General Guinea pig death

[gagaluver4ever]

Hi, I recently got 2 guinea pigs, cookie and fluffy but a few minutes ago cookie ran under our deck (which is maybe 3m x 4m) so we can't see him. Will he die? My dad is so uncompassionate and said that he's worried about it smelling if it dies.

If it does die, how fast will it decompose and will it smell? And my other piggy, Fluffy, should we get her another companion? But dad doesn't want to get her another one. He's still worried about cookie smelling.

Cookie was my 3 year old brothers, he won't stop crying...

 

[DalesLass]

Good lord....the animal has only just gone under your deck and you have assumed it will die.

He will only die if he has no food / water or if he gets killed by a predator. You need to catch him before that happens!

There are all sorts of tricks for catching them – including setting several cardboard boxes (on their sides, full of hay and veggies) around the edge of the deck and wait until the pig goes in one – basically you have got to make your ‘traps’ more appealing to the pig than his new shelter under the deck.

It depends on the construction of the deck – but is there some way that you can slide a plank of wood (too high for the pig to jump over) from one side if the deck to the other so that you can either encourage him to move forward towards your ‘traps’ ....or at least know that he is contained in one area under the deck.

If you can put his friend in a cage next to the deck (that it can’t escape from) it may encourage the lost one to come out if they can see each other.

 

[gagaluver4ever]

Good lord....the animal has only just gone under your deck and you have assumed it will die.

He will only die if he has no food / water or if he gets killed by a predator. You need to catch him before that happens!

There are all sorts of tricks for catching them – including setting several cardboard boxes (on their sides, full of hay and veggies) around the edge of the deck and wait until the pig goes in one – basically you have got to make your ‘traps’ more appealing to the pig than his new shelter under the deck.

It depends on the construction of the deck – but is there some way that you can slide a plank of wood (too high for the pig to jump over) from one side if the deck to the other so that you can either encourage him to move forward towards your ‘traps’ ....or at least know that he is contained in one area under the deck.

If you can put his friend in a cage next to the deck (that it can’t escape from) it may encourage the lost one to come out if they can see each other.

We have fence on both sides of the deck (concrete) and in the front there's a little grass patch (it was eating grass) and I can't see under. Its new so it doesn't really like me much, oh man..it's gonna die isn't it?

 

[GizzyandMe]

oh man..it's gonna die isn't it?

With that attitude YES it will. Get yourself in gear and do something to save him. Why was the piggy outside without protection to begin with?

Follow the advice of Daleslass, set some traps, bring the other one out in a closed cage and do your best to save the little piggy.

You are already talking about getting a new friend when you have a scared helpless piggy trapped under your deck due to pure and utter negligence!

SAVE COOKIE!

 

[Cogni]

Get moving and do what DalesLass said. SOLVE the problem, don't cry about it, and do it quickly. You have every chance of saving the piggie, just get some boxes with hay and veggies and just quietly wait. Don't scare the piggie by making noise and moving around, or it won't come out.

 

[brindyzoeycandy]

Why was the piggy outside without protection to begin with?

That's what I'm wondering too.

You really need to stop talking about your piggy dying, you need to stop talking about getting your other one a new companion, and you need to MAKE sure he gets out. You need to stop worrying about decomposing and smell and GET HIM OUT OF THERE.

 

[lissie]

Did you find him? Any updates?

 

[gagaluver4ever]

Haven't found him yet, he's probs in the back near the fence where it's darkest cause it's new and scared of me.

For those who were wondering if it was outside without protection, I had it on a leash. (A store bought Guinea Pig specific leash) But my 3 year old brother had it (cause it's his) and it ran under, cause there was this tiny hole that none of us noticed.

It dragged the leash under too, my brother got scared and let go

 

[Paula]

Another shining example of why guinea pigs and other small pets are NOT suitable pets for children.

Please, coax the frightened animal out from under the deck with veggies or hay, catch him, and then keep him safe.

And, as a sidenote, the leashes are potentially harmful to guinea pigs.

If you want to allow him to have outside play time, you'll need to find a different containment system. There are plenty of examples in the galleries.

 

[my<3goes2pigs]

You never want to use those leashes. Piggies can really hurt themselves with those. When I got my first piggy, my parents gave me a leash. He hated it. He'd pull his front legs inside of it so he couldn't walk. We got rid of it immediately. I hope you'll be able to get you lr pig out.

 

[Sirene]

Can you take up some of the boards of the deck and try and coax him out? If you put a sheet or something at the front so it covers the hole /entrance where he got in, and pull up the boards nearest to where he is (this should be easy to do, but you are probably going to need parental help/cooperation), he should run towards the sheet and get trapped in it. You should then be able to catch him, especially if he still has a leash on. Please do this as QUIETLY and carefully as you can, with no yelling or grabbing or throwing yourself on the guinea pig. If he still has a leash on, you will need to catch him or he could get trapped/strangled/seriously hurt by it.

If you cannot do this yourself or with your parents' help, please call in a neighbor, the local police or fire department, or an animal rescue organization to help you.

 

[Stacy123]

I agree with Sirene. If you can't do this alone or with your parent's help, please call in a neighbor, the police, the fire department or an animal rescue. This little guinea pig is scared and vulnerable. He's a living creature. You are obligated to do everything you can to help him. Going forward, please take the time to learn everything you can about how to properly care for a guinea pig. It is part of being a responsible pet owner and these piggies deserve a healthy/happy life.

