Lost one piggy

S

Sw75

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Last night, despite an emergency trip to the vet, an IV, painkillers and antibiotics, it wasn’t possible to save one of the children’s Guinea pigs. We are waiting to tell them after school, she was only 2.5 and it means we now have a 2.5 yo female on her own. What should we do? I know they don’t like to be left alone - should we introduce a baby, a 2yo and how soon should it be done? Any help or advice would be very welcome. Dreading telling the children later 😢
 
Sw75 said:
Last night, despite an emergency trip to the vet, an IV, painkillers and antibiotics, it wasn’t possible to save one of the children’s Guinea pigs. We are waiting to tell them after school, she was only 2.5 and it means we now have a 2.5 yo female on her own. What should we do? I know they don’t like to be left alone - should we introduce a baby, a 2yo and how soon should it be done? Any help or advice would be very welcome. Dreading telling the children later 😢
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Hi and welcome

I am so sorry for your loss.

Please bring the survivor indoors if they are in an outdoors hutch.
You can find lots of advice for the immediate and the medium term. Give your new girl some days to grieve herself. Please be aware that the lockdown in England will affect rescue dating and adoptions for a while but you can contact any rescues within your reach for afterwards; as well as the sale of pet shop and breeder piggies (which are classed as non-essential). You can look at both neutered boars or sows of any age. the crucial sticking point is mutual liking character compatibility - and that is never a given; not even with a baby. Unless your girl is not eating and drinking, you have usually several weeks' time to organise something, so please don't panic. allowing your girl to choose who they want to be with will make for a much happier bond. With a good welfare standard rescue (if you can get to one or more), you can also avoid neatly all the pitfalls that await the unwary when buying pet shop or online backyard breeder piggies. Please note that we can only guarantee for the rescues listed. Anybody in this country can call themselves a rescue or a breeder without licensing and control; the results can be accordingly and any shade between the two categories as well.

The time lapse will also hopefully help your children to get over the worst of the initial loss. You can find tips and resources for both yourself and your children in our grieving guide; it has a chapter dedicated to 'How do I tell my children?'

You can access all information, including bereaved companion care, recommended vetted rescue links and our human grieving guide via this link here. You will hopefully find the practical tips and the information very helpful: Death, Dying, Terminal Illness, Grieving and Bereaved Companions: Information and Support for Owners and Their Children

In addition you may find these guides here helpful:
New guinea pigs: Sexing, vet checks&customer rights, URI, ringworm and parasites
(what you need to look out for in piggies that do not come from a rescue with mandatory quarantine, vet care and a pregnancy watch; we have listed the most common pitfalls)
Enrichment Ideas for Guinea Pigs (ideas for what you and especially your children can do for your surviving piggy in the meantime)
 
So sorry you lost your one of your piggies x
Sleep tight little one 🌈
 
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