Apollo

October 5, 2022 – October 3, 2026

Apollo laid down to rest eternally on the night of October 3rd. The intro below for Apollo and Donut’s birthday was written in advance, before his passing. Even though Apollo is gone, I still want to celebrate Donut as I continue to monitor his behavior without his litter mate. At the end of this post, I will say some more things and share my favorite photos.

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Intro

*cue safari sounds*

Alright guys, we are now in the territory of the most ferocious beasts that prowl the land. You are breathing in the same air as the Kings of the Andes region of South America. Don’t mistake their docile nature for weakness, these animals have teeth that never stop growing, they have a bite that can reach BONE!

*rustling sounds start in the distance, you can hear something move in the leaves coming closer and closer*

They’re almost here. Get your cameras out, I know you didn’t pay for this once in a lifetime experience just to not have any proof when you tell your friends! Just remember, no matter how cute they look, they are WILD!

Wow, you could be a nature photographer! National Geographic has nothing on you. Today is a special day for this duo, it is their fourth birthday! The theme? Fourever Wild!

Last year, Donut and Apollo had an amazing Three Musketeers themed birthday, and it was so much fun to celebrate it during Blogtober. Who knew that the year would pass by so fast, I can’t believe it is their fourth birthday already. My boys are officially considered seniors.

But the word “senior” has nothing on these pigs. Donut still wheeks and popcorns and runs up and down the loft addition I made to their cage in the spring. Apollo has always had a calmer nature, and with age the brothers have stopped their adolescent fighting and chew on their hides together and even take naps together occasionally.

In the past year, Donut had one digestive concern, but with quick aid from a warm butt bath, Critical Care supplements, and some other supplemental treats, he hasn’t shown any more signs of discomfort.

Their unofficial official birthday was the 5th. That is the day that I chose for their birthday, since the person that we bought them from just said they were born at the beginning of October. If you have been on my blog for any amount of time, you probably have picked up on the fact that I go all out for my pets. Let’s get into the pigs’ safari themed cage!

First, I had the perfect giraffe print fleece that I thrifted a while ago. I laid that down as the base and then I put down a mat that I quilted and sewed myself for the pigs when they were just tiny little babies in their loft that I completed over the summer. Lastly, It wouldn’t be a guinea pig cage without their absorbent bath mats.

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I don’t have the heart to edit my intro to change the description of both of the boys being full of life as old men. I also don’t have the heart to take away one of the bowls in the cage, and I filled both of them up out of habit before thinking about the fact that it is too much food for Donut. But it is his birthday, so he can have some extra haha. His toys are still shipping, so if they come in soon I will share his reaction to them.

Donut seems to be doing okay, He has always been independent. He is more prone to hiding these past few days than before, but with a birthday carrot he will pose for the camera! I fixed his birthday cage theme yesterday and it is already a mess, but that’s life with guinea pigs lol.

And yes that is an Amazon box as his house, Donut and Apollo always preferred them over any other hide or house I’ve bought. Sometimes I cut windows into them for design.

It isn’t anything big or special, but Apollo’s loss was unexpected. For the most part, I have just been trying not to think about it up until now. I think Donut is more accepting of it than me. Its strange how animals work, sometimes, but I really think Donut is doing alright. I think the photo above is a good smile for a treat!

In Remembrance of Apollo

Apollo and Donut came into my life at what felt like a breaking point. I was struggling severely with my mental health and I was in a deep state of derealization. Nothing was helping, nothing was working as it should have.

I needed something to take me out of my own head, and I started doing a lot of research on small pets, and fell in love with Guinea pigs.

When I first met Apollo, I knew I had chosen the right name. He was curious and full of adventure, even if he was “just” a guinea pig, he always had an expression of pondering something.

We grew a unique relationship, as for most of his life he was a free range guinea pig who ran around my room as he pleased. He loved when I folded the warm laundry for their main enclosure. He would climb in the laundry basket and run across my feet to the different piles of fleece.

When I would sit on the floor to do my makeup, he was the first one to come up and climb on top of me, even if he was never comfortable with being pet.

Apollo always loved small dark spots to sleep. He would squeeze anywhere just for some peace from his rambunctious brother, but as he got older I would catch them cuddling together.

I have an unintentional tendency to raise very feisty pets with big personalities, but Apollo was always timid and sweet natured. I always liked his long hair. He had a white tuft on the back of his neck that would grow out and stand up at times which was silly.

My guinea pigs were my Wonder Pets, they were used to travelling at a very young age and loved when they could explore new spaces. They had quite a lot of space to roam before I built their cage with storage grids to be above ground, right before we got Tori and Beef. Donut and Apollo would take turns running around whatever room they had to scope it out, or go out together for perimeter checks of their space. It was always fun to watch, Did you know guinea pigs could get the zoomies?

He had been sleeping more, but showed no signs of a slowed appetite or pain. His eyes were closed. We buried him with his birthday carrot. He was very loved and I mourn his loss greatly in the times that I allow myself to. It can be hard to take care of myself during loss but I am doing what I can and I am at peace knowing that Apollo lived a life greater and more free than a lot of guinea pigs get to experience.

I love you, Apollo. Happy Birthday 💙