 

[louie_joey]

You need to do everything you can to get this poor baby out. Try tempting him out with some veggies and his friend (make sure he is contained so you don't have 2 lost piggies) and wait for a bit. Hopefully he will come out. If that doesn't work you need to lift up some boards and grab him! If you cannot get the help of your family, seek help from neighours, animal rescue (they are there to help you with that kind of stuff!) and do whatever you can. You NEED to get him out tonight. If you don't then yes, he will most likely be dead come morning.


Should you see the end of the leash, do not drag the pig out by the end of the leash, it could be harmful. You need to be able to scoop him out and make sure he is not stuck anywhere that would make pulling on his back cause him pain.

Please think about your actions next time. Putting the responsibility of making sure a pig is safe outside into the hands of a 3 y/o isn't the best idea. No matter what your brother's intentions are, he cannot possibly ensure the safety of the pig at that age!

Also please get rid of the leash. It is very harmful to the guinea pigs.

Good luck, I hope you can get him out safely!

 

[Stacy123]

Any updates??? I hope you got him out safely!

 

[gagaluver4ever]

Can you take up some of the boards of the deck and try and coax him out? If you put a sheet or something at the front so it covers the hole /entrance where he got in, and pull up the boards nearest to where he is (this should be easy to do, but you are probably going to need parental help/cooperation), he should run towards the sheet and get trapped in it. You should then be able to catch him, especially if he still has a leash on. Please do this as QUIETLY and carefully as you can, with no yelling or grabbing or throwing yourself on the guinea pig. If he still has a leash on, you will need to catch him or he could get trapped/strangled/seriously hurt by it.

If you cannot do this yourself or with your parents' help, please call in a neighbor, the local police or fire department, or an animal rescue organization to help you.

I can't really pull the deck boards up, their nail gunned down. And my parents would kill me cause they paid like $3000 for the deck :|

Its leash isn't on cause i reached in their this morning and found it but no piggy. :|


Update (for everyone else)

Uh it's been a night but unfortunately it was raining last night Hopefully he survives tonight cause I just put his friend out there in their cage, ( i put a cage inside a cage).
Like his friend is in a carry cage inside our large cage, and our large cage's door is open but the carry cages isn't.

Hopefully he climbs in to the large cage. I also tipped a bag of guinea pig treats into the large cage. Maybe he'll climb in and stay in there, fall asleep or something and tomorrow morning I'll find him sleeping inside the large cage, with all the piggy snacks gone.

 

[rabbitsncavyluv]

Just hoping is not really going to help.

$3 or $3000 or $30000, I'd be tearing up the deck boards to get the pig esp. since it is your fault.

And the parents too for not being more responsible too. Why is a 3 year old in charge of a guinea pig outside??

Is the cage bottom tall or is there a wire door in the way? I doubt he will be able to easily climb in. Can you rent a trap from the animal shelter or buy one?

If the leash was there and there was no pig, that is not a good sign. Is your yard fenced in?

Have you gone round to the neighbors and put up signs?

I don't know how you can go to sleep at night and not be camping out outside.

 

[rach08512]

It's almost 5 in the afternoon. That means Cookie has been under that deck for over 24 hours. You seriously need to be down in front of that deck on your hands and knees trying to get him out.

I don't know what you've been doing today in order to get him out but frankly it just isn't good enough. If you had a pet dog and he happened to wriggle under the deck and get his leg caught on something you would not have stopped until you had gotton him out alright. You would be door knocking and looking all over your and your neighbour's yards. This is absolutely no different. I understand that you don't want to and most likely are unable to rip up the decking but that does not give you the right to stop trying to get him out.

You probably have another good two hours before it gets dark again. I am seriously telling you to get a torch, a whole bunch of lettuce or carrots, get down on your knees under that deck and coax him out. Leaving a cage outside and hoping that he will magically run back into it is not going to be enough.
It was raining all last night and it was unbelievably cold and windy all day today, he is going to be freezing and freaking out. If you can't get him out I would seriously recommend calling the RSPCA or the fire brigade to help, and don't worry about over reacting because they answer calls like this just about every other day where cats get stuck in drain pipes or under a house. You cannot stop until you get him out, I'm completely serious, even thinking of leaving him out there another night is just crazy.

 

[gagaluver4ever]

I was on my knees for an hour with lettuce and carrots and treats but it wouldn't come out

I'm calling the rspca now

 

[brindyzoeycandy]

Its leash isn't on cause i reached in their this morning and found it but no piggy. :|

This is NOT good. I hope he didn't get out of the deck and out of the yard.

Hopefully he survives tonight

If it was me, I would be out there right now, in the lightning, thunder, pouring rain, etc. trying to save my piggy. I wouldn't just be hoping.

cause I just put his friend out there in their cage,

Maybe I'm wrong, but I think you mean that you put your other Guinea Pig out in the pouring rain? I'm still wondering why you aren't out there trying to get that piggy out!

Maybe he'll climb in and stay in there, fall asleep or something and tomorrow morning I'll find him sleeping inside the large cage, with all the piggy snacks gone.

I guess it's possible, but I really doubt it.

I was on my knees for an hour with lettuce and carrots and treats but it wouldn't come out

An hour? That's it?

Glad you're calling the RSPCA.

 

[gagaluver4ever]

Ok i called the rspca and they said they can't do anything unless the piggy is sick or injured.

Update: It's not dead. This morning I caught it poking it's little head out and I put it's friend out (Btw someone said i put it's friend out in the rain (no i didn't i put it out the day after the rain) ). I've attached a carrot to the cage and I'm gonna wait around all day.

I was out there for two hours with a piece of carrot and string at 5 in the morning trying to get it out. It pokes it head out, see's me then runs back in.

Any ideas on how to get it out now? Since I know it's not dead.