Hannah’s Herd thread!

[Bill & Ted]

What a beautiful menagerie you have Hannah, they all look so happy x

 

[Hannah_xx]

I’ve been quite stressed the past week about what to do about a house sitter. So have decided to try and find somewhere to board the Guinea pigs for peace of mind during our holiday.
Yesterday I was in a town for a chiro appointment, I popped in a petshop and saw ‘Guinea pig boarding’ on the notice board. So I phoned the number for some info, they sounded really nice and as I was nearby decided to go and meet them and see what they would offer.
Well.. I should have realised when on the phone they said they use to keep their pigs under the house that I wasn’t going to be impressed.
So he takes me around to the garden and opens a wooden door to under the house and in we go.. dark stale scary. They use to keep there pigs there as it’s nice and cool and safe away from predators. He proceed to show me the cages they have. Wire bottom old fashioned things, ‘and we just put them up here on this table’
Honestly it was like somewhere a farmer would go to slaughter his chickens!
Thinking about it now.. I probably shouldn’t have gone on my own
I was VERY polite and said I’d be in touch if we don’t find a house sitter.

Today I emailed a Guinea pig boarding place in Melbourne, they look awesome and professional but they quoted me $2,500 for the 22 days. I know I have 6 pigs but I thought that was a bit steep?

Then I had a brainwave! I messaged a lovely lady called Elizabeth who use to run a Guinea pig rescue, not too far from me. I adopted a sow from her called Ebony a few years back, but she unfortunately didn’t get along with my herd so she had to go back. I have text her a couple of times over the past few years enquiring about any pigs for adoption or advice on vets etc. I’ve met her once and she was just lovely. So I text her to ask if she can offer boarding.
She replied instantly and I just knew she’s say no, BUT SHE SAID YES! She would be more than happy to take on my crew for my holiday and that I needn’t worry. I checked she was okay with 3 different cages and she had a laugh saying that she’ll make room. I’m so pleased, what a relief! Her website isn’t up and running anymore as she’s not actively rescuing these days but I remember years ago her website said all the right things about Guinea pig care, and that they should be indoors in Australia etc etc. I just know she will be trusting, and knowledgeable.

We haven’t found a house sitter but I have found somewhere for the squeaks! And they were my biggest concern!

Newton says ‘yay, a holiday..’

 

[Posyrose]

Great news!

 

[Siikibam]

That’s fab news. Now you can relax more knowing your piggies will be well looked after. Hopefully you can find a place for the remaining members of your farm

 

[Roselina]

That’s great news Hannah - piggies might have been the hardest to get someone to look after them !

 

[Merab]

Wonderful news Hannah

 

[Bill & Ted]

Super news Hannah, hope you can find a house sitter for your other pets x

 

[Viennese Furbabies]

That's great! I hopet hat you'll find a house sitter soon as well.

 

[Hannah_xx]

The pigs room had to have a bit of a rearrange as we very annoyingly have a bit of a mouse problem. They have chewed a hole in the wall behind Emily’s cage and also stealing their pellets at night, I’m really started to get concerned about them making my pigs sick so I’ve raised their cage off the ground so the mice can no longer use the back of their cage as a runway and hiding spot. The hole will be filled in and we are going to have a big day soon filling in all the holes in the house we can find. In the meantime I’m trying to humanly trap them.
Now their cage is high up it’s had to have a bit of a size downgrade unfortunately and they can no longer have their mezzanine so Maude and Henry are borrowing it!
We will eventually, when we rip out the fireplace and box shelves, build a long, u-shaped shelf and have them all off the ground. But for now this is my only solution.


Newton and Olive..


Lion having a nap..


Having a bit of Wolfie time this evening…


The ponies enjoying a round of hay, and a break of the constant rain ..


My little chicken flock settling in for bed tonight..


And last night I went on an urgent newborn lamb transport call. Drove a couple of hours in the pouring rain to pick up this little guy and safely get him to a carer.

 

[Roselina]

I love reading about and seeing ‘Hannah’s herd’ - your love of animals shines thru Hannah …..you are an amazing person

 

[Siikibam]

I hope the mouse problem will be sorted soon.

 

[Merab]

Mice can be a real nuisance.
I set a humane trap for a mouse and in the evening watched as the mouse just ran round the outside of the trap!

 

[Hannah_xx]

Mice can be a real nuisance.
I set a humane trap for a mouse and in the evening watched as the mouse just ran round the outside of the trap!

Yep! The night I changed the cages around and set 2 humane traps, I literally watched a mouse climb over the traps many times, he even went in it a few times and didn’t set it off! Then he proceeded to climb up into Emily and Lions cage. ugh!

 

[Roselina]

What do you put in the humane traps ? I find peanut butter works very well !

 

[Hannah_xx]

I’ve been so so unwell the past couple of days, just a bad cold but mixed with the worst migraine I’ve had for while, I had to come home from work and yesterday I was in bed all day and couldn’t barely open my eyes.
(Not c’vid.. by the way)
Thankfully, woke up this morning without a sore head. Just back to cold symptoms. So I managed a little dog walk and saw some cuties in the forest!



Yellow-footed antechinus..


An Echidna..


Another Echidna..


Look closely and you’ll see some kangaroos..

