Can't believe this has happened twice now...

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kay_xx

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Posted a thread a while back about how my 8 month old pig was caught by a fox and it has happened once again to my 5 month old piggle Alvin. This time Alvin was in the very secure hutch, covered up and but a wooden run topper against the hutch yet the fox still managed to get in.

My other one Harvey (who lives separate) has again managed to stay safe luckily. He will be moving into the shed today.

Can't even imagine how terrifying it would of been for Alvin, the hutch had been pushed over onto its front and the fox got in from the base.

RIP little buddy, taken too young :'(

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Oh no, what a terrible shock for you. So sorry for your loss, massive hugs to you

RIP Alvin
x x
 
Oh how terrible for you, perhaps you could discuss bringing your remaining pig indoors I can only imagine how worried you must be that event's may repeat.

Indoor pig's are also so much more interactive and as he's on his own it will mean he will have stimulation indoor's and be snug as a bug for winter.

RIP little one. x
 
flintstones said:
Oh how terrible for you, perhaps you could discuss bringing your remaining pig indoors I can only imagine how worried you must be that event's may repeat.

Indoor pig's are also so much more interactive and as he's on his own it will mean he will have stimulation indoor's and be snug as a bug for winter.

RIP little one. x
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Believe me if I could I would but they was inside last winter and made my dads asthma really bad so I can't.
 
What a shock this must be for you, I am really sorry this has happened again. I know it won't be of much comfort at the moment but I came across a supplier called Ryedale Hutches and they seem to design their hutches to be fox-proof. They are expensive hutches but, from the reviews I have read, people who buy them say they are well worth the money. Your piggies will be safe in the shed over winter but if you are looking for new hutches, then it's definitely at least looking at their site (just google ryedale hutches and it'll come up for you there) Take care x
 
tabelmabel said:
What a shock this must be for you, I am really sorry this has happened again. I know it won't be of much comfort at the moment but I came across a supplier called Ryedale Hutches and they seem to design their hutches to be fox-proof. They are expensive hutches but, from the reviews I have read, people who buy them say they are well worth the money. Your piggies will be safe in the shed over winter but if you are looking for new hutches, then it's definitely at least looking at their site (just google ryedale hutches and it'll come up for you there) Take care x
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Thanks but honestly this hutch was fox proof and the most secure hutch I've seen even had the full zip up cover and a heavy wooden slab up against it. Harvey's hutch is untouched but from now on he will always sleep in one hutch in the shed at night then in the day time he will go outside in the other hutch.
 
This may sound harsh but as a responsible owner and for the safety of the pigs they either need bringing indoors or putting in a shed ASAP if this is not possible then rehoming the pigs is in there best interests. Now the fox knows the pigs are there it will keep returning as there easy meals. I'm sorry but the first time this happened should have put you into gear to get them to safety, indoors or in a shed.
 
this is why i dont av anything outside. poor piggie :( it makes me so upset and angry! I'm short on room for my piggies but there is no way! i would put them outside... theres alot of stray dogs and cats about these days..

and i agree with Lil-Ninnibig! if its happend once it will happen again.
 
I'm just thankful there are no foxes where I live, my garden is very secure, it has a 6 foot fence all the way round of which the only access is either through the house or down an alley between the houses which has a locked door either end.
 
Lil-Ninnibig said:
This may sound harsh but as a responsible owner and for the safety of the pigs they either need bringing indoors or putting in a shed ASAP if this is not possible then rehoming the pigs is in there best interests. Now the fox knows the pigs are there it will keep returning as there easy meals. I'm sorry but the first time this happened should have put you into gear to get them to safety, indoors or in a shed.
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The first time this happened was when they were in a different hutch. This time he was in a VERY secure hutch that I had done everything I could to keep the foxes away- even leave the garden lights on at night as I find this was keeping them away.

If you had read my other post on this thread you will see that the first thing I have done today is move his hutch into the shed.

The old hutch the fox got into the first time was taken straight to the tip because it clearly wasn't secure enough. The way the fox got into this one ment that there is nothing I could of done to stop it. But now he is in the shed and the shed is all locked up.
 
Also the hutch the fox got into this morning (when it happened) was pretty much brand NEW. With extra secure locks and a new cover.
 
Whether your pigs are now in shed doesn't matter it should have been done the first time a fox got to your pigs. Foxes are carnivores and are powerful wild animals if they want to get into a hutch no matter how secure they will manage it. Especially knowing there's a sitting duck in the hutch so to speak a hutch is simply a wood box a predator such as a fox would have no trouble gnawing through it. I'm glad to hear your pigs are now safe in a shed however as said before this should have been done after the first attack. End of the day it's happened now and album is gone the poor soul, nothing we say can change that but I just wish owners who keep animals outdoors would take more concern regarding risks from predators and pet thieves ( another commen threat nowadays is small animals being stolen to be used as bait in dog fighting organisations).
 
Whether your pigs are now in shed doesn't matter it should have been done the first time a fox got to your pigs. Foxes are carnivores and are powerful wild animals if they want to get into a hutch no matter how secure they will manage it. Especially knowing there's a sitting duck in the hutch so to speak a hutch is simply a wood box a predator such as a fox would have no trouble gnawing through it. I'm glad to hear your pigs are now safe in a shed however as said before this should have been done after the first attack. End of the day it's happened now and album is gone the poor soul, nothing we say can change that but I just wish owners who keep animals outdoors would take more concern regarding risks from predators and pet thieves ( another commen threat nowadays is small animals being stolen to be used as bait in dog fighting organisations).
 
