Loss of Cadbury

C

cortney

Junior Guinea Pig
Joined
Apr 5, 2023
Messages
51
Reaction score
89
Points
220
Location
canada
Hi there, In March of last year i had posted about Chai with abcess and lack of money and loss of one guinea pig there were still three. Chai recovered from Abcess and had a mystery lump which grew got poked bled and was cancerous he fought and surgery was not an option he was losing weight and hid his pain as they do but was getting ill and although painful to say good bye i did and felt horrible. The other two boys lived in own pens they would get snippy with one another Cadbury quite suddenly started to have issues and we were treating what seems like maybe eye infection he was seen by vet was lively running and even the next morning was lively but i got home and he died in my arms. so now Wicket who will be four on a gotcha day of october 11th likely was 8 weeks old when i got him he was so tiny, is alone. he is doing well and did get to say good bye to Cadbury which i am thankful for. Cadbury died literally day after his big brothers 1 year good by anniversary. So Wicket is eating, drinking doing all guinea pig things but i know he is lonely and he gets lots of attention but he is quiet hiding and i know they are social. Moneywise two were difficult i was always afraid of next vet bill and not asking for advice on loan guinea pig i know its not good. Options for adoption not great, shelter not an option for getting one, store has a lone male right now and i am ready to go get him but i fear i am acting out in my grief too. i got Wicket and Cadbury so they could be together not realizing the short time. i am just not sure if it is too soon for Wicket to get a new neighbour fact it boys don't always get along. Advice on bonding, am i crazy to get into this guinea pig cycle when i know money is so tight.....and giving him to someone is not an option and i can't surrender him i just can't....but so afraid he will die lonely because lone piggies don't do well and i would feel horrible

Sorry grief vent i just having hard time processing all this so any advice on timing to get a friend and bonding i know neutral ground i have a big hide which honestly wicket bonded right away with Severus who was daddy to him. i am just at a loss. and don't know what to do well do but so scared i get a baby and then something will happen to wicket and be back to one and afraid.
 
Hi I'm so sorry for what you have been through it is heartbreaking. I'm no expert at all but the advice on here always seems to be no lone guineas even if they have a side by side buddy. 💙💙
 
I am so sorry you lost Cadbury, take heart that he knew you loved him.

Do you feel ready to get another guinea pig? Wicket can wait as long as he is eating and doing normal piggies things. Weigh him every 2 or 3 days and keep a note to make sure that he is not losing weight. It usually takes up to a couple of weeks for them to grieve and then get on with life.
If you look at the bonding guides in the Guinea Pig Info section on the green bar you will find a really good bonding guide with all the information you need if you decide to go ahead with bonding
Would you be happy with this line pet shop boy living as a neighbour side by side next to Wicket if the bonding failed? have you got the space to do that. It’s absolutely fine for them to live as neighbours.
In the meantime give yourself space to grieve for Cadbury.

here is the link to bonding, bereavement and all sorts of other helpful info about boars too
Behaviour, Bonding & Bereavement Guides
 
I understand why you feel like you need to get the pet shop piggy as they are usually in pairs. I can only reiterate the advice above.
I'm sorry for your loss ❤️🌈
 
Bill & Ted said:
I am so sorry you lost Cadbury, take heart that he knew you loved him.

Do you feel ready to get another guinea pig? Wicket can wait as long as he is eating and doing normal piggies things. Weigh him every 2 or 3 days and keep a note to make sure that he is not losing weight. It usually takes up to a couple of weeks for them to grieve and then get on with life.
If you look at the bonding guides in the Guinea Pig Info section on the green bar you will find a really good bonding guide with all the information you need if you decide to go ahead with bonding
Would you be happy with this line pet shop boy living as a neighbour side by side next to Wicket if the bonding failed? have you got the space to do that. It’s absolutely fine for them to live as neighbours.
In the meantime give yourself space to grieve for Cadbury.

here is the link to bonding, bereavement and all sorts of other helpful info about boars too
Behaviour, Bonding & Bereavement Guides
Click to expand...
We had to move last year with the three guinea pigs! Me being mom gave may daughter who had been in an small room the biggest here in new place i went from an 1700 Sq Ft town house to a 1200 maybe basement apartment, had to let go of a lot of furniture, kitchen things and my bed room i am in in a 9x room had three cages one make shift and literally made it work. When Chai passed cadbury took over Chais cage after it was disinfected they were side by side. Only in past month did the boys with supervision be together and it seemed they loved Cadbury's pen. i was so happy thinking may they could have pens altered to be open to both and then this happened. So wicket was on his own for most of life the boys would fight. Cadbury was feisty and when Chai passed he loved time with Wicket. Although it was like an hour at first. So bonding fail it could work even though more clean up for me. Today wicket got up through night to eat and drink more and when he heard me in kitchen he wheeked for me he hadn't in the past week and two days so it made me happy. Issue is i can't get to pet store until tomorrow and a lone piggie would be best to get him i can really only get by with two. so hoping this little guy is still there. Am i ready no i haven't gotten Cadbury's Ashes back people think i am crazy to do that, but i feel they all need to come home. i got a card from vet yesterday with lovely messages and i cried my daughters saw the card and when i got upset wer mom go rest and watch wicket and see him. Wicket is a chonky boy 1440 went down 1424 when running with cadbury and he is holding. He has been having pen open lots of hides and was investigating last night and in living room with me, he just misses his brothers sounds i know that. Financially hard with two vet bill comes and i am scrambling so its difficult and my car needs fixing lol

I know i need time bonded pair would not work three boys never did four did with two each bonded, Cadbury hit teen and him and chai had to be seperated due to biting so i have had four to three to two now one and have a friend with skinny pigs she offered to bring one for play date if needed as she said her more docile one because he just loves anyone.

