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HELP our 10 week old piggy just died

  • Thread starter Thread starter happylander
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happylander

Dear all,

Please I need some advice. One of our 10 week old Guinea pigs has died last night. We are new to the guinea pig thing but don't know why she died.

We got them from Pets at home (poor choice I know) about 2 weeks ago. One appered to be thriving while the other seemed a little on the skinny side. We gave her lots of TLC and she had really come along over the last week gaining weight appetite and confidence.

She was fine yesterday morning but by the evening my wife noticed that she was laboured in her breathing and less active than normal. When we woke this morning she was dead :'(

We have lots of questions that we need answers for.

Why?
What do we do with the other guinea for now?
I guess we need to give thier cage a disinfecting?
is there anything else we need to do.
Was she ill when we brought her and should I go back to pets at home?

Your help please so I can help my wife and 2 children through this.

Pete
 
Hi Pete,

Welcome to the forum. So sorry for your loss.

Other pig I would give lots of attention if she is on her own. I would clean the cage out. Pig was probably ill when you bought her, knowing what was wrong is more difficult perhaps a respitary infection or perhaps she was inbred which happens with pet shop pigs.

Go back to Pets at Home and explain what happened you should get a full refund. I actually find doing it through head office by dropping them an email easier.

If your pig is on her own now then eventually she will need a new friend and for this maybe go to a rescue, there are lots of pigs on here needing homes too. But give yourself and your family time to get over your loss first.

Let us know how you get on with P@H

Lousie
:)
 
Moved your post to the correct section.

Sorry to hear about your piggy. Unfortunately the chances are she was ill when you bought her if she died so soon but it could be a number of things that caused it.

Absolutely get in touch with your store and get your money back but don't get another pig from there (they will push this over a refund, don't be tempted) or the chances are you'll be in the same boat again. You can give the cage a thorough cleaning but since the other pig has been in contact with the one who was ill it won't make much difference to its health. I wouldn't rush in to getting another one until you know the one you have is well - I would have it checked by a vet and send the bill Pets at Home's way.

Welcome to the forum, we'd be happy to point you in the direction of a reputable rescue in your area.
 
Thanks for the early replies. Thanks for moving the post. Realised when I hit submit I was in the wrong area.

Will keep you updated

Pete
 
OMG I am so sorry for your loss when you have only had her for a short while

Yes go back to the shop, best of luck and sending you big hugs to your family

Please keep us posted.

thinking of you all

:smitten:
 
welcome to the forums from me and the girls from oz :smitten: :smitten: :smitten: am sorry for your lost of your sweet baby girl :'( :'( :'( RIP angel run free and popcorn in the clouds 0:) 0:) 0:) at least she knew you loved her and she was cared for, you made her last few weeks very happy :smitten: :smitten: :smitten: i would email head office of P&H and perhaps any vet bills you might have, explain what happened. scrub cage out and keep close eye on remaining baby girl, perhaps as suggested get her checked out at a piggy savy vet. O0 welcome again and so sorry for your lost RIP daling girl 0:) 0:) 0:)
 
Thanks everyone for your kind words.

Have been back to Pets at Home where we brought them. They have given me a full refund no problem. They made some general enquiries as to what happened and said it was either congenitally not well or overheated in the recent hot weather although they are kept in a well ventilated room out of direct sun light. They advised me to have a "cooloing system" when i said like....... ? they suggested ice cubes, freezer blocks or frozen water bottles in the cage. Is this right?

The down side was the shop was undergoing a refit and therefore had no facilities to take my dead guinea pig. I therefore had to tavel to another store where they did.

They also suggested that when we introduce another guinea pig we should either get a nutterd male for companionship or we may be able to get another female as females take to one another better and they had only been together a short while. Again your thoughts on this would be great. we'll wait a little while till we get another and will source the next one from a breader.

Thanks again

Pete
 
We're so very sorry to hear about your little piggie :'( :'( :'(
RIP Piggie 0:) 0:) 0:) run free at the bridge, there's lots of beautiful piggies there to show you the best green grass and they'll look after you :-* :-* :-* :-* :-* :-* :-* :-*
Welcome to the forum from us in OZ also :)
If you pop on here what area you are in someone may know a rescue close by and you could then take your piggie there and let them choose O0
((((((((((((((((((((HUGS)))))))))))))))) for you and the family :smitten: :smitten: :smitten: :smitten: :smitten: :smitten: :smitten: :smitten:
 
Hi Pete

Sorry to hear about your loss.
Do you have a local rescue centre that could help you find a suitable companion for you lonely sow?

If people come to me with a guinea pig that needs pairing up I help them to bond another piggy before they take them. This way everyone, including the guinea pigs, can be content knowing that it will be a happy, peaceful friendship. I'm sure most rescue centres work pretty much the same.

Whereabouts are you based?

Claire
 
Hi Pete,

I can't see it being heat myself as only one pig was affected. But frozen water bottles wrapped in a towel is fine to use for the hot water. I also use carrot juice ice cubes for them to lick and it is a treat for them!

If your remaining pig is female then a neutered boar would be ideal. If you can't get one in your area then another female. They do pair up better than boar - boar pairings. If you go to a rescue you could take your pig along and see which one she gets along with.

To be honest I wouldn't go to a breeder, there are many pigs in rescues that need homes. If you google Guinea Pig Rehome there is a list of rescues there as well as a list of pigs needing homes. :)

Louise
:)
 
Hi, sorry you lost your piggy at such a young age.

I would personally go for another female piggy, i had a group of 5 females living together at one point for a few years with no arguments they lived fine together, they tend to be much easier at bonding than boars, but ive never bonded a boar with a sow so i couldnt comment on that.

Like said above get a check-up on the piggy you have, and make sure shes fine before introducing a friend, you could always buy her a teddy to cuddle upto and plenty of toys to keep her occupied, plus plenty of cuddles :)

if you look on the rescue part of this forum, and when your ready advertise a home for a female piggy you might find someone near you has a piggy to be rehomed, which is better than buying from a breeder/or contact your local guinea pig rescues and ask there :)
 
Oh that is so sad i am sorry,

Like the others have said a boar who has had the snip or a female,

I have had one baby guinea die on me , she was fine in the evening in the morning she was dead and for no reason at all, Its so sad when it happens,

I hope your wife and children are coming to terms with this, and i hope you find a friend for your little hairball.
 
even though we are in oz and have none here in south oz, i would get your piggy checked by a vet and then go to a rescue to get your piggy a friend O0 there are so many lovely piggies needing a home. if you get a piggy from a pet shop or breeder there is at least a 4 week quarentine period where you will have to keep the new piggy in a seperate cage and seperate room and make sure everyone washes hands etc touching one piggy to the next. so i would strongly suggest getting your piggy from a rescue as they have already been health checked O0 good luck, hugs :smitten: :smitten: :smitten:
 
This sounds similar to the way Ella died. She was about 8-9 months. Since the moment I got her she was always the skinny one. Remy, her friend, thrived, picked up weight and was very spunky. Ella liked to cuddle, but always had this funny noise coming from her nose. She battled mites too. When she died, her breathing was the same way and she died in my sisters arms. I've come to the conclusion that she must have been inbred or had something wrong with her from the beginning but it just took awhile to come out. I miss her a lot. I went and got Remy a baby girl pig and they've taken to each other very well. She actually keeps Remy on her toes.

I'm sorry for your loss :'(
 
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