Well over summertime the shed would of overheated, its a rubbish little shed but its all I have. Its also really dark in there so they would of had no sunlight over summer.

Look I get that you love guinea pigs, all of us do hence why we're on this site. I try to do the best for my pets. I have tried having them indoors- almost giving my dad a serious asthma attack. So I have no choice but to have them outside. But to keep them in the shed over summer would have caused heatstroke. I always planned to have them in the shed over winter, its what I have always done expect from last winter when one of mine had mange mites and had to come inside. I'd like to point out the pig came to me with mange mites.

So yes my one guinea pig is now in the shed.

I appreciate you care for these animals but I think you were too harsh, after all this only happened this morning and I had already stated he was being moved into the shed.
 
Oh how terrible for you. :(

I don't think you're irresponsible at all, after the first time, you did what you could at the time, this fox is clearly desperate and mighty strong and you've again upped your the security...

Anyway, at the end of the day, your hurting because you've lost a beloved furry and we know how much that hurts.

Big hugs

Lilian
 
I'm very sorry for your loss. He was a beautiful little boy. :(

RIP Alvin.

Maybe see if you can do something to deter the fox from coming in your garden? Best of luck! x
 
If it was my garden, I'd employ someone with an air rifle to deter it from coming into my garden ever again. :Ayociexp120:
 
kay_xx said:
Well over summertime the shed would of overheated, its a rubbish little shed but its all I have. Its also really dark in there so they would of had no sunlight over summer.

Look I get that you love guinea pigs, all of us do hence why we're on this site. I try to do the best for my pets. I have tried having them indoors- almost giving my dad a serious asthma attack. So I have no choice but to have them outside. But to keep them in the shed over summer would have caused heatstroke. I always planned to have them in the shed over winter, its what I have always done expect from last winter when one of mine had mange mites and had to come inside. I'd like to point out the pig came to me with mange mites.

So yes my one guinea pig is now in the shed.

I appreciate you care for these animals but I think you were too harsh, after all this only happened this morning and I had already stated he was being moved into the shed.
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I never said you don't care for your pets. And as for overheating I kept Pigs in a shed as a child you leave the door open during the day and closed at night it is only as warm in a shed at night in summer as it is in a house in an indoor cage. Had it of been me I'd of bought some cheap hutches and put them in the shed and transferred the pigs into them overnight and put them in original cages out of shed during day. I'm sorry if you have taken offence to my opinions but had one of my pigs been attacked i wouldn't hav left them outdoors to be attacked again, if as you say your shed was hot and indoors was an impossibility then id of done the right thing by the animals and rehomed. The fox will keep returning now it knows pigs are there and it's your job to keep them safe not make excuses as to why it keeps happening.
 
Glad to hear your pig is now safe in your shed however I wish this had been done one the first occasions one attack is an tradgedy two Attacks there's no excuses in my eyes. Sorry for your loss
 
Sorry you lost your piggy - big hug to you xx
 
Lil-Ninnibig said:
I never said you don't care for your pets. And as for overheating I kept Pigs in a shed as a child you leave the door open during the day and closed at night it is only as warm in a shed at night in summer as it is in a house in an indoor cage. Had it of been me I'd of bought some cheap hutches and put them in the shed and transferred the pigs into them overnight and put them in original cages out of shed during day. I'm sorry if you have taken offence to my opinions but had one of my pigs been attacked i wouldn't hav left them outdoors to be attacked again, if as you say your shed was hot and indoors was an impossibility then id of done the right thing by the animals and rehomed. The fox will keep returning now it knows pigs are there and it's your job to keep them safe not make excuses as to why it keeps happening.
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I think the op knows where they went wrong and tried to do things right - the what if's should be saved for another time - right now they are grieving for the loss of another pig - i assume the last thing they need a lecture in where they went wrong!
 
Lil-Ninnibig said:
Glad to hear your pig is now safe in your shed however I wish this had been done one the first occasions one attack is an tradgedy two Attacks there's no excuses in my eyes. Sorry for your loss
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Some people take a little longer than others to profit from experience. It is obvious now that the op has learned a lesson in how to keep her remaining piggy safe. I can understand that your sympathy lies with the poor piggy that fell victim to the fox, but there is definitely room for tolerance of the owner here. She has been honest about her error and has posted for a little support, i should imagine. Ok, so she made a mistake with tragic consequences. I really can.t see how your comment is going to help her.
 
I am very sorry about your loss.

RIP Alvin
 
Thanks to the people who posted nice comments, I try and do the best for all my animals but nobody is perfect. Yes the best thing would have been to bring them inside but that was not a possibility. The shed is also small with not the best ventilation so yes it would have over heated and become far too stuffy in the summer and at night could of brought on fungal infections from the moisture. I can't change what's happened and I think it would be obvious to most people who have gone through similar situations that of course I am completely blaming myself and have never felt so bad and useless about anything. So no after Harvey I will not be getting anymore since I can't have them inside and the risk is too big but I don't think that I should rehome him either when I do what I can for him- when it comes to summer I will think of something else so he is not left outside with the foxes. There is always going to be someone out there saying your wrong but right now i'm still coming to terms with it all.
 
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