My other pig Jimi died (most probably of URI) last night. This is very hard for us. I miss him and can't stop crying. But I know I have to be strong for my other pig. I'm sure she's sad too: they have always been a tandem, a team, best friends.
When Jimi gave his last breath (he leaned against a grid, one used in C&C cages), Mimi made a noise (a squeak that is higher than the usual) as if warning my mother about what was happening. So that she won't be stressed, we let her out of her side of the cage and let her walk on the floor. She walked and stopped beside Jimi. The grid separated them, but Mimi was trying to kiss/nuzzle Jimi through the grid. It's like she's saying "Jimi, still there?" Or may be she already knew, and she's just giving him a goodbye kiss/nuzzle. I don't know. But while we cried beside Jimi, Mimi was also beside him. She was just there, quiet and sitting beside Jimi. I felt I had to separated Mimi, because I'm scared she might catch Jimi's URI. But I also felt I should give her time to mourn, to say goodbye. After some time, we separated them: Mimi back in the cage, and Jimi in a shoebox filled with shavings, hay, pellets (and this morning when we buried him, we added jasmine flowers).
I'm quite sure Mimi is mourning/grieving just like us. She's lost a bit of her appetite. She still eats, but very minimal. But I'm also scared that she might have caught Jimi's URI. Although I read somewhere in this forum that URI's are notparticularly contagious in pigs. And vets would not necessarily separate a healthy pig from a pig with URI. Nonetheless, she seemed ok: walking around, nibbling the fleece blanket, nibbling some hay.
What do you think? Is my guinea pig mourning/grieving? Or is she sick?
When Jimi gave his last breath (he leaned against a grid, one used in C&C cages), Mimi made a noise (a squeak that is higher than the usual) as if warning my mother about what was happening. So that she won't be stressed, we let her out of her side of the cage and let her walk on the floor. She walked and stopped beside Jimi. The grid separated them, but Mimi was trying to kiss/nuzzle Jimi through the grid. It's like she's saying "Jimi, still there?" Or may be she already knew, and she's just giving him a goodbye kiss/nuzzle. I don't know. But while we cried beside Jimi, Mimi was also beside him. She was just there, quiet and sitting beside Jimi. I felt I had to separated Mimi, because I'm scared she might catch Jimi's URI. But I also felt I should give her time to mourn, to say goodbye. After some time, we separated them: Mimi back in the cage, and Jimi in a shoebox filled with shavings, hay, pellets (and this morning when we buried him, we added jasmine flowers).
I'm quite sure Mimi is mourning/grieving just like us. She's lost a bit of her appetite. She still eats, but very minimal. But I'm also scared that she might have caught Jimi's URI. Although I read somewhere in this forum that URI's are notparticularly contagious in pigs. And vets would not necessarily separate a healthy pig from a pig with URI. Nonetheless, she seemed ok: walking around, nibbling the fleece blanket, nibbling some hay.
What do you think? Is my guinea pig mourning/grieving? Or is she sick?