I Have A Difficult Question Regarding Death Of A Piggy

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Clair

Clair

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I have never had to deal with the death of a pet before and don't know what to do. Sadly a baby guinea pig died yesterday, at the moment her body is in a shoe box sealed up in an empty hutch. Please forgive me for asking, but what do other people do when their loved guinea passes away?

When I was a child dead pets were buried in the garden. I am not living in my forever house and my husband plans to landscape the garden and we hope to sell next year, so I don't think burying her in the garden is in option.

I am so sorry to ask this question, it's a difficult subject, no one likes to think of their loved pets passing on, but I am not sure of the right thing to do. Thank you in advance to anyone who is able to offer any suggestions.
 
Hiya.

I am So sorry. X

I like you am not in my forever house either. All mine are individually cremated and I have stipulated in my will that their ashes are scattered with mine. They Are all in lovely caskets in my bedroom (a few to a casket). Somehow it helps.
 
So sorry for your loss, Your vet may be able to offer a cremation service for you...

Grow big and strong over the bridge little one... xx
 
One has to accept that there will be fatalities if one decides to breed their guinea pigs! And one has to take responsibility for one's actions!
 
I have mine cremated and they live on my shelf in my bedroom with a cross an an angel that watches over them as well as their photos.
 
Guinea-pigGaga said:
One has to accept that there will be fatalities if one decides to breed their guinea pigs! And one has to take responsibility for one's actions!
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I didn't see where she stated she bred guinea pigs?!?

Never mind I found the thread. But I didn't read that it was an intentional breeding.

I'm so sorry for the loss.
Was it the lethal that died? :(

Angela
 
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If you don't want to/can't do a home burial, the other option is cremation. There are two options for cremation - a "routine" cremation where they scatter the ashes for you and you don't receive anything back, or a "private" cremation, where your pet is individually cremated, and the ashes returned to you,neither in a scatter box for you to scatter/bury the ashes somewhere yourself, or in a casket or urn for you to keep. Wooden caskets usually come with a metal plaque with their name engraved, and casket/urn design options vary with each individual crematorium.

Speak to your local vet, they will be able to advise you further - they will have a crematorium that they use and could arrange a cremation for you, and may be able to direct you to other local pet crematorium facilitates in your area.

There is a cost involved; a private cremation costs more than a routine cremation due to the amount of work involved cleaning everything etc. prior to cremation to ensure that it is only your pets ashes that are returned to you.
 
I have my memories and photos, I always leave my pets with the vet for cremation, I never bring them home. I have a file on my computer with hundreds of photos of all my pets past and present. ;)
 
I think we are in our forever home, unless we would move to Florida. We burry ours in the garden and make rock headstones with their names on them ( also so I know where NOT to dig when gardening) Thankfully there aren't many of these.

Angela
 
Blacky, my first home breed wiggy, who lived to the grand old age of 8 yrs is buried in my back garden, I am luck enough to own my own house, and after the trauma of buying it, 30 years ago, I have no intention of ever moving. Don't have any ashes for any of my others. But, it is their little wiggy spirits that live on I'm my heart.
 
I have always buried mine but you could always cremate piggy and either keep her remains in a urn or scatter them somewhere that she loved to go or that was special to you and to you nay Sayers she was only asking about what to do with her babies remains she never asked why did my pig die so keep your stupid answers to yourself.
I'm very sorry for the loss of your sweetheart.
 
I always go for private cremation. We are in a flat so no garden. Sad to say I have about 30 little boxes.
 
@Clair I'm so sorry for your loss. I know some people that for one reason or another cannot use their garden, so they bury their piggy or pet in a planter/patio pot with a nice plant/bush. The piggy will always be able to move with you. My OH brought her dog, Scofie, with her from Plymouth in a planter with a Camellia in it. Scofie was cremated but piggies are small enough to bury if you can't arrange a cremation. There are so many ceramic planters etc to be found at garden centers that will suit the purpose.
 
Thank you for all your comments, it's lovely to hear what other people do to remember their special little piggies. I will look into a cremation at the vets but I like the idea of using a planter and taking it with us where ever we go. @KittyandNancy, yes sadly our little lethal guinea pig Angel that passed away. The children were really attached to her and I would like to do something special.
 
Clair said:
Thank you for all your comments, it's lovely to hear what other people do to remember their special little piggies. I will look into a cremation at the vets but I like the idea of using a planter and taking it with us where ever we go. @KittyandNancy, yes sadly our little lethal guinea pig Angel that passed away. The children were really attached to her and I would like to do something special.
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Awwww I'm so sorry to hear that, it sounded like she was doing okay in the other thread. What was it that happened?
 
