Spooked pigs

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Mother Hubbard

Mother Hubbard

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Never had this before, brought the girls in from the garden and put them one by one into their freshly cleaned cage, first 30 seconds fine, then Blossom (boss) starting running around and I don't mean pop corning, scaring the other 2 into a far point of the cage. Now blossom and the others are creeping and refusing to go to one half of the cage, it's like they sense something is there and are frightened to move. Not even food or cranberry juice will which always works. Blossom is sitting on top of a house and won't move and the other are hiding.

Any ideas? It's freaked me out8... bit time.

Should I remove them and put another fleece in? Could there be a smell?

Answers pdq. Thanks in Advance
 
Hmmmm I dotnknow but Id be inclined to give them a cuddle first and a stroke on your lap?
See if they'll take some food from your hand maybe?
Depending on what their normally like being handled this should gve you some more clues;)))
Hoping its just a funny 5 min?/
Issyx
 
Nope, they're still frightened, butter seems to be fine and laying down and Bloss is freaking out, none of them will go to one side of the cage, bloss is now on my lap. So strange
 
Can you rearrange the cage and put another fleece in? Give the rest of the permanent furniture a clean as well. I do not know what has them spooked.

When it happened to Llewelyn, there was a mouse in their afternoon outdoors hutch. Could they have smelled a rat or mouse or something? Best cover the cage and make sure that nothing can get to them when you put them back in.
 
Thanks, I will do that. I'll give them some run time in the dining room which is there favourite place whilst I reclean. Weirdest thing I've ever seem them do, if I didn't know any better I'd say there is something in that corner that is definately scarring them. Thanks, back in a short while to report back.
 
Right I'm back, Blossom was given extra care and given to my hubby on a fleece to sit and stroke as she wouldn't even go running in the dining room. Butter & Vi sat in their carry case.

Cage, houses, playthings completely recleaned, new fleece, hay and food. I've even moved their cage into the summer house (don't worry, it's a brick summer house and plenty cool enough with the blinds).
I've put Butter and Vi in first as they were less skittish and finally Blossom, she's still a little apprehensive but mega better and now has even eaten. Vi is at the drinking bottle, so staying up to keep an eye on them. I specifically put an old house which they like, back into the cage to reassure them - Blossom went for this straight away.

Nothing can get into their room, it's a large utility. Even with the window is open (sash), it would be hard to get it. Saying that we had a bat once in the kitchen for a few days! :x But we managed to coach and get it released outside.

So confused on what could have spooked them....frightened me:{. Eitherway, they will stay in teh Summer House until I've recleaned the Utility as it's a "tip" now.8... . Fingers crossed they will settle down.

I'm working from home in the morning so I will be able to keep a check on them for a while. Very weird....I can only think their sense went into overdrive for something....I know their hearing and sense of smell is considerably better than their eyesight.

I'd have a drink to calm my nerves but I'm on tonnes of antiboitics....there can't be chance they've just picked up on the sense of the truckload of tablets I'm on? Nope, can't be that...it was specifically one part of the cage....I'm waffling now *** I'm trying to work out what the problem was. Okay, I'm stopping typing this now... thanks Weibke x
 
How are the girls today? Did they settle down?
 
It doesn't have to be anything real - if they see something suspicious out of the corner of their eye, they don't stick around to see if it's something genuinely scary!
 
Are GP's colour sensitive?

Hi, Sorry for the late reply, yes they've settled down again. They weren't happy tonight when a lot birds were circling overhead but they managed a couple of hours in their outside run. I changed their fleece tonight which is brown @) I've got a feeling they don't like brown.

I'm beginning to wonder if they are colour sensitive?:(

On the upside it means more nice fleeces to buy:p
 
I am glad that your grls are settling down again. They are likely to a bit more skittish for some time as their instincts will take longer to settle down again.
 
Thanks Wiebke, I think you're right. I've been mega consistent with their routine to ensure they are happy again. love my little furbies.
 
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