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Post by jolovespiggies on Aug 1, 2014 18:57:41 GMT
I am so glad to hear this love, there is nothing lovelier than happy piggies.
Hugs JO xx
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Post by 3piggles on Aug 1, 2014 20:16:32 GMT
Vetbed is available in the US, but it's expensive!!!!
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Post by faafaa on Aug 2, 2014 14:14:49 GMT
I thought about getting vetbed but it is pricey. Also, I can't even imagine how hard it would be to get all the hay out!
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Post by 3piggles on Aug 2, 2014 16:12:11 GMT
My friends who use vetbedcput a piece of fabric over it to catch the poos and hay. One more thing to wash, so not necessarily better thsn fleece. It is thicker so more padded. Just wondering if any size pillowcase would fit your cage. Just slip the vetbed inside.
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Post by SiLamb on Aug 2, 2014 21:35:08 GMT
3piggles, how do you clean the piggie area quickly?
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Post by Bean on Aug 3, 2014 8:45:17 GMT
I was lucky with my vetbed - I got some through a friend who had a trade discount and got me it at cost, and another lovely friend gave me some offcuts from doing her C&C cages and I sewed them together to make a big piece. I covered it with a cotton sheet, which I don't think would work anywhere near as well as fleece (and is easier to chew). You're right FaaFaa, it's horrific to get hay and hair out of if you don't!
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Post by jolovespiggies on Aug 3, 2014 17:08:02 GMT
Our piggies are out now all the time but with adequate shelter should they feel the need for it. I go to charity shops and get sheets and blankets for them, which serve as a substrate. They have lots of cuddlecups, soft pads and other things to lie on and they are, I am pleased to say, very happy piggies.
Hugs JO xx
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Post by 3piggles on Aug 3, 2014 20:42:49 GMT
There is a kitchen dish drainer made by a Japanese company, that works great as a floor for guinea pig and rabbit cages. It lets the urine go through, but probably not the poos. I've been all over Facebook looking for the last place I saw it mentioned, but haven't found it. If I can find it, I will post the link for you. I've been considering it for my cages, but want to see it before I decide. I will post as soon as I find it. That might be the solution to not being able to do a lot of spot cleaning.
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Post by Bean on Aug 5, 2014 12:12:20 GMT
I've taken the mezzanine out of their cage. Although they loved it, they were getting very territorial about it in a way they never do over boxes and other hidies - I think it was just too dark and cosy underneath and the top bit gave a bit too much of a king of the castle feel. Both of them wanted to own it completely and would even object to the other one using the other level to the one they were on.
I'm reasonably confident the angst won't lead to a proper fight as Josh, although very hormonal, isn't at all aggressive to Cadders and doesn't want to be in charge. And Cadders doesn't go out of his way to throw his weight around - he just responds to what he perceives as threats to his alpha maleness (always Josh swinging his vibrating hormonal bottom in his face!). But they just don't need the added stress - Cadders was definitely getting strung out. So we've taken it out for now and may look at adding something back in when they've totally passed through puberty.
Boys eh?!
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Post by faafaa on Aug 5, 2014 13:21:55 GMT
Ugh those boys! That stinks that they got a little goofy. At least you were able to remove the one thing that was causing the issues and no one got hurt! Hopefully they will allow you to put it back in a few months. Or maybe you could make 2?
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Post by jolovespiggies on Aug 5, 2014 17:35:56 GMT
Ha ha Bean love, that made me laugh. Well they do say women grow up but men only grow old LOL!!
Hugs JO xx
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Post by 3piggles on Aug 5, 2014 18:39:37 GMT
Bean, this is a hay loft I had several years ago, that was a major success for the piggies. LG used to jump up in to the hay and sleep, while Momma and Zippy lay in the enclosed areas underneath and pulled the hay down to eat it. I just used zip ties to put the pieces together. Very sturdy. Maybe something like that without the hay would be a fun option for the boys. You could put the sleeping levels at any height you wanted, there are two or four different places to sit or sleep, and being open, it isn't enclosed and snuggly.
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Post by Bean on Aug 5, 2014 19:11:29 GMT
That looks great!
I did think about adding a second mezzanine, but the way they are at the moment, I think I'll just stick to what we know - anything that's new or different gets them giddy and then they have to lay claim to it. But when things have calmed down I'll have play. They have plenty of hiding places and stuff to play with now - just nothing that's fixed down to stay in one place long enough for either of them to decide it's theirs!
I was thinking today that when I start with the fleece it'd be good to have a couple of hidies with floors - sort of like front-opening carriers. Then I could put the hay in those (making cleaning easier) and they'd maybe do a disproportionate amount of their toilet business in there too (that's just a nice potential extra, not expecting it!). My son's keen to do a spot of woodwork, so maybe if I get a couple of small litter rays, he can nail together some bits of wood to make covers for them. We'll see - it takes me forever to actually get round to doing the stuff I think of!
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Post by 3piggles on Aug 5, 2014 19:37:04 GMT
I've used a variety of different sizes and types of kitty litter boxes, from the big one I had in the closet cage that had the doors cut in it, to the lower sided ones when I divided the closet cage to accommodate Momo being on her own. If the sides are low enough for the pigs to jump in or out, no need to cut it down. It will also hold kitty litter under the hay, for softness and dryness under foot. If the boys are territorial, it might be better to have a hay box they can both access at the same time, from a lot of different directions. Aw, I found this picture of LG in the hay and Momma underneath The high sided litter box with doors in each end: The low sided litter box with litter. I use put a piece of screen over it, and hay on top of that, and it was great. Just pick up the screen, mess and all, and shake it into the waste basket, then scoop out the clumps in the kitty litter, and put the screen back. Really quick. The boxes take too much of the kitchen space in the current cages, which is also a consideration. My current three back when they all used to get along. I wonder what happened to make Momo and Mia hate each other so much?
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Post by glittze2001 on Aug 5, 2014 21:50:10 GMT
Some lovely pictures there. Will give me some ideas for when u get the girls back in for winter :-)
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Post by jolovespiggies on Aug 7, 2014 16:45:45 GMT
Great set up hun.
Hugs JO xx
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Post by 3piggles on Aug 7, 2014 17:09:29 GMT
That grid hay rack over the box didn't work well at all.
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Post by SiLamb on Aug 8, 2014 0:46:29 GMT
3piggles, those were great ideas. I'm thinking about implementing one of those ideas. Bean, I'm sorry to hear about your boys. I'm glad you have found a solution.
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Post by Bean on Aug 8, 2014 6:36:43 GMT
Things have definitely calmed a lot since taking it out, but we're not out of the woods yet. Really hope they work it out soon, I've had some very stroppy sows before, but never such a prolonged period of dominance battling!
Thanks for posting those pictures 3piggles, lots of good ideas and it's lovely to see a photo of LG and Momma too.
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Post by 3piggles on Aug 8, 2014 16:25:46 GMT
My basic approach was always two of everything except the hay, and at opposite ends of the cage. When I installed the loftcin the last cage, LG took over and wouldn't let anyone else up to the kitchen. So I installed anothet loft at the other end of the cage, with more pellets and water. She gave it up as a bad idea really quickly
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