missuscluck Posted January 18, 2012 Share Posted January 18, 2012 We lost our Rosie Pig this morning. She has been a little miracle as she has had numerous tumours for about 18 months which the vet considered to be inoperable. She has been having check ups every 3 months and we never expected her to live this long. she has done so well but it was her time and she passed away during the night looking like she just went to sleep. She was 5 years old. My problem is her hutch mate, Summer who is 3, is now on her own. The Gunieas belong to my daughter who is now 14 and no longer really wants to keep Piggies. Summer was a replacement pig to keep Rosie company when we lost the one we got alongside her. I know Gunieas dont like to be alone but I dont want to get another as it will probably outlive Summer and on we go add infinitum. I dont know what to do. She is a shy piggie as Rosie was very definatly the boss. Should I rehome her or should I leave her be. Will she be ok on her own? I would also worry that as she is 3 and set in her ways how she would adjust to a new home and hew friends. Another idea I wondered was to bring her indoors. She is outside in the summer in a hutch and we bring the hutch into the garage in the winter. Any advice gratefully recived. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
suzannejoy Posted January 19, 2012 Share Posted January 19, 2012 So sorry to hear of rosie passing its always so sad . Id personally bring her friend indoors or look as the possilbility of rehoming her . Piggies can go downhill rapidly and she will become lonely .Shame I dont live closer as I could have seen how she got on with my four ladies . If your going to rehome do make sure she gets along with her new friends before leaving her . Hope this is of use to you . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
clucker1 Posted January 19, 2012 Share Posted January 19, 2012 Our guinea pigs died at the age of 5 within 6 weeks of each other. They were sisters. After the first one died, the other guinea pig moved well and truly in with our rabbit 24/7 and they were very good mates together. (Previously they had just been together in the day.) Our bunny looked after the guinea pig in a very maternal way. However, to be fair, I think both guinea pigs days were numbered as they were both 5+ years and lived a non cosseted life style (ie not indoors except in extreme weather) and had done lots of running around outside which they loved. One guinea pig had a stroke and the other a heart attack. If it was me, I think I would try and rehome or like the previous post said bring her inside, but it all depends on how much attention you want to give her. And can you replace the attention another guinea pig would give?? What about any petting farms, would they be able to give your guinea pig a home...then you could go and see her/him. We now have 2 bunnies who are in LOVE together and I do wonder what we will do when one of them goes into the fluffy clouds. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
missuscluck Posted January 20, 2012 Author Share Posted January 20, 2012 Thankyou for the replies. I was sort of hoping someone might say they had single GP's and they were fine but I just feel more awful for her as the days go on. I am looking into rehoming her. I would love to keep her but I want what's best for her not what's best for me. I dont think rehoming is going to be an easy road. I cant think of anyone I know who keeps GP's so we are doing lots of asking about at the moment. I dont want her to go to rescue centre. I think this weekend I will be getting her an indoor cage so she can come in with us. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pagesguineas Posted January 25, 2012 Share Posted January 25, 2012 I would definitely rehome her if you can't get her a friend. I actually would see it as cruel to keep a bunny or guinea pig alone (and being alone I mean without a member of the same species keeping them company) for any length of time, obviously in your case it is temporary. I am in a similar situation in one of my beloved bonded pair of bunnies unexpectedly died before Xmas so Sweep has been alone for about a month now while we have been contacting rescue centres to find a new partner. He is now going off for bonding the week after next. Also, if I ever had to rehome an animal I would much prefer to take it to a good rescue centre. If you rehome yourselves you are unlikely to do homevisits etc and you don't really know where Summer would be going to and how she will be kept. A good rehoming centre will make sure Summer goes to a really good home by doing homevisits and vet checks on potential owners so you know they will end up in a really good home. It saddens me how many 'free to a good home' or 'bunny/piggy for a 5er' ads are on preloved/gumtree as you have to think to yourself, how many of those people will fully check the new home I am currently in the process of adopting a rescue bunny and the checks they do are quite invasive sometimes which can put people off but personally I think it's great that they do as they don't know you from adam and you might just want a bit of snake food/hunting dog bait (or, dare I say it, dinner ). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
