Kidnapped Guinea Pigs?

[Spaggot]

Yes.. kidnapped. I don't know why but I have a massive feeling someone took my guinea pigs. I was heart-broken when I came to the hutch/run in the morning and found out Luna was gone. I looked everywhere all day for her.. thinking she got out. The thing is there is no sign that she got out what so ever. They have gotten out before by digging a hole... fixed this issue by screwing a board underneath.. but there is no sign of them digging or escaping. My mum thought it could be a cat or predator but in western australia we literally have no predators.. and no cats in this neighborhood.. also wouldn't the guinea pigs shed and a bunch of hair would be everywhere if a cat got them. 2 days after I discovered Oat dissapeared too! I was so upset.. i looked everywhere for him too but only found a bobtail lizard. What could it be! Two disappearances in separate nights?! Now this is an uncovered run but I have kept guinea pigs here for 4 years with no issues like this... so I cooped the last one in the hutch.

No hate please.. just want to know what on earth has happened? I've been looking on sites all day to see if anyones selling them. For some genuine reason I think someone stole them.. no idea why it's just a gut feeling.

 

[sport_billy]

Hello, I am so sorry first of all.

Unfortunately there is no way of knowing what has happened.

Where they kept in an uncovered run did you say so nothing on top of them?

 

[Spaggot]

Hello, I am so sorry first of all.

Unfortunately there is no way of knowing what has happened.

Where they kept in an uncovered run did you say so nothing on top of them?

Yes uncovered but there was a big hutch inside.

 

[Janice C]

Could a large bird have taken them? Sorry no clear idea what predating birds you have in Western Australia but people have had problems here with large birds hovering over their piggy runs etc.
So sorry youv'e joined the Forum with such bad news. Hope you can manage to secure your other piggy from whatever or whoever has taken the others.
Could you take the last one into the house for a while? Might stop whatever has happened recurring.

 

[sport_billy]

Right so there hutch is in an uncovered run and they can get in and out of the hutch?

 

[RosieMaia]

I second @Janice C - I'd take any remaining piggies inside, whatever the cause of the disappearance may be.

I suppose there's no way of knowing what happened to them, but I'd consider birds or snakes (don't know how rural your place is) a possible culprit.

So sorry for your piggies!

 

[Hoppity.K]

So sorry to hear you've lost 2 piggies xx

 

[Spaggot]

Couldn't have been a snake.. wasn't thinking bird because we don't have any bird predators around here (at least not what I know of). I thought that if it WAS a predator there would be a shedding of hair everywhere.. whatever it is it's a reoccuring incident at NIGHT. It's really odd.. they're right outside my window and I never hear any calls of distress.

They can get in and out the hutch as there is a opening for them for during the day. I've now moved this so the hutch is closed off from the run. we build a long run for them ages ago.

I can't bring them indoors because everytime I sneak them indoors my parents yell at me. I want to keep them indoors since it's getting a lot hotter but that really isn't an option unfortunately.

Lastly.. what do I do with the lonely remaining guinea pig? I don't want to get anymore guinea pigs because these ones were obtained because my guinea pigs partners kept dying.. and the rescue I adopt from has closed down. I don't want to own more guinea pigs it's just too heart breaking and difficult for me to provide them the best life they can have.. and I'll be moving out soon too. Will he be fine on his own or get really depressed? I'm really confused on what to do at this moment.

 

[Spaggot]

Couldn't have been a snake.. wasn't thinking bird because we don't have any bird predators around here (at least not what I know of). I thought that if it WAS a predator there would be a shedding of hair everywhere.. whatever it is it's a reoccuring incident at NIGHT. It's really odd.. they're right outside my window and I never hear any calls of distress.

They can get in and out the hutch.. we build a long run for them ages ago.

I can't bring them indoors because everytime I sneak them indoors my parents yell at me. I want to keep them indoors since it's getting a lot hotter but that really isn't an option unfortunately.

Lastly.. what do I do with the lonely remaining guinea pig? I don't want to get anymore guinea pigs because these ones were obtained because my guinea pigs partners died and this ended up in a circle.. and the rescue I adopt from has closed down. I don't want to own more guinea pigs it's just too heart breaking and difficult for me to provide them the best life they can have.. and I'll be moving out soon too. Will he be fine on his own or get really depressed? I'm really confused on what to do at this moment.

