My Piggies Could Have Died!

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hayleyface

hayleyface

Junior Guinea Pig
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I have never had one of those terrifying heart-in-throat moments in my life surrounding my pets - I came pretty close when Ginny decided to jump from the second floor of the hutch during a clean - but this is such an awful feeling and I can still feel the lump in my throat and my heart pounding in my chest... I hope this never happens to any of you because it is just a horrible feeling!

I get up for work around 6.30am every morning and have to leave the house by 7.20am at the latest dependent of what shift I am on so my piggies and bunny get fed very, very early and then I don't get home again until gone 6pm, but often won't feed them until later than that. When I went outside to put the rabbit away and feed everyone this evening I saw that the door to the piggies cage was wiiide open and there was Ginny and Henwin, sat on the top floor wheeking their little heads off. So many things ran through my head in that instance, but mostly relief. They were very obviously safe and sound.

This morning when I went to feed them I took their bowl out of their upstairs compartment, shut the door but didn't lock it (with the intention of putting the bowl back) but then for whatever reason I decided to put their food on the lower ground whilst I removed their acrylic insulation. I remembered to lock that door..

I have never really considered myself a particularly lucky person, but today has questioned that consideration. The door had been unlocked all day, but decided to swing open when I was out there and not a curious cat.

I still feel sick.
 
So glad they're okay! I had a moment like that about a month ago... I went to bed and never shut the door. I normally gate off a safe area for them, but I had removed all the gates. They could have gotten lost, chewed wires and gotten electrocuted, gotten into all kinds of dangerous areas! Luckily they didn't go anywhere even thought they had hours in which to do so (probably because it was dark.)
 
Don't punish yourself. One of mine jumped off the top floor, unharmed - had to catch her after some chasing round the garage mind! XD
Accidents happen. That's all it was. Ginny is fine. Don't worry x
 
Thanks for all your kind words, I am just shocked at how easy it is to make such a silly mistake, especially after having them so long. But you're right :) and as my boyfriend tried to reassure me, nothing happened so I have no need to freak out.
 
I so relieved everything is OK..

I remember once, I was just about to set off for work . I was in the car on the drive . Something in my subconscious told me to go check that I'd bolted hutch. I nearly didn't - as I always bolt them - or so I thought. I'm glad I listened to my subconscious. I went back to check and one of the doors was open. Just take it as a reminder to be careful.
 
All access to my hutches are only 6" off the ground at most, so if any of them try to jump to freedom, they haven't got far to fall. ;)
 
Like others have said, don't beat yourself up! We are only human and with the best intentions accidents still happen!
 
... and I'm so pleased you shared this with us. It's useful to have a reminder . I treble checked my guinea pigs before I set off to work this morning !
 
Wow that would scare me too! All was well in the end though...I am a great believer in fate and maybe it was an early warning?!

Just going off track slightly...I am v local to you (hook) who do you use as a vet? I go to tilehurst which are great but always keen to find someone more local. Just curious.
 
I had a terrifying moment like that with my last pair of piggies. We'd only had them a few weeks and as the weather was nice we had put them outside in the run.Normally we supervise our piggies in the garden, but the run has a roof and is entirely enclosed so the cats can't get in, meaning if we need to just pop off to answer the door, go to the loo or whatever we can.

Anyway, for whatever reason no one was in the garden with them. I walked outside thinking it was probably time to put them back, but the run was empty. So I called out to mum, 'oh, so you've already put the guineas away then?'

To which she replied... No. o_o

On closer inspection, they had managed to gnaw a hole through the mesh in the run (we had had it since our first guinea pigs over ten years earlier and it had been stored in the garage all winter; not one of us thought to double check that it was still in working order!). It was terrifying! I was convinced that a cat had got them or that they were long gone. Fortunately, I think they had only just escaped as they were pretty close by under a big bush. It took three of us to capture them though (all the time really worried that they would escape the garden and be lost to us forever), as they were still young and pretty skittish.

If I'd not walked out when I did those piggies would probably have been eaten by a neighbour's cat. =( You can't blame yourself though; we all make mistakes (like me not checking the run or staying outside!) As long as they're still safe and happy, no harm done. ^_^
 
One of my rat cages has two doors, top and bottom.Had opened top up to hand feed a couple in the hammock then got distracted.Opened bottom door to put food in and forgot about the top door.Five minutes later my son came down from upstairs and two of the rats were sitting on the top of the cage.I have a dog that is a little too interested in them so we were lucky.Nobodies perfect, it happens.
 
Phew, glad they are safe.. I am always checking the locks then re checking cos I worry !
 
:DI used to have a metal grass run which I thought was pretty secure. The piggies couldn't get out and nothing could get in. One day, I put my pigs out in the run, which only had a nylon mesh top, with a tarpaulin over the top for shade. Came home from work to find my nephew mowing the grass right around the run! :yikes: I told him to stop and then looked for my pigs. All four had got out somehow. Two were hiding under the tarpaulin where it reached the ground, the other two were hiding under some nearby shrubs. Thankfully none of them were harmed. Just goes to show, if they are frightened enough, they'll find a way out. :doh:
 
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