Jackie the guinea pig! HELP!

[stormiebaby]

Hi,

My brother has a guinea pig called Jackie. She is four years old and last year her best friend (my old guinea pig) died. However before she died jackie and poppy (my one) had never been separated until Poppy got ill. She got separted from jackie and they didnt like it at first but gradually settled. After poppy had recovered from the operation we put them back in together and jackie was really teritorial and bit poppy. Poppy had to be put in a separate cage. Jackie is now really really lonely. She doesnt like being cuddled at all. She is very intolerant. She also isnt drinking very much. Is this because she is geting alot of fresh fruit and veg? Anyway, do you think she is lonely. All she ever does is hide in her house and occasionally comes out for food! Can you tink of anything that could help her?
Thanks xx

[Karen]

Hi,

My brother has a guinea pig called Jackie. She is four years old and last year her best friend (my old guinea pig) died. However before she died jackie and poppy (my one) had never been separated until Poppy got ill. She got separted from jackie and they didnt like it at first but gradually settled. After poppy had recovered from the operation we put them back in together and jackie was really teritorial and bit poppy. Poppy had to be put in a separate cage. Jackie is now really really lonely. She doesnt like being cuddled at all. She is very intolerant. She also isnt drinking very much. Is this because she is geting alot of fresh fruit and veg? Anyway, do you think she is lonely. All she ever does is hide in her house and occasionally comes out for food! Can you tink of anything that could help her?
Thanks xx

Not drinking is nothing to worry about as long as she is getting fresh food and veggies. Miss Hoppy only drinks water when it is very, very hot out - otherwise she gets all the liquid she needs from her veggies.

Four years old is pretty old for a guinea pig, but I would start again with socializing her. Don't pick her up, but pet her and hang out with her every day, consistently, and see if, after a while she warms up to you.

[stormiebaby]

thanks for the comment. Me and ma bro need all the help we can get. We are worried about her like any other owner would be!

[Whisk_Luva]

Sorry to hear she is not doing so well. I dont really know what to suggest but I will keep Jackie in my thoughts.

[Catlady711]

I firmly believe guinea pigs do get depressed. Here's why....

I had a silver agouti named Sam, after 2 years I inherited another male english pig named Cinnamon. I couldn't put them together because they would fight. However I could put their cages side by side on a stand. Funny thing is when Sam wanted a treat/food, instead of squeeking or rattling his cage bars like he used to, he would get up, peek over into Cinnamon's cage and make a tiny grunting noise. Cinnamon, even if he was sound asleep, would immediately jump up and RUN over to his cage bars, squeek like mad and rattle the heck out of the bars!!

Cinnamon died at (3 1/2 yrs old) about 2 years later (don't know why very sudden) and Sam was just lost without his buddy. For a long time he wouldn't squeek for food or rattle his cage bars. Sam would just get up and peek over his cage at the wall and make his little grunt noise, but there was no Cinnamon to do his bidding. Eventually, maybe a month or so later, Sam finally relearned how to squeek and rattle his bars for food again, and did so until he finally died at age 7.

So I do firmly believe they get depressed but I also believe they can get over it with lots of TLC.

Just give your piggy lots of love and attention and I think she may come around again, it may just take a bit of time. Good luck.

BTW, some gp's don't drink alot if they are getting lots of fresh fruit and veggies. If your piggy is not drinking at all then I'd be very concerned.

[stormiebaby]

Thanks. She is kept indoors and she is in the room were me and my brother watch the tellie and she squeaks along to the movies and stuff but whenever we go over to her or make some noise she runs into her house and that is it.