 

[TheLottiediarys]

Couldn't have been a snake.. wasn't thinking bird because we don't have any bird predators around here (at least not what I know of). I thought that if it WAS a predator there would be a shedding of hair everywhere.. whatever it is it's a reoccuring incident at NIGHT. It's really odd.. they're right outside my window and I never hear any calls of distress.

They can get in and out the hutch as there is a opening for them for during the day. I've now moved this so the hutch is closed off from the run. we build a long run for them ages ago.

I can't bring them indoors because everytime I sneak them indoors my parents yell at me. I want to keep them indoors since it's getting a lot hotter but that really isn't an option unfortunately.

Lastly.. what do I do with the lonely remaining guinea pig? I don't want to get anymore guinea pigs because these ones were obtained because my guinea pigs partners kept dying.. and the rescue I adopt from has closed down. I don't want to own more guinea pigs it's just too heart breaking and difficult for me to provide them the best life they can have.. and I'll be moving out soon too. Will he be fine on his own or get really depressed? I'm really confused on what to do at this moment.

I think what people are asking and isn't too clear is whether the run has some sort of lid on it, if it doesn't it's likely a bird was able to snatch them or some other animal.

As for your remaining piggie, if your feeling like you don't want to look after him anymore is it possible to take him to a rescue?
Maybe get him a friend and let them both be adopted by someone else?
Or foster a pig for your own till he passes away, that way you can return the remain pig to the rescue when he's gone?

I understand how hard it is and it can become an endless line of guinea pigs being bought in to keep the remaining company, this would be a good way to make sure your pig isn't loney because chances are he will be, and he's lost two friends so he will be missing them .

As for keeping your remaining pig safe, can you make it so he's only in the run while your there, or bring him inside for floor time instead of using the run till you find out what's happening,
Forgive me if I'm wrong, but it sounded like they had a permanent run attached to the hutch, which doesn't have a lid? And it's open all night?.
If that's right, it would be safer for them to have a lid on the run at all times and close the run at night.
But do correct that if I'm wrong.

I'm very sorry you've lost two guones pigs already. It's a scary thought and it sounds like you had some kind of sixth sense of it happening

 

[SunshinePiggy]

I am so Sorry about the Guinea Pigs I hope everything gets better soon

 

[Freela]

If the run is uncovered at night, I would suspect some kind of animal (do you have owls where you are? They just hit like lightning- wouldn't leave any trace behind. Not sure if you've ever seen a bird of prey snatch something, but it's quick and there's no struggle to leave a trace.) Honestly, if you have one remaining pig and are not looking to get more or to reinforce the area where he is leaving, I would see if you could safely rehome him. It seems unfair to leave him alone and SOMETHING is certainly happening to them where they are living now, so he might be safer and better off elsewhere. Sorry for your losses. Unfortunately it's probably hard to know for sure what happened.

 

[Spaggot]

Run didn't have a lid on it, I guess it was my stupid fault that COULD have been avoided that I didn't take the warning signs that it was a predator. I secured the hutch so now it's a lot safer and still has plenty of space to move around in.

After taking a visit to the pet shop to get him some hay I DID end up coming out with another little male. I wanted to opt for an older one but they only had little babies. He is very tame and cute. I've had him indoors for his first day but he hasn't been moving around or eating/drinking much, which I looked into and understand that this is normal behavior for nervous piggies. So I put him in the hutch for the first time to see if he'll be more comfortable in there rather than around me. I put a border between the two of them but my older one doesn't seem too interested lol.

I'm still trying to find the other two but I can't find anything. I even looked around the front. I've never seen any cats or predator birds around here so it did take me by surprise and I believe (or hope) they are still out there waiting for me. If not then I just have to come to grips with reality that they're gone.

It wasn't really a run you buy from the store, it was a built side-way at the house with two hutches inside. I would try to upload a file but all my images are on my old PC.

I think we do have owls but not too sure. It was just strange because I thought there would be a heap of hair left over by the morning and if it was a cat do they memorise when there is more guinea pigs and come back? Why at night too. I just have so many questions and wish I could at least know what happened to those poor piggies.

 

[Spaggot]

The three of the guinea pigs were adopted from a shelter but it closed down. We don't get much guinea pig shelters around here unless you're willing to travel an hour or two away.

 

[eileen]

is a person able to get into the garden/property?maybe have been stolen.or predator,i would ensure the hutch has bolts on it,less likely something can open the doors,and ensure you have a good cover.try and secure the hutch as much as you can.I'm very sorry you have lost your guinea pigs.