Dindypig said:
@Clair I'm so sorry for your loss. I know some people that for one reason or another cannot use their garden, so they bury their piggy or pet in a planter/patio pot with a nice plant/bush. The piggy will always be able to move with you. My OH brought her dog, Scofie, with her from Plymouth in a planter with a Camellia in it. Scofie was cremated but piggies are small enough to bury if you can't arrange a cremation. There are so many ceramic planters etc to be found at garden centers that will suit the purpose.
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I have never heard of this! Can't you smell them? Planters aren't that deep. I wish we would have done this for my daughters gerbil now :(. I guess if we ever moved we could dig up his wood coffin and do this idea. But it might feel wrong to dig him up.
 
KittyandNancy said:
I didn't see where she stated she bred guinea pigs?!?

Never mind I found the thread. But I didn't read that it was an intentional breeding.

I'm so sorry for the loss.
Was it the lethal that died? :(

Angela
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Clair has actually had four intentionally bred litters this month:

Willow (Golden Agouti, Golden & White) = 2 Pups (08/08/2014)

Lilly (Cream & White) = 5 Pups (12/08/2014)

Pebble (Black/Chocolate & White. . . Primarily White with Black/Chocolate Eye Patch - Classic Hidden Dalmatian/Roan) = 3 Pups (20/08/2014) - 2 x Lethal Pups

Hazelnut (Black & Gold) = 3 Pups (25/08/2014)

All sired by Peanut (DE Golden Dalmatian), who, as we all know, is tragically no longer with us!

However, as Clair failed to separate Peanut from Willow, or vice versa, or as the pair were reintroduced shortly after Willow gave birth etc, it is quite possible that Willow will experience a 'Back-to-Back Pregnancy'!

Willow = Due 06/10/2014-20/10/2014?!

Will Lilly, Pebble, and/or Hazelnut experience a 'Back-to-Back Pregnancy'?!
 
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Guinea-pigGaga said:
Clair has actually had four intentionally bred litters this month:

Willow (Golden Agouti, Golden & White) = 2 Pups (08/08/2014)

Lilly (Cream & White) = 5 Pups (12/08/2014)

Pebble (Black/Chocolate & White. . . Primarily White with Black/Chocolate Eye Patch - Classic Hidden Dalmatian/Roan) = 3 Pups (20/08/2014) - 2 x Lethal Pups

Hazelnut (Black & Gold) = 3 Pups (25/08/2014)

All sired by Peanut (DE Golden Dalmatian), who, as we all know, is tragically no longer with us!

However, as Clair failed to separate Peanut from Willow, or vice versa, or as the pair were reintroduced shortly after Willow gave birth etc, it is quite possible that Willow will experience a 'Back-to-Back Pregnancy'!

Willow = Due 06/10/2014-20/10/2014?!

Will Lilly, Pebble, and/or Hazelnut experience a 'Back-to-Back Pregnancy'?!
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OH WOW! I had no idea! I'm sorry about peanut. But hopefully this will be the end of the breeding. I hope none of the boy babies breed with their sisters or mom.

Staying out of this thread now.

Angela
 
BossHogg said:
I can appreciate its an emotive subject, lets keep the topic civil please. ;)
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:agr:

The OP has no doubt been told the forum's stance on breeding already, lets not keep dredging it up, especially on a sensitive post like this.

As to non burial cremation I am in the flower pot camp - we got a lovely hardy but pretty azalea (though we had Cash cremated and then put his ashes at the bottom of the pot).
 
The stance of Clair is known to the mods and she has been made aware of the forum rules.

In this forum, we do our best not to hold anybody's actions before coming onto the forum against them; our aim is to educate and support, not to point fingers.

@Clair: I have done all of the above, buried piggies in the garden, cremation with sprinkling of ashes in the garden and burying in a larger flower pot or planter (ideally using ericaceous/acid compost to aid decomposition). It doesn't smell.
 
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Not sure, but I think it was something internal. She just got weaker and weaker and started to feel cold when we cuddled her. Initially she perked up when we were feeding her and then she just went downhill. It makes me sad to think about cuddling her that last night, she kept nestling into my neck so it was like skin on skin contact with a little baby, if that makes sense. I just wish I could have done more for her. :(
 
Clair said:
Not sure, but I think it was something internal. She just got weaker and weaker and started to feel cold when we cuddled her. Initially she perked up when we were feeding her and then she just went downhill. It makes me sad to think about cuddling her that last night, she kept nestling into my neck so it was like skin on skin contact with a little baby, if that makes sense. I just wish I could have done more for her. :(
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Awww that must have been so hard :(. But at least she knew she was loved and had that contact and snuggle time before she went over the bridge.

I am really liking this flowerpot idea. I can't believe I had never heard of it before.

So sorry. Peanut was so handsome. I hate to think of what happened to him. I hope the rest of them will be safe.

Angela
 
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