Bidding final farewells to one of my oldest friends.

[Duos Greanleef]

:smallfrown::smallsigh:
My guinea pig died today. It sucks very badly, but I know he was getting a little on the old side as far as guinea pigs go, so this is probably for the best.
Yes, I am 21 years old. Yes, I am about to get married. Yes, I am deeply saddened by the death of my pet. {Please, no judgement from the peanut gallery.}
Why I miss my pig already.
Jimmie the Shadow Pig was first brought back to my house in April 2007. I was currently in the process of being hung up terribly on a girl. Since then, I have dated a few more girls, one of which I am getting ready to marry (like a month and a half to go), moved several times, graduated high school, started and stopped and started (again) college, grown up, and learned a lot. And Jimmie was there for all of it. I always loved my pig and it wasn't unheard of for me to hold my pig for a long time and just sit and enjoy his company. Now he's in a Converse box, the most proper casket I can currently provide.

One of my major issues is this: I live in a city and have no yard to speak of and no place to bury him. I can't allow my dear friend to be sent out with the garbage because he was so much more than that to me. I don't know anyone around who A: has a yard they can allow me to use and/or B: no dogs who would try to dig up any fresh dirt {Like a grave}.
I need to take care of this tonight, and I no the Playground has had more than a few answers to more than a few questions that I've needed answers to. Please, Playground. Help me say farewell to my finest old friend.

[LOTRfan]

I have no advise, but I give you my condolences. I don't really like rodents, but I too have lost pets dear to me, so I wish you well, and hope you find a good resting place for the little guy. :smallfrown:

[Lord Loss]

I am terribly sorry to hear about your loss. *hugs* I've lost a few pets over the last few years and sympathise with you. It's never easy to lose a friend.
As for your question, you could have your cremated and A) Keep the ashes in an urn or, alternatively, find somewhere peaceful to leave them. Alternatively, some cemetaries have section for animals and some towns have cemetaries solely for animals. You could look into that in your town and in nearby towns as well. If you need more time to find a solution, many veterinarians will be willing to keep him in their freezer for quite a while.

[Asthix]

If you are concerned about burying him in a place that may be disturbed by animals, I would suggest building a cairn of stones either recessed in the ground (this would require a deeper hole) or over the grave.

Alternatively, some veterinary services can provide access to pet cremation for a fee. I have my first cat's ashes cause he meant a lot to me.

Jimmie sounded like he a good life. I'm sorry for your loss.

[Lady Moreta]

I'm so sorry :smallfrown: *hugs*

The cremation idea is a good one... talk to a local vet and see if they can offer any assistance. Otherwise, are you able to get out of the city to an area you might be able to create a proper grave for him?

[Ajadea]

*heartfelt hug*

Cremation is a good idea, I agree. If you live closeish to a river/lake/the ocean or something, you could give him a water burial. I know how it feels to lose a beloved pet. Whatever you choose, I am sure it will be a good farewell for Jimmie.

[742]

cremation is a really good idea, but if you cannot bear that i would recommend a car and a few rocks. im not sure if thats legal, you should probably check, but if you go far enough out and dig a deep enough hole i doubt anyone will care much.

counterninja edit: if you have really good aim with a bow or some incendiaries that will work around water and a detonator on short notice (if so :smalleek::smallconfused:)you could have a miniature iforgetwhichculturedidthat funeral.

[Flame of Anor]

cremation is a really good idea, but if you cannot bear that i would recommend a car and a few rocks. im not sure if thats legal, you should probably check, but if you go far enough out and dig a deep enough hole i doubt anyone will care much.

Huh? What's the car for?


counterninja edit: if you have really good aim with a bow or some incendiaries that will work around water and a detonator on short notice (if so :smalleek::smallconfused:)you could have a miniature iforgetwhichculturedidthat funeral.

Vikings.

[AtlanteanTroll]

Judgment for the death of a pet? I don't think you'd see that here. I've seen threads for cats, dogs, and I think a canary. It sucks to lose a pet, even if they were only recent acquainted.

Not sure what you can do with the body man, but best of luck. Maybe a quick job in the recesses of a park? Not sure if that's wise at all though.

[Lady Moreta]

Huh? What's the car for?

So he can drive to a suitable burial place, as he lives in the city and has nowhere to bury Jimmie around his home.

[dish]

When my cat died and I had nowhere to bury her I slipped out with a flashlight in the middle of the night and dug a surreptitious grave in a communal herbacious border. I put her right under a bush so nobody would notice the disturbed ground, and I planted a daffodil bulb nearby. It was lovely to see the flower growing up the next spring.

