Please or to access all these features

Add post

Watch this thread

Save thread

Start a new thread

Flip thread

Hide thread

My feed

Active Unanswered threads

Getting started FAQ's

Unanswered threads Acronyms Talk guidelines

Hide shortcut buttons

Talk

AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Flip

1 2 3 4 5

Original poster

To knock on neighbours door everytime their bloody pet wakes me in the night...

107 replies

DrDumbass · 08/06/2013 05:05

One of my neighbours has recently acquired a pet that is kept in the garden, in a hutch. It has kept me awake pretty much every night since they had it as it makes a loud, almost chirping noise pretty much every 20 mins to half an hour every night.I work 40 hours a week, have a 2 yo son and are entertaining my family this weekend for my grandads 90th. I feel absolutely fucked.What the hell kind of beast of burden do they have over there and what can I do about it?
Just realized I have posted this twice, sorry am very sleep deprived.....

OP posts:

RedToothBrush · 08/06/2013 09:13

If its in a hutch, theres a limit to what it can be. A chinchilla needs space to climb and is unlikely to be in a hutch. A rabbit doesn't make noise. Guinea pigs make chirping noises.

You are blowing it out of proportion. You have a 2 year old child which WILL have disturbed the neighbours at some point.

lottiegarbanzo · 08/06/2013 09:17

Tell them, so they are aware now in case it does continue to be unbearable. They may find it harder to believe if you hadn't mentioned anything at the beginning.

But, you will get used to it. People live near motorways, train lines etc and after a while you don't notice.

Original poster

DrDumbass · 08/06/2013 09:18

RedToothbrush don't know if it makes any difference but it's a large two storey hut.

OP posts:

RedToothBrush · 08/06/2013 09:21

Guinea pigs hutches often have two storeys. Its unlikely to be a Chinchilla cage. They are tall and wouldn't have storeys because they are excellent climbers so don't need them. They just need 'branches' (or man-made poles) to climb.

kungfupannda · 08/06/2013 09:25

That's assuming that the neighbours have done their research and provided proper housing for their pet!

ConfusedPixie · 08/06/2013 09:26

I don't think that you are blowing it out of proportion tbh. Go round and let them know, they could put blankets over the hutch our something to block the nose, it's what my old landlords did. Or put them in a shed at night.

kungfupannda · 08/06/2013 09:33

I would have some sympathy with the OP if it did turn out to be a chinchilla - although that does seem unlikely, given that it's a hutch.

They can be bloody loud!

I had to move two hours away when I had mine and they were clearly hugely unimpressed by being put in a car and driven about in the middle of the day. They hooted at me for the entire journey - only stopping, for some reason, if I sang loudly along to the radio.

I've never forgotten the humiliation of being stuck in traffic on the M25, belting out Meatloaf to keep a pair of disgruntled chinchillas happy, and realising that the window was open and the bloke in the car next to me was staring at me like I was absolutely insane. When I caught his eye, and said 'oops, sorry, but my pet chinchillas like it" he quickly looked away and wound the window up and refused to look at me again till the traffic moved.

ZenGardener · 08/06/2013 09:36

I think pop round and suggest the blanket solution.

IneedAsockamnesty · 08/06/2013 09:42

If its a pet that would normally be kept in a hutch then no its not that loud you just need to get used to it.

You live in a residential area and people have pets you just have to live with it.

Unless its something like a cockerel because most environmental agencies class them as a nuisance

VivaLeBeaver · 08/06/2013 09:48

I thought this was going to be about a dog barking loudly.

Its likely to be a guinea pig and surely they're not that loud??? I can't think what else might be in a hutch - really doubt its chinchillas.

You need to find out what animal it is OP. I've heard that people are getting capybaras as pets now - maybe they've got one?

ILikeBirds · 08/06/2013 09:52

It's strange if it is a guinea pig though, they're not nocturnal so shouldn't be up all night making a noise.

JenaiMorris · 08/06/2013 09:53

Capybaras are big, aren't they?

Maybe your neighbours have imprisoned R2-D2 :(

ConfusedPixie · 08/06/2013 09:54

I'd love a capybara! They are on my list of "Pets I want" that includes things like chinchillas and axolotls.

I think it would also depend on how far from the OP they are too though. As they may have placed it close to the OPs window in which case they are going to sound a lot louder than they would further away.

I'm really sensitive to noise at night though (and am not able to wear earplugs easily) and have just moved house due to months of noise wearing me down from a housemate. I would really struggle with an animal making a noise every 15-20 minutes as that's how long it takes me to sleep so would interrupt that cycle over and over again. Even tinnitus is easier to sleep through than that!

GoblinGranny · 08/06/2013 09:54

kungfupanda, what a truly splendid post!
That will keep me smiling for hours.

Wheresmycaffeinedrip · 08/06/2013 09:55

Whoever said rabbits aren't mousy can I have yours??? :o

Mine thump and scratch about and chew and that damned water bottle.......

If its my rabbits keeping u up I apologise but not sure how I can get them to he quiet. :)

Wheresmycaffeinedrip · 08/06/2013 09:55

Mousy? Noisy

RedToothBrush · 08/06/2013 09:57

Capybaras are about the size of a small sheep. If you could fit that in a hutch I'd be impressed.

ConfusedPixie · 08/06/2013 09:58

If it's a young capybara though it wouldn't be and the neighbour may be clueless as to how big it would get?

PipkinsPal · 08/06/2013 09:58

When you see your neighbours next try speaking to them. Mention you've noticed they have a new pet, I'm sure they will tell you what it is. You can then say that a fox or cat must be alarming it because its making loud chirrupping noises at night and must be scared.

RedToothBrush · 08/06/2013 09:58

Rabbits don't chirp though do they?! Knaw yes, but make vocal cord noises, no.

RedToothBrush · 08/06/2013 10:00

I'd also be very surprised if it a capybara in the uk given the rarity of them as pet. (Can you even get them over here?!). If you had to go to the effort of sourcing one, then I'm pretty sure you'd know how big it grew!

Earthworms · 08/06/2013 10:03

Oh god yes wheres our dear departed brown bun was a right noisy fecker. Every now and then She would kick off a couple of times in a night gnawing, crashing around and thumping.

We'd go down to calm her and a bleary White bunny would be sat there with a wtf expression.

Hutch was in the house, so wasn't a fox or owt.

Kooza · 08/06/2013 10:04

I would have a quick word. These conversations don't have to be unpleasant if you're nice about it.

If you're sleep deprived now and it's only just started then it's only going to get worse.

RedToothBrush · 08/06/2013 10:07

If its LOUD chirping at night, I'd be more inclined to question the possibly of whether its the pet or whether its actually a fox too. (as someone pointed out, gps aren't generally nocturnal).

foxes chirping

oldandcrabby · 08/06/2013 10:16

My nextdoor neighbour has exotic birds, kookaburra, barn owls, as well as other exotic creatures. Yes, there are strange noises at various times of the day or night and we once found an iguana up our tree but they are great neighbours and if I did complain it would be about their windchimes which drive me nuts.

Flip

1 2 3 4 5