WARNING: Unsafe hay holder

Snidget

Post   » Mon Dec 29, 2008 8:12 pm


Specifically, the Hay Manger from Super Pet.
http://www.arcatapet.com/item.cfm?cat=6455 That thing.

We've had one of these types of holders, usually to keep leafy veggies off of the cage floor as we just put hay in loose, since we first got Tweak.

Today, we came home from work around 5pm to find she'd managed to get it down off of the cage wall and get WEDGED into it.
Her head, neck and one front leg were caught in the hinge area.
I have no idea how she managed to get herself wedged like that, but there's no way a safe cage accessory should even allow for the possibility.
We thought she was dead when we found her, as she was cool and limp, but as soon as I moved the entire thing, she perked up and tried to pull herself out again.

We ended up having to use a wire cutter to get her out of it, and while she's alive, the vet isn't sure if it'll be for long mostly due to the fact that she's close to 8 now and that sort of stress on any pig, let alone a fairly old lady, is pretty bad.
Our exotics vet, thankfully, is open until 7pm every night, so once we got her out of the holder she got an immediate visit.
She's very, very stressed and has a hard time moving her back end (though she sure could squirm when I washed it off).

She did, however, start wheeking at me when I had her wrapped up in the towel after the vet cleaned her up (the my husband was home around 2 and she was fine, so we figure she was stuck for around 3 hours!), and she did want to eat and drink so I'm taking that as a good sign.


Just a caution for those of you that might use this style of hay/veggie holder.
Tweak is a fairly small pig, so it might only be a risk for smaller or younger pigs but...
We'll never buy anything similar to that design again; even if it was weird, rare instance, it's not worth risking it happening a second time.

Here's a pic of the destroyed holder:
Image

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Brenda B

Post   » Mon Dec 29, 2008 8:18 pm


How scary! Sending good thoughts for your piggy. Thank God you found her when you did!

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Bugs Mom

Post   » Mon Dec 29, 2008 8:51 pm


What a close call you had. Good thing you came home when you did.

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Lynx
Celebrate!!!

Post   » Mon Dec 29, 2008 9:36 pm


I am so sorry for the scare. I hope she recovers. Thanks for letting us know about this. Would you like me to permanently add your photo to the forum?

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lisam

Post   » Mon Dec 29, 2008 9:52 pm


Oh my goodness! I hope she'll be okay.

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happyhoppy

Post   » Mon Dec 29, 2008 9:56 pm


Ohhh I have that hay holder in that same color!!! Good to know. Hope Tweak recovers soon.

Thanks for sharing.

Snidget

Post   » Mon Dec 29, 2008 10:10 pm


Lynx, just in case I do something dense and delete that pic during a clean-out of my photobucket account, if you want to add the picture of the holder to the site go ahead. :)

I'd hate for anyone else to have to come home to find their poor little pig stuck like that.

I still can't figure out how she managed to DO it. :|

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sus4rabbitsnpigs

Post   » Mon Dec 29, 2008 11:06 pm


Oh no. Glad she is okay. I didn't like those holders but for a different reason.

Tracis
Let Sleeping Pigs Lie

Post   » Tue Dec 30, 2008 1:36 am


Poor Tweak; she must have been so scared. I hope she feels better soon.

Thank you for sharing your experience.

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sammianne

Post   » Tue Dec 30, 2008 1:43 am


Poor Tweak. I'm glad she's okay.

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CavyHouse
Supporter in '11

Post   » Tue Dec 30, 2008 1:53 am


Someone on one of the other threads mentioned using paper lunch bags for hay holders. I've been trying those lately for the smaller piggies in our rescue and they seem to love it. The paper bags seem pretty low risk.

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sammianne

Post   » Tue Dec 30, 2008 1:59 am


Yes, it is so much safer when you can eat your way out of the bag if you go in head first and don't want to turn around or back out. Bugz loves doing that and with the hay burrowers and pouncers around here I am afraid to use hay racks for most of them.

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