missuscluck Posted January 27, 2012 Author Share Posted January 27, 2012 Thankyou for your advice. The thing that worried me about sending her to a GP rescue was really that Im sure they are snowed under with unwanted GP's. Im sure that they would rehome her in a good home. I have a rescue cat so Im aware of the procedure you have to go through and that its very thorough. After about 4 days of greiving she seems to have really turned a corner. She seemed in total shut down for a few days then has gone right back to normal. She is a quiet, gentle piggie in nature and loves a cuddle so we have been doing all we can to help her through. We have got her an indoor cage. She is now put outside during the day and brought indoors when I get home from work. The outdoors cage has had its centre section removed to give her lots of run space and we have bought her a small pod to hide in and put her play tube and other bits to keep her busy. She loves being outdoors and putting her out seems to have cheered her up no end. We usualy have the hutch in the garage overwinter because of the cold nights but as she comes in at night now its not an issue. The indoor cage is in the lounge on a chest of draws so she can see whats going on. She sits on my knee in the evening for a spot of telly watching She has always been quite friendly with the dog and now seems to be enjoying teasing the cat from the saftey of her cage. The cat sits and watches her intently from the back of the sofa whilst she stares back, paws up at the bars. I feel Im living in a Tom and Jerry cartoon. Im happy enough that she is back to her normal self and although not an ideal situation will see how things go. I have had a couple of offers of lonley bunnies but no lonley GP's as yet. If nothing turns up and she seems miserable Ill have to investigate the rescue route. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pagesguineas Posted January 27, 2012 Share Posted January 27, 2012 Ooh, bringing her in and out is definitely not good for her in this weather, the change of temperature will most likely cause her respiratory issues and she may moult her winter coat only to be put back outside in the cold with no piggy to keep her warm..... I keep my piggies inside (I have a trio) and I have a daytime run for them which is a load of c and c storage cubes cable tied together and a large fleece on the floor. My day run is about 5x3 ft and joins onto the front of their pen. Perhaps you could do something like this? If you have a cat you could just lock the cat out of that room in the day? I don't mean to criticise at all but putting her inside and out is really far from ideal in the cold weather... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
missuscluck Posted January 27, 2012 Author Share Posted January 27, 2012 Thankyou for your advice, I had not thought bringing her in at night may make her moult. She has always been an outdoors piggie although the hutch is in the garage overwinter it is still cold. We put a blanket over the hutch at night. I think people do successfully keep piggies outdoors. A friend of mine always put hers in at night and out everyday come what may and has had a piggie live till 8 years old. She loves being outdoors and seems to thrive on it, comming in at night is a new thing and more so she can have company. I will be keeping her in when the weather is extremely cold. I guess it's whatever suits. Still haven't said no to rehoming and will keep a close eye on how she is. I will certainly keep an eye on her coat. I'm more than happy with the situation at the moment. Wind back a week ago I thought she might well starve herself to death she was so miserable so one week on the transformation is fantastic. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Egluntyne Posted January 27, 2012 Share Posted January 27, 2012 Lovely to hear that she seems to have turned a corner. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
clucker1 Posted January 27, 2012 Share Posted January 27, 2012 Sounds as if you are both doing really well. Well done, it must be a relief. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
missuscluck Posted January 27, 2012 Author Share Posted January 27, 2012 Thankyou. It is. I have been beside myself with worry. It's good to see her back to her normal old self. The cucumber in the fridge is disappearing again Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kazmac Posted January 30, 2012 Share Posted January 30, 2012 Can I ask why you're thinking of rehoming her? Is it just because you don't want her to be on her own? Personally, I'd keep her as you are at the moment. She's inside and seems to be improving with lots of attention. Sometimes guinea pigs do end up living alone and are fine. Of course they're gregarious and do essentially need the company of other piggies, but once they're getting a bit elderly and lose cage mates, they do end up