Lily.

[Lauren B]

Hi everyone.
Just thought I'd let you know that Lily has just gone to the vets this morning to be put down. She went for a checkup yesterday after we recently found out that she had cysts and the vet felt something which was concerning, that wasn't a cyst. She said her health had deteriorated since she last saw her and her mood had changed. The options were either to operate, or to put her down. The operation would be risky, and it was not guaranteed she would pull through, and the recovery would be slow, and painful. As she is an older guineapig, we decided the kindest thing to do that would cause her the least suffering would be to put her down.
I miss her so much already but I guess it was the right thing.?

 

[weepweeps]

I’m so sorry you have had to make this hard, but kind, decision. She had a wonderful happy life with you. I’m sure it was the right decision because you made it with Lily’s best interest at the heart of it. Take care

 

[Claire W]

I’m so sorry for the difficult decision that you have had to make but you have made it out of love which is the last act of kindness we can give (((hugs))) x

 

[Bill & Ted]

I’m so sorry you had to let Lily go off to Rainbow Bridge, but it’s made out of love and kindness to her, sending hugs, It’s heartbreaking isn’t it x
Sleep tight beautiful girl

 

[Lauren B]

Hi. A new guineapig was recently acquired to live alongside Ginger Biscuit, who was Lily's companion before she died. She is called Oreo and is a rather sweet, sociable, little piggy. Unfortunately Biscuit doesn't seem to get on very well with her, rumbling every time she goes near, chasing her around the guineapig run and occasionally giving her a nip. They get along really well when we put them outside, Biscuit doesn't show any threatening behaviour and it's lovely to watch them eating grass together.

As they are indoor guineapigs, we would ideally like them to get on inside, as well as outside, but we are not too sure how we should approach it. I'm really worried Oreo is going to get hurt someday, she's a lot smaller than Biscuit.
Do you have any tips, or ideas we could try that have perhaps worked for you, or other people in the past?

 

[Julie M]

I think the rumbling and chasing is normal for them until they establish a bond. I wouldn't worry.

 

[Piggies&buns]

Rumbling, chasing and nipping are all normal dominance behaviours and to be expected when piggies are bonding. It takes two weeks of them being permanently together to form a relationship

What you should not do is put the together outside and then separate them again inside as that is stressful for them. They either need to be permanently together and bonded or permanently apart

I would suggest you put them in neutral territory for several hours and leave them to form a relationship. If all goes well (ie no full on fights or clear failure in bonding), then clean down the cage they are to live in and leave them together from then on.

(Do not out Oreo directly into biscuit’s cage - all introductions must be in neutral territory - as that will be seen as a territory invasion)

Oreo will not get hurt by these behaviours

Bonding and Interaction: Illustrated social behaviours and bonding dynamics