The Life and Death of Our Guinea Pigs

Back in July this year, we became the owners of three cute guinea pigs. It was spontaneous and fun. These little creatures gave us a lot of amusement and love. The girls loved to take videos and photos of them, and feeding them each day was always a highlight. We dutifully took them out to their grass enclosure each morning and brought them back onto the deck at night. These daily trips meant we had lots of time to bond with them, and love them more and more. 

So it was a terrible shock to come home one day, and find that two of them had passed away unexpectedly in the day. We still don't know what happened for sure. It wasn't a hot day and there were no signs of heat related stress digging, so we don't think it was that. Our best guess is that a neighbourhood cat might have visited and they got stressed about their survival.

Jupiter was still alive and well, but Marmalade and Westly, were very much gone. The girls were distraught. I think the shock more than anything else, but they did love their little guinea pigs, so it came as a blow. Both Steve and I felt quite underprepared to suddenly have to guide the girls through their grief, but some how we managed.

We wrapped them up in some scrap fabric that I had, the girls chose which they thought would suit the guinea pigs best. Steve dug a hole and we buried them in the yard. Afterwards we talked about them, Sophie drew pictures, Rachel needed lots of hugs, I found pictures of each of them to print and show the girls we would remember them. 

It was a strange time. We passed a week going through the motions, listening to the daily reflections from the girls that they missed their guinea pigs. But slowly, the missing became less as the reality of the new normal set in. We were thankful to still have Jupiter and worried about his now lonely existence.   

Neighbours of the best street ever to the rescue. Across the road had three guinea pigs, who didn't particularly get along with each other. Their eldest child offered her guinea pig (the most trouble making of the three of them), to us, on the hope that he would get along with Jupiter better than he did is current friends.

Thus we went from three, to one, to two guinea pigs in residence. Taco and Jupiter had a few tussles while they decided who would be in charge, and thankfully they were both happy with the status quo at the end of things. In the enclosure, Jupiter is the big boss. If they escape, it's usually Taco who initiated and out on the grass, he becomes the alpha. It's a bit funny to see the balance shift, but I'm glad they have decided to be friends; it's worked out for both us, our neighbours and the guinea pigs.

Now that it's warmer at night, and since we have adjusted the outside enclosure to include a roof (no more escaping!) we don't need to move them as much any more. I kind of miss the daily interaction, but we still find time to feed and cuddle them most days. Live long and good lives little guinea pigs. You have signifigantly impacted our lives more than we knew.