-The horror-

[Ally has U's]

So I was opening the tray of my Xbox 360 to retrieve a movie I just finished watching. I opened the DVD case and saw a pamphlet I didn't see before. I opened the first page and before I can even look at a single thing, I hear the worst sound in the world.

Squealing beyond belief. I looked in my cage, it took my about a half a second to notice that my newest arrival had gotten his head stuck in one of the grids. (FYI he is in his own cage for quarantining at the moment, and it is on the ground). I jumped into his cage ripped the connectors off the said grid and as carefully as I could I lifted grid and piggie out of the cage and carried both to my bed.

As this is happening I think a thousand thoughts. Mostly oh my gosh I am a horrible mother and now he is going to die I should of listened to this forum about younger guinea pigs and grids. All the while thinking how I was going to get him out. I have no tools in the house and I was freaking. The only thing that calmed me was after I picked him up he was no longer squealing and moving but looking at me like mom HELP!!!

I felt to see how stuck he was and if he was being choked. When actually the only thing that was wrong was he got his little head in and couldn't get it out. I was happy to know he wasn't being choked he was just scared. The reason for the squeal was because he got it stuck in a grid hole that was to high for him. So I was touching him and trying to gently push his head back through. I pulled my hand away for a second and he popped his head right out.

The only thing I could of think of doing his holding him close to me and thanking god he wasn't hurt. Then I started to think what if I wasn't home, and I was thinking thank god I was here and could help him.

After 20 minutes of blaming myself for this mishap I set him up in an old pet store cage until I can find good mesh cubes for him.

My reason as to why I wasn't this cautious before is that my first guy was 4 weeks old when I got him and he never seemed too little for his c&c cage grids. Maybe it was his abby fur that did it but I never had a problem. My next girl I got at 4 weeks as well also an abby but never one problem.

So stupidly of me I started thinking well maybe this is just something that happens on rare occasion. I have nothing to worry about. I was wrong and I am kicking myself for it. All I can say is I am so happy I was here to save him and I am so happy you guys are here to help me!!!

Also an update on him-
My boyfriend still hasn't noticed him (at least I don't think he has). I have named him "Secrut" (I know the spelling is incorrect but all my piggies have had this 'U' theme so far, it wasn't intentionally at first, so I am going to stay with it) for just reasons. He is a silkie and he is so sweet and kind and lovable. I hope to get pictures up of him sometime soon.

[Jenni_Feathers]

Wow, that must had been scary. Instead of going out ot buy mesh grids you could just cover the spaces with cardboard or paper or something, or you could double grid if you have extra girds around.

[Ally has U's]

Not enough grids for double grids. Also have no chloroplast for the cage at the moment, but it was a grid inside the cage that he got stuck in. I have a hayloft and he climbed into it so I surrounded it with grids above and on the sides. I put pellets in the litter pan under the hayloft and turned toward my Xbox and next thing you know he is stuck. Must of been the excitement of the pellets, but it really scared me.

[pignewton]

Take out the hayrack until he is bigger. I have a 5 week old baby and I replaced mine with a large plastic food container with one side cut down for easy access. I melted 2 holes through the back with a heated nail and used a zip tie to attach it to the cage. I also slipped 10" high coroplast between the grids and the existing coro all around the cage. You could use scraps of cardboard.

[Maisiepaisie]

The same thing happened to my Pebbles some years ago. Somehow his cries woke me up early one morning. I knew instantly something was wrong. I too panicked as I had no wire cutters but I pushed his ears back through the grid then his head slipped out. He'd been trying to get to the girls next door, the little rascal!

[Ally has U's]

I will figure something out. I will let you know. He has no more hay rack but a plate with hay in it for now. He is still in the pet store cage but he gets extra long floor time while I am home. I haven't had time today but I am thinking about it. We do have a couple extra boxes I could cut apart...