 

[Hannah_xx]

What do you put in the humane traps ? I find peanut butter works very well !

I had Peanut butter and cake!
.. what more could a mouse want?

 

[Roselina]

Oh gosh what a fussy mouse!

 

[Siikibam]

Hope you’re feeling better soon.

 

[RedLoredAmazon]

I had Peanut butter and cake!
.. what more could a mouse want?

Sometimes if I have a difficult mouse, a bit of bacon grease seems to lure them in. Or grain, grain mostly works for me as I have field mice near me.

Do you use steel wool to block the holes in your house? How do you keep them out? I know people use steel wool near me to keep mice out of holes they have chewed.

 

[Hannah_xx]

Sometimes if I have a difficult mouse, a bit of bacon grease seems to lure them in. Or grain, grain mostly works for me as I have field mice near me.

Do you use steel wool to block the holes in your house? How do you keep them out? I know people use steel wool near me to keep mice out of holes they have chewed.

I’ll have to up my game, they were going for nuts I wasn’t putting in the traps. But no longer!
I put foil in the hole they chewed behind on of the cages. I keep forgetting to get steel wool. We’re going to spend a weekend soon blocking and filling all the gaps we can find. They trouble is we live in a pretty old house surrounded by bush. And there are many ways they can get in! But we are going to try our best

 

[Roselina]

You can do it !

 

[Hannah_xx]

Cleaned the pigs out this morning, decided to take away Newton and Olives loft, they loved it but for now I’m finding keeping up with the cleaning a bit difficult so it will be much easier to just have the one level so I can keep on top of things a bit better. I have gifted them a little mezzanine to make up for it though.


Miss Piggy Maude broke into an old pellet container while I had my back turned.. she was as ‘happy as a pig in..pellets’ She really lives up to the PIG part of Guinea ‘pigs’ lol.



I’ve had yet ANOTHER terrible headache this afternoon which forced me to bed again. I’m getting really tired of feeling unwell lately. Does anyone else suffer with regular headaches and migraines, any tips or ideas? I’ve taken 4x ibuprofen and 2x paracetamol in total today. Has hardly made a difference at all. I’ve been to a chiropractor a couple of times of the past month or so in the hope that would help, but alas, it’s seems it hasn’t.
I’m tempted to book in at the Melbourne Headache centre!

 

[Roselina]

They are lucky little piggies
I suffered frequent headaches/migraines at one time ( not so often lately) - the causes of mine were stress and dehydration. I did see my GP and I used to use migraleve with paracetamol. It would be worth getting a proper diagnosis but you’ve had a lot of stress worrying about your new job and with those pesky mice ! Not to mention all the travelling you did with your last job !
You need a bit of relaxation/ pampering Hannah

 

[flowerfairy]

Yes to relaxation and pampering. Easy to say I know.

Hope you get those pesky meecies. Your set ups look really spacious and lovely.

 

[Betsy]

I was diagnosed with cluster headaches a few years ago which weren't very nice. I found acupuncture helped me. You have to be careful if you want to try that as not everybody has been trained properly and they can do more harm than good.. Here there is a British Acupuncture Council is there similar in Australia?

 

[Merab]

Getting an appointment at the Melbourne Headache clinic won’t hurt.
At least they might diagnose the cause which can then be dealt with.

 

[Spaghetti & Noodles]

I have suffered with headaches for a while, I was put onto the pill as they suspected they were hormonal, it's helped a bit, they are certainly not as bad but not gone, I've also recently tried to loose some weight so have been eating better and drinking more which I think has helped too. I was almost at the point of getting an ear piercing done which is supposed to help, although I feel I'm too old to be getting things like that done! I was also recommended something called paramol, I only take it if things are really bad as it knocks me out!
Hope you get some answers soon x

 

[Roselina]

A neck/ head massage could help …? My shoulders were so tight when I got headaches regularly

 

[Hannah_xx]

They are lucky little piggies
I suffered frequent headaches/migraines at one time ( not so often lately) - the causes of mine were stress and dehydration. I did see my GP and I used to use migraleve with paracetamol. It would be worth getting a proper diagnosis but you’ve had a lot of stress worrying about your new job and with those pesky mice ! Not to mention all the travelling you did with your last job !
You need a bit of relaxation/ pampering Hannah

A neck/ head massage could help …? My shoulders were so tight when I got headaches regularly

Thanks for the suggestions Roselina, unfortunately I’ve suffered with these headaches and migraines for about 15 years. They just seem worse than normal the past couple of years. Sometimes I feel they are brought on through stress, but hopefully I haven’t been stressed for 15 years lol!
But I agree on the relaxing and pampering that is definitely something I never do for myself!
My chiro did find one side of my neck/base of my head was extremely tense and stuck, and my gosh did it hurt when he was pressing on it! But 2 sessions don’t seem to have helped.

 

[Hannah_xx]

I was diagnosed with cluster headaches a few years ago which weren't very nice. I found acupuncture helped me. You have to be careful if you want to try that as not everybody has been trained properly and they can do more harm than good.. Here there is a British Acupuncture Council is there similar in Australia?

Oh gosh cluster headaches are thought to be the WORST! I feel for you!
Thanks for the suggestion, I’ll look into it! Though acupuncture does sound a little scary!