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Introductions Grieving Piggy and other problems please help

daisyerikabeau

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Hi there
So there's going to be a lot going on in this post, please read as I need help.

Until today I had a guinea pig (Daisy) and a skinny pig (Erika) who were bonded best friends. My skinny pig was a year old when I got her and traumatized (I'm not sure what went on in the first year but she would NEVER leave her hut). So I got her Daisy, they became best friends and Daisy really helped bring Erika out of her shell. Daisy was also a rescue, very underweight and had had her ears chewed off before I got her.
Today I came in to the room their cage is in (5'X3') and found Daisy dead. She was only two but got her head stuck in her grid cage. I only just saw the post about how the c&c cages need to be a minimum of 9X9. If I had known before I NEVER would have left them in it. I'm heading to home depot to get building supplies for a new cage for Erika today.
I'm completely heartbroken and I feel awful for not knowing about the grids, I'm trying to focus on Erika. Which is where my question comes in.

She's reverted quite a bit to being afraid and hiding today. She won't come out and see me or make her usual piggy sounds. She's made so much progress with Daisy and I don't want her to be lonely. I don't feel anywhere near ready for another guinea pig and I feel completely incompetent, I honestly don't know if I deserve another lil pig, but I want to know and do what's best for Erika.
Does she need time? Is it best for her to have a new mate?
She's two and a half now.
Any suggestions on non c&c cages? I just don't know if I can trust them, even the 9x9
I'm so sorry Daisy
 

daisyerikabeau

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If anybody has any suggestions please let me know I'm rather desperate.
 

bpatters

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I'm so sorry you lost Daisy. But please don't beat yourself up. You didn't deliberately harm her, or do so by neglecting her. Accidents happen, and you'll know never to make that one again.

The 9x9 grids are safe, unless you've got small pups, which you don't. But even in that case, people use those grids -- they just enclose the sides with coroplast or cardboard until the pups are too large to get trapped.

I'd say definitely go ahead and get another guinea pig. You may not be quite ready, but Erika is. They're herd animals, and do much better with a friend. If there's a rescue near you, they'll probably let you bring Erika in and let her pick out her own new buddy.
 

lisa325

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I'm so very sorry for your tragic loss :sad:
 

merryguinea

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I'm so sorry. Hugs
 

LittleSqueakers

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I'm so very sorry for your tragic loss. Several years back, I had a pig who became unexpectedly ill and died over a weekend before I could find an exotic vet to help him. I also felt guilty, thinking that if I had only found an exotic vet before I needed one or if I had been more experienced I might have noticed the signs of illness earlier. I know how you feel, but I agree with spy9doc and bpatters. You can't blame yourself for making an honest mistake. That's the way pets work: you do the best you can, you make mistakes while you gain experience, you learn from those mistakes, and you do better with the ones that come after.

I sincerely hope you are able to find Erika a new friend soon, as it sounds like she is lonely and does need another pig to help her feel safe and secure. I know that no new pig will take Daisy's place in your heart, but Erika needs you to do what's best for her right now, even if it's not quite the right time for you. You sound like you genuinely care about your pets, so I know you'll do right by them. And take courage; you'll do better this time, I know it.
 

daisyerikabeau

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IMG_3870.jpgThank you for all your messages and help. I'm looking into getting her a friend.
Do you think it's best to get her a friend her age or a baby?

I'll try to upload a picture of Erika in her new hammock
(I may not have mentioned Erika is a skinny pig!)
 

bpatters

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The age doesn't matter.
 
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