7.16.2013

Guinea Pig Predator Safety Reminder

1Truffle

While we've been working away on the site, the piggies have been working away on the lawn. So much grass, so little time!

Although they stay inside a covered enclosure, several species of hawks live nearby so somebody has to provide piggy protection services whenever they go out. Not to mention the free roaming neighborhood cats, the occasional aggressive dog, and a variety of well hidden urban wildlife.

Depending on where you live, predators may include:
  • Hawks
  • Ravens/crows
  • Snakes
  • Foxes
  • Raccoons
  • Opossums
  • Dogs
  • Cats

We'd rather take the time to stand guard than risk our guinea pigs' safety.

How do you protect your pigs from predators when they're out on the lawn?

5 comments:

  1. Our piggy enclosure has fine meshing on all sides and on the top, which is all securely fastened. We also put an old bed sheet over the top so that birds can't see our boys, and also to shade them from the sun. We have a cat scarer too, which omits a sound we can't hear, but cats don't like.

    On top of all that, we always keep checking that everything is ok, and Perky and little Noah are happy.

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  2. I used to have a heavy-frame run for the yard, that latched closed. It would have held up against most animals at least long enough for us to get out there and chase them away. Unfortunately, it was big and bulky and disappeared during one of my moves.

    Current outdoor run is made from grids and latches shut. It was intended to keep out hawks and cats. I have stakes to stake it to the ground, but never use them. So if an animal was smart enough to try and lift it, they could get in. Otherwise, it would need to undo the binder clips to get the lid off.

    Regardless, I like to have the cage always in hearing and seeing range.

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  3. Woody only really likes diddling around at the feet of whichever human slave is in the garden- he has his own personal guard. The girls have a wire run which I stake down and then watch in case of super strong kittehs getting at them.

    Mostly though, they like to be brought the grass rather than being outside.

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  4. Is there any reason not to give them playtime in the yard? I'be heard of pet bunnies getting a horrible, life threatening parasite from the yard but am also worried about fleas & viruses.

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  5. Aside from the potential threat of predators, there are a few other things to watch out for. Fleas and other parasites can be a problem if your lawn is frequently visited by dogs or cats (although Ivermectin can easily clear this up if caught early enough). Fecal bacteria from dog/cat droppings is another concern. If you live on a busy street, exhaust fumes on vegetation can also be harmful. You also want to avoid areas that have been treated with fertilizers, pesticides, or other chemicals.

    I'd say it depends on where you live. If you're not sure about one or several of these factors, you can always grow wheatgrass for them indoors! I've written a tutorial on how to do this here:

    http://www.calicavycollective.com/2013/04/grow-wheatgrass.html

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