# Guinea pigs/wild animals



## kirstin (May 5, 2011)

I was initially going to buy rabbits, bought a run and hutch then realised it was a bad idea as my house is fairly rural, surrounded by fields and we often see wild animals running around, squirrels, rabbits, deer etc. and due to the VHD outbreak in this area it doesnt really seem fair buying a rabbit and putting it at this risk. So I was wondering, obviously as guinea pigs cant catch VHD or myx can they catch anything else from wild animals, coming in the garden, running across grass that the guinea pigs will be running on/potentially eating?


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## Guest (May 6, 2011)

kirstin said:


> I was initially going to buy rabbits, bought a run and hutch then realised it was a bad idea as my house is fairly rural, surrounded by fields and we often see wild animals running around, squirrels, rabbits, deer etc. and due to the VHD outbreak in this area it doesnt really seem fair buying a rabbit and putting it at this risk. So I was wondering, obviously as guinea pigs cant catch VHD or myx can they catch anything else from wild animals, coming in the garden, running across grass that the guinea pigs will be running on/potentially eating?


Just so you know if your rabbits are vaccinated with Lapinject for vhd it is 99.9% effective (no vaccine will claim to be 100%), I think no matter where you live there is a risk of wild animals coming into your garden. Personally just because you live in a rural area it doesn't mean you can't have the joy of being owned by buns 

That said back to your original question, the answer is no gp's can not contract myxi or vhd as these are man made diseases to control the wild rabbit population


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## tiggerthumper (Apr 22, 2011)

Hello! Guinea pigs can get fly strike, just like rabbits, and is more common when kept outside. You can get preventative sprays, place a fly net over their hutch and check them twice a day to lower the risk


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