Kosson
Junior Guinea Pig
I post this in order to ask everybody how long a body of passed away piggy should be there in order to allow a bereaving piggy to properly say goodbye.
Today's afternoon one of my angel piggies called Zelie passed away. She was 3 years and 3 months old and we adopted her back in September 2021 (when she was about 6 months old) to let my guinea pig Moru (about 3 years and 11 months then) have a piggy friend.
Zelie was very healthy until Wednesday. Thursday she ate properly and she was normal, but she did not have as much energy as usual. Yesterday night we noticed that she has some water from her right nostril and though she ate some veg and hay, she was weak.
There normally Moru is not really put herself aginst Zelie (they were in each other's position and not really too near to each other), but she put her body besides Zelie's body, as if she was caring Zelie.
This morning too, I found Moru was there just right besides Zelie. Zelie went to the vet and Moru went there too, for Zelie's sake.
Around 1:30pm to 2:30 pm (12:30 to 1:30pm), I gave Zelie Critical care as well as some drag that the vet prescribed. There Moru stayed in her cage.
Then I put Zelie dans le cage (which I regretted, but I had to cook...) and Moru immediately came besides Zelie. I sometimes looked at Zelie and she was breathing heavily but was alive. Moru was right there with Zelie.
Then around 3:10 pm(2:10pm GMT) Moru came out from her 'hiding' where she was with Zelie and drank some water. And then we found Zelie had passed away.
My daughter and I hugged Zelie, and we put Zelie back into the cage around 3:45 pm(2:45 pm GMT).
Moru stayed with Zelie for some time and then she started to cry ( It is I think due to the inflammation that Moru suffers) around 4:30pm (3:30pmGMT). I went there and Moru was no longer besides Zelie.
My daughter insists that Moru has understood what happened and Moru said goodbye to Zelie. So she says that there is no need to leave Zelie in the cage and better to put the body somewhere safe, before Moru damages Zelie's body.
Given this situation, it seems Moru really understands her fellow's soul is no longer there. Since 4:30pm (3:30pm GMT) I put Zelie in a carriage case and I cleaned her body and Moru stays in her cage. Moru seems to drink and eat as usual now.
I do not know if we gave Moru enough time to say goodbye. It is only for one hour after Zelie passed away. We can still put back Zelie in the cage...
I know it depends each guinea pig and also each situation, but I would be most grateful if you could share me your experience, or if you could give me some advice.
Besides,
Zelie was really really kindest, most beautiful and most intelligent piggy... It was so sudden my daughter and I cannot stop crying. It is so sad but one good thing was that Zelie did not suffer longtime and until the last moment we could show our love and let Moru there for the last moment...(Zelie is the white with a beige face and Moru brown/black)
Today's afternoon one of my angel piggies called Zelie passed away. She was 3 years and 3 months old and we adopted her back in September 2021 (when she was about 6 months old) to let my guinea pig Moru (about 3 years and 11 months then) have a piggy friend.
Zelie was very healthy until Wednesday. Thursday she ate properly and she was normal, but she did not have as much energy as usual. Yesterday night we noticed that she has some water from her right nostril and though she ate some veg and hay, she was weak.
There normally Moru is not really put herself aginst Zelie (they were in each other's position and not really too near to each other), but she put her body besides Zelie's body, as if she was caring Zelie.
This morning too, I found Moru was there just right besides Zelie. Zelie went to the vet and Moru went there too, for Zelie's sake.
Around 1:30pm to 2:30 pm (12:30 to 1:30pm), I gave Zelie Critical care as well as some drag that the vet prescribed. There Moru stayed in her cage.
Then I put Zelie dans le cage (which I regretted, but I had to cook...) and Moru immediately came besides Zelie. I sometimes looked at Zelie and she was breathing heavily but was alive. Moru was right there with Zelie.
Then around 3:10 pm(2:10pm GMT) Moru came out from her 'hiding' where she was with Zelie and drank some water. And then we found Zelie had passed away.
My daughter and I hugged Zelie, and we put Zelie back into the cage around 3:45 pm(2:45 pm GMT).
Moru stayed with Zelie for some time and then she started to cry ( It is I think due to the inflammation that Moru suffers) around 4:30pm (3:30pmGMT). I went there and Moru was no longer besides Zelie.
My daughter insists that Moru has understood what happened and Moru said goodbye to Zelie. So she says that there is no need to leave Zelie in the cage and better to put the body somewhere safe, before Moru damages Zelie's body.
Given this situation, it seems Moru really understands her fellow's soul is no longer there. Since 4:30pm (3:30pm GMT) I put Zelie in a carriage case and I cleaned her body and Moru stays in her cage. Moru seems to drink and eat as usual now.
I do not know if we gave Moru enough time to say goodbye. It is only for one hour after Zelie passed away. We can still put back Zelie in the cage...
I know it depends each guinea pig and also each situation, but I would be most grateful if you could share me your experience, or if you could give me some advice.
Besides,
Zelie was really really kindest, most beautiful and most intelligent piggy... It was so sudden my daughter and I cannot stop crying. It is so sad but one good thing was that Zelie did not suffer longtime and until the last moment we could show our love and let Moru there for the last moment...(Zelie is the white with a beige face and Moru brown/black)