[Skeppio]

My condolences for your loss. And it's perfectly fine to grieve for Jimmie. I remember how saddened I was when I lost my pet rat, Dagger. :smallfrown: *hugs*

[DraPrime]

You have my condolences. I know what it's like to lose such a beloved pet. :smallfrown:

*hugs*

Anyways, I second the suggestions of driving out somewhere and burying Jimmie. Putting the rocks over the grave is a good way to keep wild animals away. However, if you would like Jimmie close by then cremation at the veterinarian is certainly the best action.

[Bhu]

*Hugs*

Losing a friend is always a horrible thing.

[Asta Kask]

Cremation would be my advice as well.

And I'm in nno position to judge you.

*hugs*

[Castaras]

Cremation would be the way to go. Then you can keep the ashes if you so desire.

*massive hugs*

[Form]

I don't see why anyone'd judge you for grieving over the loss of a beloved pet :smallconfused:. Seems like a perfectly normal and healthy thing to me.

Cremation sounds like an effective and respectable way to handle your pet's remains. Then you can either keep the ashes or find a nice place to spread them. Unless you really want to bury him?

And my condolences of course. *hugs*

[MonkeyBusiness]

Duos,

I'm sorry to hear about Jimmie.

When you love someone it doesn't matter what they look like or whether they can speak English. All that matters is whether that love is returned. From what you describe, Jimmie loved you as much as you loved him. Guinea pigs are very responsive pets: I had two myself, and I loved them and grieved for them when they died of old age. I still miss them.

I agree with the cremation suggestion, which is one I have used over the years. I have kept the ashes of my pets, but I know some people like to scatter the ashes.

There have been times when I have had to freeze the remains of a pet. The vet will sometimes do this for you, if it's too weird or painful for you to have Jimmie in your freezer. But if you have a special place in mind where you'd like to bury Jimmie, freezing him until you can get there is an option.

That you grieve so for Jimmie, and that you care about his remains, tells me not only that you loved Jimmie, but that you are a loving person in general. I respect that. Jimmie was a lucky piggie to have you to love him.

Take care of yourself and let us know how you are doing and what you decide.

-Monkey

[Pika...]

I know I am a bit late, as it needed to be doe by last night, but a vet, or preferably your local SPCA can cremate your beloved friend. I have the ashes of my "little brother".

And who cares that you are 21 and about to get married! You loved him/her, so that would make anyone sad. I still cry, and am now tearing up, for my lost pet who died in 2007. :smallfrown:

[Asta Kask]

Give him a cucumber to go, as a snack.

[Ajadea]

Or a carrot! My pet rat loved carrots.

[The Succubus]

For the record, Jimmy the Shadow Pig is an awesome name for a guinea pig, especially if he took levels in shadowdancer. Sorry to hear that he's gone but it sounds like he had a great life and you should give him an epic send off somehow. The Viking funeral idea sounds just the thing. =)

[Asta Kask]

Or a carrot! My pet rat loved carrots.

Guinea pigs eat carrots, but they love cucumber. I had a friend who trained her cavies to jump through hoops using cucumbers as a reward. They would not have been sufficiently motivated by carrots.

[Duos Greanleef]

Thank you for all of the condolences and suggestions, everyone. I was able to poke around what little backyard I have to find a place for him. He's beneath a tree where there was already less than ideal plant growth, so the grave doesn't appear to too conspicuously. It's a good part of town, and he was there with me, and this way a little part of me (and him too) will always be there.
:smallsigh: I'm going to make it.
In hindsight, this was probably the best time for him to go. When I get married, I wouldn't have been able to keep him where we're going to be living, and I can't think of anyone who would want to take an old guinea pig for any length of time.
Thanks again, Playground.

[Delwugor]

My condolences. Yeah it is very sad when a good pet dies no matter what age you are.
I'm 45 and the only cat I've liked died last year. The night before he came downstairs and laid with me for couple of hours as I watching TV. Went to bed with me he went under as he did then and Mrs. D found him the next morning. Still bothers me that he basically said good-bye to me that night and I didn't realize it.:smallfrown:

Hopefully you burried him at least 2 feet deep, 3-4 is better. Also did you put anything over/around his body to keep the smell from attracting scavengers. I know there is a powder you can use but moth balls works - or so I've been told.

[Eon]

Aww, I lost my Guinea Pig Marshmallow a week or two ago.

Sorry :smallfrown:

[ScottishDragon]

I know what your going through. My rabbit died a couple months ago and he was one of my best friends. If I were you I would find a nice animal cemetary and bury him with all the leftover food and treats you got.:smallfrown: