Page 10 | Pram left overnight in the garden!

dontcomeatme · 2025-06-30T07:24:49+00:00

Definetly not "end of the world" stuff, but I got quite angry about this. We have a double buggy that doesn't fit through our front door so needs to be built up outside every time we want to go out, not an issue. Monday mornings are nursery run mornings, I need to get the 7:20am bus. DW always at work. We're both females. She was sorting jobs out last night while I got the baby settled for sleep. She came upstairs and told me she had built the pram up and just left it in the garden! We have never done that before and I don't like the idea of it. She said it wasn't going to rain so didn't see the issue. Problem is we saw a rat in the garden last week and after speaking with the neighbours turns out that 3 doors down have a rat problem. I didn't ^shout^ at her but I did irritably tell her to go and get the pram in the house because I didn't want rats touching it and she said I was being absolutely ridiculous. So.. YABU - Leaving the pram outside (weather approving) clearly saves time. YANBU - Rats carry diseases and its not safe to leave it out. And would you leave a pram outside at all regardless of the rats?

Catladywithoutacat · 30/06/2025 09:06

I wouldn’t get angry over it but yeh besides rats all other animals may take a dump in it for fun

Original poster

dontcomeatme · 30/06/2025 09:04

LakieLady · 30/06/2025 09:01

Rats piss a lot and if they've got leptospirosis, you can catch it from their urine.

Around 50% of rats in the UK carry lepto, and I wouldn't want to risk it, personally.

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See this freaks me out 🤮

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Original poster

dontcomeatme · 30/06/2025 09:03

TheWonderhorse · 30/06/2025 08:58

I would be fine with it being left outside.

But that's less of an issue than the fact that your wife was being thoughtful and rather than say "thanks but the rats are freaking me out, can we cover it?" You got angry.

I did say it wasn't end of the world stuff. We have a great relationship. After we discussed/disagreed with each other about the pram, she went and got it in for me while I finished bf our son and then we talked about rats for an hour 😅

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Tapsthemic · 30/06/2025 09:03

OP we live in a big city and we can’t leave anything in the garden because the foxes will decimate it - wellie boots, paddling pools, clothing, toys - they all get “played” with and smashed/ripped up. I’d love to set a night vision camera up, they’re clearly having a ball out there! x

LakieLady · 30/06/2025 09:01

TheyreLikeUsButRichAndThin · 30/06/2025 08:27

God our pushchair lives outside unless we have the energy to put it in the car. No big deal. What would rats want with your pushchair unless you’re leaving food in it?

Rats piss a lot and if they've got leptospirosis, you can catch it from their urine.

Around 50% of rats in the UK carry lepto, and I wouldn't want to risk it, personally.

TheWonderhorse · 30/06/2025 08:58

I would be fine with it being left outside.

But that's less of an issue than the fact that your wife was being thoughtful and rather than say "thanks but the rats are freaking me out, can we cover it?" You got angry.

OneFineDay13 · 30/06/2025 08:58

Get a good cover for it. Sounds a bit of a faff to have to to build it up to get it inside every time

Original poster

dontcomeatme · 30/06/2025 08:57

Coffeeishot · 30/06/2025 08:56

But it is your issue she thought it would be fine. She didn't think of anything being on it, just it wouldn't get wet.

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Very true. But even after I explained my worries about animals and diseases she still said I was being ridiculous. We had to agree to disagree so I was interested to see what others thought.

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JollyHostess101 · 30/06/2025 08:56

Ours goes in a wheelie bin storage container it just about fits but I have to dismantle the running buggy though to also fit in which is a pain in the bum!!

Could you get some kind of storage box type thing for it?

Coffeeishot · 30/06/2025 08:56

dontcomeatme · 30/06/2025 08:53

But her whole reason for leaving it outside was to save time. If I have to wipe it clean every morning that makes her reason moot surely? Cleaning it vs building it probably takes about the same amount of time. Cleaning probably more so.

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But it is your issue she thought it would be fine. She didn't think of anything being on it, just it wouldn't get wet.

ErrolTheDragon · 30/06/2025 08:55

YABU to get irritated and ‘tell’ her to do something she thinks is unecessary. There’s a range of opinions on this. If you think something is important that the other person thinks is a waste of time and effort, you get on and do it with good grace, or at least ask them nicely.

Gizlotsmum · 30/06/2025 08:54

I wouldn’t like this. The problem is rats can carry weil’s disease which can be deadly if not caught in time. They frequently urinate which is how it is spread. A cover would work.

Original poster

dontcomeatme · 30/06/2025 08:53

Coffeeishot · 30/06/2025 08:51

But if you clean it then you are wiping any germs or whatever off, everything else is just you and the thought of, that's what you need to deal with.

