. She squeaks when we walk in our front door, when we walk by her, we take her out of the cage a few times each day and play with her. It’s totally up to you on what you want to do with your little guy but we were a bit selfish and couldn’t let our girl go. I’m glad we didn’t because she is almost 5 years old now and we want her with us for the rest of her life. She is a happy piggy with her human family. Good luck…
Sorry, but I disagree with you. She has a “choice” if she is happy or not. If she was unhappy we would see a difference in her behaviour. I’ve had her for over 4 years and
she is very playful and engaging with us. I don’t think she understands how to pretend to be happy… I respect your opinion but I’m good with her staying with our family.
she is very playful and engaging with us. I don’t think she understands how to pretend to be happy… I respect your opinion but I’m good with her staying with our family.
Bradshaw Piggies
Forum Donator 2023/24
So very sorry to hear of your loss 
You’ve had some brilliant advice above. I agree, piggies must have companionship of their own kind. There are different options you could try, such as fostering.
Hope it all works out for you
You’ve had some brilliant advice above. I agree, piggies must have companionship of their own kind. There are different options you could try, such as fostering.
Hope it all works out for you
Its entirely your choice, of course if is, if you wish to keep her single but it’s also important to recognise (and for the information in the post) that piggies are very pragmatic and have a strong survival instinct - They will get on with life because that is what they do, but it doesn’t mean they feel any less loneliness just because they appear to be acting normally. Their natural instinct would be to never show any weakness because weakness means they are at huge risk. They have an overwhelming ability to pretend and hide things all the time, it’s natural for a prey animal to do so. If you see a piggy who is clearly showing signs of loneliness, illness etc, then it’s because they are now feeling it so very deeply and it’s become impossible to hide - and often by that point it’s gone on for so long that help can come too late.
It’s also one of their five rights to be kept with their own kind and this is why it’s great rescues are starting to offer fostering a companion to enable an owner to end their piggy cycle.
CookieandSmoky
New Born Pup
Hello, for what it's worth from me, please don't feel guilty about keeping your piggy without getting another one. Mine is 6 years old now and living a happy retired life with us in the house. I know my piggy is happy because he's always asking for food and even does a bit of popcorning still. He's had 3 companions and it comes to the point when you simply cannot keep getting another piggy. You know your piggy and please do not feel pressured into getting another. Me and my piggy have gone through sad times together. I would not dream of giving him up. He loves his home with us and I always look after him. Don't ever feel guilty. Just love him and look after him.
Good luck
Thank you everyone for taking the time to reply, I will never give up on my Guinea pig I adore him and is a big part of my family. Really struggling with the loss of my pig and even more so with the other one being alone makes me feel worse. 
Merab
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So sorry for your loss.
I can only echo the advice given.
Be gentle with yourself as you grieve
I can only echo the advice given.
Be gentle with yourself as you grieve