Our two guinea pigs, Sissy & Dunbar, have gone on an adventure, or at least that’s what we’re telling the kids. Sissy and Dunbar have been part of our family for the last 19 months. They’re almost four years old according to the RSPCA rescue report, not old for a guinea pig.

Dunbar (l) & Sissy (centre) with Lucy (not a Guinea Pig) not long after they joined the family.

For the last year they’ve lived in the garden in a rabbit hutch with a C&C mesh run attached (4×4). Since we’re around a lot we’ve taken to letting them out to get more exercise and eat fresh grass. They’ve enjoyed exploring the garden and normally put themselves back into the hutch in the evening. We’ve had a couple of episodes where they’ve needed to be encouraged to leave the hedgerow.

Guinea Pig adventure

On Monday evening I went out to check that they were OK and secure them in the hutch. It was empty and there was no sign of either guinea pig. I looked in the other places we’ve found them, put some fresh food in the run and went back inside to put the kids to bed.

Sissy the guinea pig, she’s always had a large coat.

I then came back out and settled down to listen. This was how I’d found them the previous twice they’d been hiding. A guinea pig can’t be quiet for long, and you can make them witter. Nothing doing. I searched and rattled the rake a bit. After an hour I gave up and went back inside, having left a small enough gap for them to get into the run and wedged it from being opened further with some bricks.

Dunbar, also known as dumbles, or dumbledore. He’s Sissy’s brother and was the more adventurous of the pair.

This morning, in daylight, there was still no sign of the guinea pigs. Nor of anything that might have taken them, like one of the local foxes. I’ve spent all day yesterday cutting vegetation and looking to see if they are under a bit of hedge.

All I have found is a very small gap in the corner of the fence that they could have got through. No other evidence of their passing.

So all I can conclude is that Sissy and Dunbar have gone on an adventure together. I hope it is a good one and they’re in a happy place. Guinea pig heaven.

Farewell.