My daughters female cat sits on my bed or outside pen and i know she is a cat but she visit Wicket all time and would lay near his pen booping noses because he is black white and tan Absynian she honestly thinks he is her baby and comes running every time he wheeked to make sure he was ok. not to mention would eat hay he pushed out of pen to her. We say Wicket is her baby and never leave her alone with him. I woke yesterday to her laying outside pen near him with a look like go to sleep i got him he is ok guardian cat. i kicked her out but she then got on bed to be within a few feet of him

I have treats, lettuce veggies for wicket all day, obsessed counting poops making sure its above 50 he is pooping 100 times a day sometimes more. When i am not home have asked my youngest to go into my room while on her phone chatting so hes not alone she has mental illness and honestly a purpose during day helps so she is counting poops during day giving hugs and playing with him so he has attention for now.

I hope the piggie is available if not we will look for another the pet store said they really couldn't hold him for me as just in case i don't come they have had too many say hold be there and then people don't show. So i am still at a lost want to do whats best for him even though right now i am not ready feel like i am just replacing which feels horrible.

Thank you for the links. appreciate the comments
 
Aw, so sorry you have been though such a rough time lately. Please don’t think in any way you are replacing Cadbury, you are finding a new companion for Wicket. Wicket sounds like he is doing ok and getting over losing his friend so don’t panic.
Do read right through the bonding guides if you do decide to bond him with either the pet shop piggie or another one that comes along and make sure you have a completely free day where you don’t need to leave the house. Do keep to two boars only in one cage/pen, trios and foursomes rarely work out and are usually very unstable at best. I would not do play dates with your friends piggie unless you have decided that you would be keeping that piggie as a bond for Wicket or a side by side neighbour. It makes both piggies unsettled and every time they meet they have to go through all the bonding process again which can be very stressful for them.

Be very careful with your daughters cats, he may have an ulterior motive? Cats can look very friendly and interested towards small prey animals but sometimes they can turn

Do let us know how you get on, I hope if you do get this little piggie from the shop the bonding goes really well 🤞
 
Bill & Ted said:
Aw, so sorry you have been though such a rough time lately. Please don’t think in any way you are replacing Cadbury, you are finding a new companion for Wicket. Wicket sounds like he is doing ok and getting over losing his friend so don’t panic.
Do read right through the bonding guides if you do decide to bond him with either the pet shop piggie or another one that comes along and make sure you have a completely free day where you don’t need to leave the house. Do keep to two boars only in one cage/pen, trios and foursomes rarely work out and are usually very unstable at best. I would not do play dates with your friends piggie unless you have decided that you would be keeping that piggie as a bond for Wicket or a side by side neighbour. It makes both piggies unsettled and every time they meet they have to go through all the bonding process again which can be very stressful for them.

Be very careful with your daughters cats, he may have an ulterior motive? Cats can look very friendly and interested towards small prey animals but sometimes they can turn

Do let us know how you get on, I hope if you do get this little piggie from the shop the bonding goes really well 🤞
Click to expand...
Bellatrix is never alone with wicket so all good. my girls do not want me to get another piggie as costs and fact we are struggling and if we have to move again because you never know its a stress Wicket is doing well and i know that i just want to be sure i am ready to deal with bonding etc and make it work Rushing is never a good idea
 
cortney said:
Bellatrix is never alone with wicket so all good. my girls do not want me to get another piggie as costs and fact we are struggling and if we have to move again because you never know its a stress Wicket is doing well and i know that i just want to be sure i am ready to deal with bonding etc and make it work Rushing is never a good idea
Click to expand...
I agree, there’s no rush
 
Other question cadbury when he joined was like 8 weeks old i quarantined and didn't have a large pen for him and chai for like a week hadn't shipped ugh. Do i quarantine the new one if still available. When i called they said he was quite chubby and alone doing well and they have health checks he may be 3 months old. I know wicket is skittish anxious piggie always not sure why the others were so chill. And he is huge mind you Severus was when Wicket joined him and he would cuddle him under and honestly bonding was nothing. Severus went into Wickets box waited and when he came nuzzled him and then took him to hay and when in pen seemed to say ok kid here is food here is water and here is where we sleep wicket was by his side constantly. Until Severus got ill had to be seperated due to abcess leaking and sore he wanted nothing to do with the young one.
 
I would quarantine him for 2 weeks just to make sure he is healthy
 
Bill & Ted said:
I would quarantine him for 2 weeks just to make sure he is healthy
Click to expand...
Thank you appreciate your help i am still not sure i am ready and its a long drive to get him so with my luck get there and he will be gone if so then not meant to be
 
I went little guy was sold literally 20 minutes before i got there. i have been home today with slight cold, working from home wicket was none stop eating roaming around and he heard me in kitchen i got the loudest Wheek. he is now resting and seems totally fine! Anytime any of us steps away come back he runs over like hey you left me for long i was bud i was just here and yes wanting a treat so i just sprinkle a little extra hay on the big mound of hay for him. And that mound of hay we climb on it eat and then well we make a nest the heck with hide lol
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top