Good bye, Spike

On the evening of April 23 when going to bed we noticed that Spike was not moving much in his cage and that he was extremely bloated and puffy around his gut. We picked him up and held him a bit, Kellen and Kai loving and comforting him, and then we put him back in his cage, hoping he would feel better in the morning and then we went to bed. Kellen and Kai spent some time together worrying about Spike, trying to comfort each others' fears, and praying.

In the morning, we found that Spike had died; gone to the world of endless carrot and dandelion fields. He was 4 years old, exactly.

Kellen, Kai, and Mom dug a grave for him in the back of our garden and prepared his little body for his cardboard box bed (wrapped in toilet paper on a toilet paper bed). Everyone got to pet him one last time and say goodbye.

Then he went in the fridge for the day until we could bury him.

The following morning the family somberly trudged out to the garden for a small but special service for our dearly departed Spike. We had some pleasant memories to share, placed him in his space, had a dedicatory prayer for his grave, and then filled the hole back in, ready for the grave marker Kellen and Kai would prepare.

Memories of Spike shared:

pop corning (Mom)

waking the boys up in the morning (Mom)

climbing all over Ham when they were together

getting super excited when scratched on his back quarters and when around Ham

learning to climb the stairs (Kai)

'being there' during hard times (Kellen)

his first bath in the water table and almost drowning (Kellen)

loving carrots

breaking down Lincoln Log houses to find the carrot hidden inside (Kai)

stretching out lengthwise when he walked and ran (Emily)

he was appropriately named with his disheveled fur and cowlicks (Dad)

We were pretty surprised by this turn of events. Spike was not showing any sign of illness or distress and we can't figure out what he would have eaten that Ham didn't also eat- and Ham is still alive and kicking. He wasn't old for a guinea pig. It's a mystery, and we have hope that we will see him again.

Until that time, rest in peace beloved Spike. We miss you and we love you.

Spike's memory box; Kellen and Kai digging the grave

Kellen put the box in the ground and both Kellen and Kai filled the hole back in with dirt.

In the following days Dad helped Kellen and Kai create a walnut wood cross for Spike, complete with burned-in name and dates, which was placed in the garden over the place where Spike lays.