I thought it might be good to share stories of the lengths we go to for our piggies and start it off with this, hopefully, interesting story about the time Beano escaped.
In the summer we take the top of the cage out in the garden and let the piggies enjoy a bit of sun and grass. It's like having an environmentally friendly lawn mower!
One summer's afternoon we were sitting out there with them. I popped in the house for a drink and was just watching the TV when I heard my partner calling to Beano. At first he just seemed to be talking normally to her, then his calls got louder and there was panick in his voice, then he yelled for me to come quick.
I ran out of the house and discovered she'd somehow escaped and run off into the bushes. And not just any bushes but ones two foot deep and made up of three different types of very prickly plants - one with big thorns, one with small but very sharp spikes and one with extremely fine bristles that are just as painful :...
Panick set in as soon as I saw her as I knew there were gaps in the fence and if we didn't get her quickly she could get into my neighbours garden with their big labrador. Worse still, she could get out into the street and I didn't want to even think about what would happen to her then but I knew we'd never see her again :... :...
I needed to get her as soon as I could but I'd only got a vest top on - not the best clothing for messing with with thorns and spikes! With hindsight I would've grabbed a cardigan on the way out but by this point I daren't leave her to go and fetch one.
We had managed to contain her into one area - my partner was at one end with the broom handle, the first thing he could find, and I was at the other (the neighbours must've thought we'd gone mad, we were shouting and swearing so much!):red
I knew that if I tried to reach her my bare arms would be torn to shreds but in the end I thought 'if I get hurt I'll heal, if she get hurts it'll be a lot lot worse'. So, with that in mind I took a deep breath and plunged my arms into the prickly bushes. I could see her just sitting there, looking at me and wondering what all the fuss was about! I grabbed her and she slithered out of my grip. I reached forward again and caught her and this time I held on to her so tightly. Then I had to try and get her back through the bushes without her getting hurt.
Once she was out I held her so close and didn't want to ever let her go. It was such a relief to know she was safe! I really thought we were going to lose her.
My adrenalin must've been working overtime because I didn't really feel any pain while rescuing her but once she was safely back in her cage I realised my arms were dripping with blood and covered in cuts - I looked like I'd taken a razor blade to my arms! My partner hadn't had a top on and he looked like he was trying to copy Iggy Pop with cuts and blood all over his chest
I ended up having to wear long sleeves in the hot weather for weeks to cover all the cuts and had to explain what had happened to my new employers and colleagues in case they thought I'd intentionally cut my arms to pieces!
But it was totally worth it to know she was safe. I've now covered all the gaps in the fence and I always make sure I have a sensible top to hand when I take them out there
In the summer we take the top of the cage out in the garden and let the piggies enjoy a bit of sun and grass. It's like having an environmentally friendly lawn mower!
One summer's afternoon we were sitting out there with them. I popped in the house for a drink and was just watching the TV when I heard my partner calling to Beano. At first he just seemed to be talking normally to her, then his calls got louder and there was panick in his voice, then he yelled for me to come quick.
I ran out of the house and discovered she'd somehow escaped and run off into the bushes. And not just any bushes but ones two foot deep and made up of three different types of very prickly plants - one with big thorns, one with small but very sharp spikes and one with extremely fine bristles that are just as painful :...
Panick set in as soon as I saw her as I knew there were gaps in the fence and if we didn't get her quickly she could get into my neighbours garden with their big labrador. Worse still, she could get out into the street and I didn't want to even think about what would happen to her then but I knew we'd never see her again :... :...
I needed to get her as soon as I could but I'd only got a vest top on - not the best clothing for messing with with thorns and spikes! With hindsight I would've grabbed a cardigan on the way out but by this point I daren't leave her to go and fetch one.
We had managed to contain her into one area - my partner was at one end with the broom handle, the first thing he could find, and I was at the other (the neighbours must've thought we'd gone mad, we were shouting and swearing so much!):red
I knew that if I tried to reach her my bare arms would be torn to shreds but in the end I thought 'if I get hurt I'll heal, if she get hurts it'll be a lot lot worse'. So, with that in mind I took a deep breath and plunged my arms into the prickly bushes. I could see her just sitting there, looking at me and wondering what all the fuss was about! I grabbed her and she slithered out of my grip. I reached forward again and caught her and this time I held on to her so tightly. Then I had to try and get her back through the bushes without her getting hurt.
Once she was out I held her so close and didn't want to ever let her go. It was such a relief to know she was safe! I really thought we were going to lose her.
My adrenalin must've been working overtime because I didn't really feel any pain while rescuing her but once she was safely back in her cage I realised my arms were dripping with blood and covered in cuts - I looked like I'd taken a razor blade to my arms! My partner hadn't had a top on and he looked like he was trying to copy Iggy Pop with cuts and blood all over his chest
I ended up having to wear long sleeves in the hot weather for weeks to cover all the cuts and had to explain what had happened to my new employers and colleagues in case they thought I'd intentionally cut my arms to pieces!
But it was totally worth it to know she was safe. I've now covered all the gaps in the fence and I always make sure I have a sensible top to hand when I take them out there
He eventually got him out but his arms and neck (!) were swollen for days ooops 
