Bert the big boy guinea-pig died today

He wasn't right this morning when i was doing morning rounds, so brought himm in and put him in the indoor cage, within the half hour Bert had deterioated (sp) vastly so decided to give the vet a ring, he said to pop him down as soon as... As i was putting him in a carrying cage he began to struggle for breath as i picked him up and he then passed away in my hands-very sad.
Keep thinking maybe if i would have gone out that little bit earlier, like before walking the dogs instead of waiting till i returned to do so, that maybe...
Ernie 2nd is very quiet...very subdude and doing the cavy mourning song-and i'm not joking here, guinea-pigs do this funny wail for a while after their partner has died.
It's so sad..and too familiar with Ernie, the original, whom was Bert's brother....too familiar for my liking infact, similar circumstances, similar 'apearance' when dead..and al too sinister for my liking. But, that can't change anything now.
So the original bert and ernie are now both gone, Ernie the 1st was deadly young and Bert not yet 1 year..just so sad. I feel sorry for Ernie the 2nd, he really seems unbearablly sad, and i'm not sure how he will, if he does, cope...
Picture taken Sunday just past, Bert was so full of life *sighs*
RIP my spud mugger