I think I'm right...

[sleepingbunnies]

Took my DDs to a small rescue centre for the afternoon, loads of animals there so more like a mini zoo. They don't sell animals they just take them in and 'care' for them.

All was well till we looked at the birds... I was wounding what on earth rabbits were doing running round the averies but since I don't know anything about rabbits I figured I could be wrong and maybe it's ok? Until I saw Guinea Pigs running round too

I am going to write them a letter and just wanted to make sure i have my facts right!

GPs are prey animals yes and being in an avairy would not be comfortable for them?! In fact they would probably hate the fact birds are flying over their heads and shitting on the bloody floor that they've got their little faces so close to?!

Sorry- that turned into a bit of a rant...

[70isaLimitNotaTarget]

Oooh, not ideal situation, but at least the rabbits and guinea-pigs weren't in together (which I have seen in some of these Children Pet Corners)

Our boars go out in their rabbit run and the magpies seem to be very interested in our little boy.
He's a very non-flashy black guinea-pig (no silver shell suits or stud earrings to attract magpies ).

As long as the piggles have got somewhere to hide away,and it's not too bad for bird pooh [yuk] then I suppose the only (only?) risk to the pigs would be :
having their food swiped by greedy birds
the risk of any bird bourne bacteria ( is it psiticosis that parrots and pidgeons can carry. And salmonella? I know humans can be suseptable to bird diseases so why not GPs)

[sleepingbunnies]

Guinea's and rabbits in same avairy together yes but VERY large space...

Maybe I should write and see what they say?

[70isaLimitNotaTarget]

Oh, I didn't realise the Guineas and Rabbits were together..
Lots of on-line advice about not keeping GPs and rabbits together (I'm sure even the RSPC has a online advice leaflet)

Even with a huge run, a rabbit could isolate a GP from it's herd to bully it. If the GPs all made a run for a GP sized house that the rabbits couldn't get in, there's a risk of one being injured in the rush.
Their food is different (amount of veg:hay is different. And GPs pellets aren't for rabbits)

There's a disease rabbits can pass to guineas- I'll look it up in a minute.



Trouble is, if people see them being kept like this they might put a GP and rbbit together at home. And if they do it in a regular sized cage, the GP would suffer.

(Rabbits don't even squeak or wheek for Pete's sake) !

[70isaLimitNotaTarget]

Bacteria Bordetaila Bronchisetica - causes respiratory disease in piggles. The poor little souls have got enough to contend with (draughts and damp) without this

[sleepingbunnies]

I will definately try and call them tomorrow.

I knew the gps shouldn't have been in with the rabbits... The rabbits were huge :(

You would think a bloody animal rescue place would know that!!!

[fortifiedwithtea]

Very wrong for all the reasons 70 has already said. Also I would have thought living with birds would stress guinea pigs. In the wild they would be dinner to birds of prey.

OB's brother was terrified of house sparrows. Whoever said animals couldn't be evil hadn't met this one little female bird. She would sit on their run and tease him. Poor boy would run into hiding up the back every time. The bird wasn't around the next year a lot of cats in our neighbourhood.

[KRITIQ]

This is definitely not on. Animal collections and especially rescues have a responsibility not to set bad examples in the care of their animals which might be copied by visitors in how they keep their pets.

I have a vague memory that someone mentioned a so-called rescue that sounded just like this set up in the Guinea Pig Forum, probably a year ago. I can't remember where it was - somewhere in the middle bit of England I think (but not sure.) If you're a member of Guinea Pig Forum, have a search there under the name of the "rescue" and perhaps start a forum thread about it. It could be a different place.

My boys absolutely hate the sound of birds. They will chase cats. They have no fear of dogs. But, if outdoors and there is a noisy bird overhead (even a starling), they are very frightened and unhappy. For health reasons, having birds crap on their head is obviously very risky, and the being in with the rabbits thing is absolutely against recommended practice.

It's worth trying to speak with RSPCA as well, as their recommendation is not for rabbits and guineas to be housed together (never thought to ask about their recommendations on birds with them.) If you have a friendly councillor, or could contact the councillor for the area the "rescue" is in, it would be worth visiting their surgery and explaining your concerns. I have no idea what kind of license they would need to run such a place. I'm sure there's some kind of regulation either if they are charging people to come in, or selling anything there - food, gifts, etc.