Thursday, March 12, 2015

Escaping pigs

Some animal broke into my broccoli cage last night. One chewed hole in and one out as well as the door forced open. Too small to be a wombat, too sharp-toothed to be a rabbit - probably a rat or a small dog (such as our Chihuahua cross Mini Fox terrier 'Precious' see photo). The holes can be fixed easily enough and the cabbage white season is almost over but that's not the point. A neat and effective cage will need to be patched.


After noticing the damage I went to feed the guinea pigs. As I lifted the cage to move it I could not see the black and white baby. As I was looking into the cage to see where it was a two-tone bundle of fur raced off under the trees. The dogs were off and headed my way. Believing that I was about to witness a fatal guinea pig attack I called for my eldest to tie up the dogs while I concentrated on locating and capturing the runaway. It huddled under a lavender bush and despite some serious squealing was captured and returned unhurt to the cage. The wire holes on the bottom are just too wide to prevent a determined young guinea pig from escaping but life expectancy for such escapees is short. This time a successful outcome but keeping guinea pigs and big dogs apart is a challenge.
Heading down to the pigs with some tools and food I reached the gate to the goat paddock and greeting me with excited grunts were Blanche, Petunia and Maud. How long they had been out I don't know but with their electric wire shorted and limited feed in their enclosure they had simply leaned on the mesh and the tiewire had given way.
Enticed by their breakfast the three little pigs were easy to guide back to the pen, though the kelpie's attempts at helping certainly did not. Hopefully they haven't gained a taste for freedom or their one bad day might have to come sooner than planned.

The piglets back in their cage - but for how long?
 
After three not-so-good events I went to the tip and a considerate user had left a box with 35 assorted Vacola jars, lids, clips and rings. A fine score - I shouldn't need any more for a long time.

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