BEWARE birds of prey!

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melody

melody

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just to warn people, My friend had her guinea pig snatched by a buzzard! both her guineas were in an open run (no roof) although they have tunnels etc to hide the buzzard swooped down when she was grazing. the buzzard just took one of them.
i think all this rain in the UK has made hunting a problem for birds needing to feed their young and they are getting desperate for food.

so if your run hasn't got a roof, maybe just cover it with something, a bin bag would do, just to stop anything from above spotting them.
 
Thank you highlighting this Melody. Keep your piggies safe everyone! Eeeek!
 
I am so sorry for your friend and her piggies :(

My piggies have an open top run but hubby made a lid out of wire mesh for it. We attach it with cloths pegs and lay a dark fleece over the top for shade.

The run came with a net but I don't trust the net as it leaves a few gaps (a manufactures fault I believe).

KEEP YOUR PIGGIES SAFE EVERYONE!
 
Oh no that's awful :(

Both my runs have solid lids, nd I'm paranoid about making sure nothing can get at them. The latch fell off the boys run, so I now weigh it down with bricks (which also keeps their make-shift rain/shade cover in place). Even though the girls still have a latch that even I struggle with, I weigh theirs down with bricks, too. No birds will be swooping down on my pigs!

I will, however, be keeping an eye out when they have their free roaming time. This has made me very reluctant to allow the girls out (as there are so many).
 
Oh nooo, that's too horrible to think of 8...
Our runs have heavy lids and I'm driving my OH nuts to make the whole things even safer as I'm totally paranoid about them going outside :x
So sorry for your friend and her piggy...can happen in the blink of an eye :(
 
Thanks for raising this, really; should open topped runs be sold for outside use if our guineas are sitting targets for birds of prey and other predators.
Poor piggie 8...
 
Thanks for highlighting this. I'm so very sorry for your friend and her piggy. Unfortunately these things happen and you just have to always be on the safe side and make sure runs/hutches/cages are completely protected.
 
Personally I would never ever leave piggies in a run unattended, even with a cover. I am always in the garden as well if I put mine out. My niece had a fox get both her rabbits whilst they were in a run recently :(
 
This is why when we are away in the caravan and the piggies are out in the run one us is always outside on lifeguard duty. The places we stay you can almost guarantee there will be birds of prey.

Also, if I am out practising the guitar and a buzzard made a move it would prove a useful bat.
 
Maybe if you ahem - were practising the guitar the buzzards might - ahem - wait? My neighbour plays the bagpipes but the buzzards are used to it, so I don't think that would deter them - so I always have my runs covered with wire mesh or chicken wire, plus plywood boards. Cats are a problem too.
 
Oh no that's awful. My run only has a soft mesh and fleece covering it so I always stay outside with the girls, I've seen red kites in the area so I'm not taking any chances, although the thousand and one cats In the street are always my first worry! :o
 
I had the boys out on the grass one arvo and popped back into the house to get something or other. Only gone a few secs but came back out to find 2 magpies strutting around the outdoor run trying to figure a way to get in. The run has a latched wire cover, so the birds couldn't get in. However, it rather unnerved me and the boys are never unattended anymore even for a second.
 
Oh no! That's awful, we have a solid wooden run with a lift up top now.We used to have a wire pen you could put a net over, luckily we never had anything happen whilst using that run but glad we have a more solid one now.
x
 
What is the Posibility of a bird of prey swooping down and taking a pig whilst you are around?

My pugs have a hutch where the lid lifts up. I often leave the lid open whist giving hay and pottering around outside etc.

I lifted the lid up this morning to give the girls their breakfast and there was a magpie spying down from the rooftop.

My piggies also free range in our small yard and in my parents garden when we visit (supervised).

It just got me thinking :...:...
 
Claire W said:
What is the Posibility of a bird of prey swooping down and taking a pig whilst you are around?

My pugs have a hutch where the lid lifts up. I often leave the lid open whist giving hay and pottering around outside etc.

I lifted the lid up this morning to give the girls their breakfast and there was a magpie spying down from the rooftop.

My piggies also free range in our small yard and in my parents garden when we visit (supervised).

It just got me thinking :...:...
Click to expand...

They have to be lightening quick to catch their prey, so I don't think even us humans would be able to react in time. Don't think I would risk it.
 
Omg that's horrible :0 and my worst nightmare!

My boys have a metal run, completely enclosed secured to the lawn with long metal stakes and with only 2 small doors and 1 bigger door on the sides....I even tie those shut so they can't be opened by anything "non human" lol!

Even then if I'm in the kitchen, I'm constantly popping in and out to check on them. I'm so paranoid :...
 
I always put a tarp over it that has a silver side. Helps blind any birds by reflecting sunlight, meaning they shouldn't be able to focus properly on the garden...at least I hope so.
 
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