alone. I have several who live alone and they're fine (I previously bred and showed). I wouldn't rehome her just because you're worried about her being lonely - it would stress her lots. And guinea pigs are stressheads anyway. I also agree with what's been said above about putting her in and out with extreme changes in temperature. Piggies don't cope too well with the cold, despite popular myths about them being 'outdoor' animals. They should always be moved indoors in the colder weather - either into the house or into a heated shed. And constant changes of temperature and environment will cause unnecessary stress and lead to more ill health and probably also an outbreak of mites which can end up being fatal. I'm really not trying to criticise here, merely offer some advice and hopefully reassurance. If she's settling now that she's indoors and thriving on the attention you're giving her, then I'd say just carry on. She'll be fine Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
missuscluck Posted January 30, 2012 Author Share Posted January 30, 2012 Thankyou for the advice. I have been keeping her in as it's gone blummin cold here over the last week. I'll start putting her out again when the weather gets better. She seems to have settled into indoor living and looks happy and healthy. I'm still really pleased with her progress and she seems her normal self. I was trying to look at rehoming without getting emotional about it on my part. Obviously I want to keep her and was only looking at rehoming so she wouldn't be lonely. I feel better about her being alone now people have told me they have had lone pigs. Although not ideal it does seem a stresful situation for a quiet and generally shy piggie to be put in a new home with new pigs. I'll just keep on cuddling her and feeding her cucumber for now Have also taken teabag's advice from another posting and have moved her outdoor quarters within viewing distance of the chickens so she has some 'hentertainment' from them when she is out. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kazmac Posted January 30, 2012 Share Posted January 30, 2012 Ah, that's good. Sounds like she's doing fine. And I'm sure some 'hentertainment' in the better weather will do her the world of good! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Millie-Annie Posted February 6, 2012 Share Posted February 6, 2012 It does sound like she is fine and happy as she is and some piggies do live alone. I replaced my Meg immediately, but Matilida has never really liked her replacement and I think she would love to be an indoor piggie and have all my attention. I would love it too, but my other half won't contemplate it. However, please either keep her in or out. Guineas do not have the methods of regulating their temperature and in fact excess heat is worse for them than the cold. My two live out all year round, with loads of hay, an insulated cover and perspex fronts on the hutch. If she is living indoors then make sure she isn't anywhere too warm, but honestly moving them in and out is really bad for them. Well done on making her happy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
missuscluck Posted September 1, 2012 Author Share Posted September 1, 2012 Just a quick piggie update. She is doing so well and is loving being an indoors pig. She is still living in the Lounge and has become an avid TV watcher. Every time someone chops something in the kitchen she squeals so loud we have to give her some of any fruit or veg we are chopping and she can count up to 4 now as every evening when we go to bed she has 4 white chocolate buttons. She knows exactly how many 4 is! She gets such a lot of fuss and she is a different Pig, she was always the quiet shy one when she was with the group. Not any more! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
coppers Posted September 3, 2012 Share Posted September 3, 2012 What a lovely, happy outcome. Really pleasing to hear it has all turned out so well xx Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zakjon-98 Posted September 3, 2012 Share Posted September 3, 2012 Glad she is doing well I love the noises that guineas make Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
charly1979 Posted September 11, 2012 Share Posted September 11, 2012 Just read this glad she is doing well. We lost both our boys earlier this year, Piglet went first (think it was old age) I was advised to put a cuddly toy in with Roo, which he seemed to like always found it here there and everywhere, but he wasnt a happy piggy he wouldnt eat etc pretty sure he was greiving, he did become more chatty and appreciated cuddles more but 6 weeks after losing Piglet we lost him too I did take him to the vets after losing Piglet and was told he was in fine. Really wish I had thought to bring him indoors, I suppose as I was told that you should kep them indoors or out and never mix i didnt think it was an option (was told not to mix as gp's are very vunerable to slight change in temperature) Really miss both the boys and their funny ways Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
