Unsupervised runs - a rant.

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daftscotslass

daftscotslass

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I was walking with Rebecca today to see my Gran who is pretty much housebound. Decided to go the long way on the way back. I looked with interest at a run someone had in their front garden (nobody in sight, door closed, blinds closed, gate to back garden closed) and was horrified to see that there was a guinea pig in it. It had a full water bottle and no food.

Seriously... what are people thinking? There was NO fence, a small wall and nobody around. Not only was it a flimsy run (there is a huge amount of farmland nearby, foxes a plenty) but ANYONE could have picked that guinea pig up and been away with it.

Do these crappy runs you can buy from P@H come with some sort of disclaimer about leaving animals unsupervised? There is no way that any animal should be left alone in a run like that, particularly not in a garden that any average Joe can get into.

If Becky hadn't been yelling for food I'd have knocked on their door but I think an angry crazy guinea pig lady AND a screaming baby might have been a bit much. grrrr
 
What idiot people. All it takes is for some horrid toe rags to walk past and see the piggy, and next thing they'll be filming him on their phones and hurting him.. They need their heads examining.
We have had to stop putting ours in the run until we find a way of making it snake-proof... even though I always kept an eye on them all it takes is a second. Apparently they can squeeze under the runs and get in, so I am at a loss now as to what to do as they love their grass.

I'd be wary of knocking on their door DSL in case some nutcase answers and gets angry, maybe stick a note through the letterbox?
 
I've often thought about putting my pigs in the front in the run but watching them but then I thought I may get side tracked and someone may take them. What are people thinking? That's daft!

My run is made of grids covered with netting held down with pegs although I have a 4x2 chicken arc for a pair too. My garden is closed so noone passes thankfully, not saying is fullproof though nothing is. :)
 
We have one of those wooden ones from P@H, like a prism shape with a part-wooden floor, but our neighbour said the snake could nose its way under the sides and get in.. :( I am too scared to use it now. I hate that snake.
 
I don't know, I have to trim the creeper back soon and my mum reckons it was lurking under there... horrid thing. Took weeks for my brother to recover after it bit him.
 
katiep said:
What idiot people. All it takes is for some horrid toe rags to walk past and see the piggy, and next thing they'll be filming him on their phones and hurting him.. They need their heads examining.
We have had to stop putting ours in the run until we find a way of making it snake-proof... even though I always kept an eye on them all it takes is a second. Apparently they can squeeze under the runs and get in, so I am at a loss now as to what to do as they love their grass.

I'd be wary of knocking on their door DSL in case some nutcase answers and gets angry, maybe stick a note through the letterbox?
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That's a good idea actually, sometimes I can be a little too proactive :))

One of the main issues is that their house is directly on the route between the high school and Tesco. Kids will do anything to impress their friends - I remember when I went to the park once, I was about 10, and there were a few teenagers playing football. What were they playing football with? A hedgehog.

I threatened to thump them but didn't get very far but my friend's brother came up trumps and told them he'd play football with their heads if they didn't leave it alone. Thankfully it was fine.
 
Oh no, the poor little hedgehog! :(

I think they are asking for trouble leaving their piggy out in the open, in full view and on a school route. I hope he/she doesn't get harmed.
 
I would never think of leaving my guinea pigs in the open where anybody could get to them! Poor piggy - it's a shame people don't realise what danger that they can put their pets in.
 
my garden is enclosed with 6 foot fencing on everyside and I still wouldnt leave Fugly out there with no supervision, if I want to nip to the loo I make oh sit with him.
 
I must be in the minority then. In good weather I leave my guinea pigs out all day, whether I am there or not. We do get foxes in the garden but I don't think they could get in the run.

Our garden is not overlooked so no-one could see the guinea pigs from the road, but we don't lock the gates or anything like that.

If they only went out when I was there, they would get no exercise.
 
Mine go out only when I am there, but I am in the house, not watching them all the time. The run is secure, we're not overlooked, six foot fences all the way round and no access to the garden except through the house, so no one will get past me to my pigs! Just let them try! x
 
I wouldn't leave pigs in my Cubed run but I have done in the chicken arc without a problem. I have a closed garden and the run is securely locked. Perhaps I shouldn't chance it, I've never considered there would be a problem.

I don't like open top runs and would never leave pigs like this. :)
 
It sounds as though that person wasn't too bothered if someone piggy-napped their guinea pig! rolleyes
Or did worse to it! :...

I remember years ago a rabbit used to be kept in a run in the front garden of a house all day and all night. It was an enclosed run but hey, it was risky!

Mine only come out in the runs if I am at home, or if I pop out someone else in the house has instructions to keep an eye on them!
 
My girls only go in their run when we're in the house. We only have a yard which is overlooked but luckily we live on a small quiet back to back street. My neighbours are always checking on them too and when they're in their run, we leave the back door open so we can hear them etc
 
It sounds as though that person wasn't too bothered if someone piggy-napped their guinea pig!
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Does this happen then ? Guinea pigs being taken from gardens ? Only asking, as I've not heard of anyone ever having had this happen.
 
I think what daftscotslass said about stupid kids trying to impress each other could well happen although thankfully I haven't heard of this happening either.
 
my run is secured to the ground, so no foxes anything can nose under it abnd the top is held down and i wrap wire round it so it can be opened unless you untangle it.

Our garden is very protected and has to be little doggie safe so nothing can really get in, but i dont tend to leave the piggies out if I go out for long periods of time, maybe if I'm just popping out (but i worry constantly and want to get back asap!)

My mum is in during the day so she looks after them so they are practically always looked after. I would never leave my run out front for all and sundry to be able to take. poor little things
 
I would've stollen the guinea pig, just to prove a point! well, i would've posted a note through first, to tell them what could happen and then if i saw it again, i'd steal the pig. i've got spare cages though :p
 
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