A mouse in the hutch

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gingerpig

gingerpig

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As some of you may know, since Smudge died in January, Truffle has been living on her own in her outdoor hutch. She still has the microwave heatpads from vet uk to see her through the cold weather as she's 5.

Last night I went to put her night-time heatpad in and I put down the wooden flap that we put up to protect her at night and there was a mouse lying on the bit next to the wire mesh.

Quick as a flash he went through the mesh and into the hutch.

Of course you can imagine the next 15 minutes, I went mental, husband came out cussing but with a torch and a stick (and on strict instructions NOT to kill the mouse). Couldn't find the mouse but he HAD to be in there somewhere. Much prodding of hay found nothing though.

I coaxed Truffle to the front of the hutch with cucumber and grabbed her. She then was brought inside and made an impromptu hutch out of the puppy crate we had when Tilly was little and is now in the conservatory.

Where I think I may keep her till it warms up actually.

My question is, was I a bit OTT really, would the mouse have hurt her? I couldn't bear the thought of it having a go in the night and finding her with 3 legs or something in the morning:{ but maybe it was harmless? Guineas are so so so passive I'm sure she wouldn't have had a go back.

Anyone know? And shall I keep Truffle in or return her to the hutch but put some smaller mesh on the front?

Thanks for reading this, do tell me what you think.
 
A mouse would not physically harm her - but their urine and faeces carry a lot of very nasty germs and will cause a problem. The list of diseases they carry and transmit is long, very long - so mice or rats getting into cages, feed sacks, hay stores is a real danger.

http://www.nomice.com/

HTH

Suzy x
 
Crikey, just had a look at that. :...

Providing he's not been in there before, I know I got her out as quickly as I could so minimal chance of catching anything I guess.
 
OMG........what a shock! You are not being over the top at all! you're being caring x)
Well done i'd have done the same thing and not let my baby out there with the mousie either!
GOOD LUCK XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX hope you find the little mouse!

and please give Truffles some loving wheeeeeeeeeks from the girls and I XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
 
No sign of mousie today but I'm not very brave, gonna wait till hubby can help clean it out properly (just in case)

I love mice and wouldn't hurt it for the world, don't anyone think we're on a mouse-hunt . . . he can live somewhere else quite happily just not in the hutch lol
 
Oh gosh I would have screamed too! In my opinion I would have your baby indoors from now on. That way you can be sure she is safe all the time. Also, having guinea pigs indoors is so nice. You can see them more and you get to bond more as they become used to you. Try it and you will be so happy!
 
My mom discovered a mother mouse and her babies living in their grill last summer. I managed to convince my dad to let them stay there until they moved out, instead of drowning them.
 
piggyfan said:
Oh gosh I would have screamed too! In my opinion I would have your baby indoors from now on. That way you can be sure she is safe all the time. Also, having guinea pigs indoors is so nice. You can see them more and you get to bond more as they become used to you. Try it and you will be so happy!
Click to expand...


Yes I agree, especially with her now living on her own.

(I though about getting an older rescue piggy to live with her but as my hubby pointed out, they don't die in pairs so you're always going to be left with one)

We will certainly see more of her inside, especially with the rainy/cold weather


PS I've moved her to the dining room as the conservatory has become quite warm with the sun on it.
 
It all depends on whether you want to give up keeping piggies. I always end up getting another, but that's fine.
 
Part of me does want to.

But the other part thinks that with the kids older now, and running my own business, I feel I've got lots on whereas before I had more time to appreciate them

And nothing would be the same as when we had our happy band of five, Molly, Smudge, Bella, Truffle and Rosie. :(
 
It's very, very important that you do everything possible to keep mice away. Diseases aside, if someone has put down poison nearby and the mouse has touched it it can be excreted by the mouse in its faeces and urine which, in turn, can be extremely dangerous for a guinea pig.

Personally I'd keep her inside permanently given that she's 5 and alone.
 
As I live backing onto a field, I was forever getting field mice helping themselves to the guineas food. I simply put a smaller mesh on the doors which stopped the little critters from getting in the hutch. ;)
 
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