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But her whole reason for leaving it outside was to save time. If I have to wipe it clean every morning that makes her reason moot surely? Cleaning it vs building it probably takes about the same amount of time. Cleaning probably more so.

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8misskitty8 · 30/06/2025 08:53

All sorts of animals will be interested in it. Local cats will probably piss all over it especially since you’ve already had one scratching at your door !
Its also likely do be stolen. Years ago my parents lived in a top floor flat (4 floors) and left my brothers buggy on the landing. Someone came in the stair and stole it overnight !

MsMiniver · 30/06/2025 08:52

NewGoldFox · 30/06/2025 08:31

You don’t want spiders rubbing their willies all over it.

You beat me to it 😂

Coffeeishot · 30/06/2025 08:51

dontcomeatme · 30/06/2025 08:48

No but ours and my toddlers immune system are most likely a lot stronger than my 3 months old who is yet to use the slides or furniture 😅 I didn't want to lie the baby in the pram if little rats paws had been all over it 😬

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But if you clean it then you are wiping any germs or whatever off, everything else is just you and the thought of, that's what you need to deal with.

hepsitemiz · 30/06/2025 08:50

TheyreLikeUsButRichAndThin · 30/06/2025 08:27

God our pushchair lives outside unless we have the energy to put it in the car. No big deal. What would rats want with your pushchair unless you’re leaving food in it?

Hmm, I didn't think rats would be interested in our garden furniture as there was no food involved, but they basically moved in overnight and left wee and shit and some kind of terrible stain in there - maybe gave birth, I don't know. All cushions and covers had to be deep cleaned. And now they are brought in overnight.

WaltzingWaters · 30/06/2025 08:49

Well as it’s a double pram I’m assuming you might have an older child who probably snacks in the pushchair? So I’m sure lots of crumbs in there that creatures would like to come nibble on.
But either way, we’d end up with slugs in it for sure. And even though it says it won’t rain, doesn’t necessarily mean it won’t. We’ve had drizzle this morning!

Original poster

dontcomeatme · 30/06/2025 08:48

TheyreLikeUsButRichAndThin · 30/06/2025 08:45

That’s a fair point BUT do you wipe down the slide every time your kid uses it? Or bring in the trampoline every night? The garden tables and chairs? Disinfect the washing line before you put the clothes out? 😄 agree it does sound gross when you think about it but nothing bad is realistically going to happen. Also you could have put it away yourself? Also get a cover.

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No but ours and my toddlers immune system are most likely a lot stronger than my 3 months old who is yet to use the slides or furniture 😅 I didn't want to lie the baby in the pram if little rats paws had been all over it 😬

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TheyreLikeUsButRichAndThin · 30/06/2025 08:45

dontcomeatme · 30/06/2025 08:29

I didn't think the rats would enjoy my sons slide but it did 😅

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That’s a fair point BUT do you wipe down the slide every time your kid uses it? Or bring in the trampoline every night? The garden tables and chairs? Disinfect the washing line before you put the clothes out? 😄 agree it does sound gross when you think about it but nothing bad is realistically going to happen. Also you could have put it away yourself? Also get a cover.

Original poster

dontcomeatme · 30/06/2025 08:45

Shesellsseashellsnotinmystreet · 30/06/2025 08:45

Bike cover that is zipped up?

Good idea!

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Shesellsseashellsnotinmystreet · 30/06/2025 08:45

Bike cover that is zipped up?

Coffeeishot · 30/06/2025 08:44

You don't have to leave it outside, she thought she was helping saving you baby wrangling and building it up, you can go back to your way, but it will be fine.

Original poster

dontcomeatme · 30/06/2025 08:44

NeverDropYourMooncup · 30/06/2025 08:42

Doesn't sound like a stately home with 24 hour security patrols and a perimeter resembling Buckingham Palace, what with there being a door too narrow to get a double buggy through, neighbours a couple of doors down that opened their door to discuss seeing rats and the OP catctching a bus into work rather than waiting for her Driver to bring the Jag around.

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We need the laugh button back 🤣 100% accurate. I live in an old council estate/cul de sac type town.

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NeverDropYourMooncup · 30/06/2025 08:42

McCartneyOnTheHeath · 30/06/2025 08:38

That's a bit of a reach when you don't know anything about the OP's garden, its security or the area she lives in.

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Doesn't sound like a stately home with 24 hour security patrols and a perimeter resembling Buckingham Palace, what with there being a door too narrow to get a double buggy through, neighbours a couple of doors down that opened their door to discuss seeing rats and the OP catctching a bus into work rather than waiting for her Driver to bring the Jag around.