Floor time

[binkytofu]

Hello, quick question for all those who keep their piggys in a hutch in a shed/summerhouse. As summer slowly approaches I wondered if you allow your piggys to roam in the shed at night? My routine is to let the piggys out of their floor level hutch to roam throughout the day, they have the choice of popping back in to their cage or not (a low level little ramp to assist). They are very happy and love all the little areas like tunnels, a carrier box full of hay, heat pads, etc. I change it up daily for them to explore.
Then when I take them their dinner I pop them back in their hutch. I'm wondering if I could or should just let them have access to floor time at night, knowing that piggies don't sleep for long?
For reference they have a 6ft floor level hutch in a summer house that is insulated, 8x10ft summerhouse. Hutch bought from rabbit hutches.co.uk. First picture is when I bought it pre collection of piggys. They have a solar light in there for night-time that lights it up nicely.

 

[Piggies&buns]

You don’t have to as their hutch is big enough for them to be locked into it but you can if you wish to do so and they are secure in there.

I have hutches in the shed and mine are left with access to the shed floor at night once it is warm enough.

 

[binkytofu]

Thanks, I have two boars and they are literally climbing the cage door when I come in at breakfast time, eager to run around and explore. Chattering away to each other. The hutch looks a state each morning so God knows what they get up to but they have a lot of energy. They have floor time all day also.

 

[Piggies&buns]

They sound lots of fun!

I have four boys - a bonded pair of 5 year olds and two single 7 month olds (they were a pair but their bond broke). When it was just my eldest two, i would leave them out with the whole shed floor at night. Now things have changed, they will still get left out at night but they will be having to take it in turns! I will start leaving them probably in a month to six weeks time.

 

[binkytofu]

That's a lot of boys! You certainly have your hands full . I was worried my pair were starting to dislike each other, they were rescues and bonded as a pair there. I think more floor time will help a bit with their energy levels and dominance. Do you ever wash your boys due to the musky scent marking? It's settled a bit now but I normally have to put a towel or something on my clothes as they smell so potent!

 

[Piggies&buns]

No I’ve never bathed mine.
Boys will scent mark and if you try to clean them, they are just going to mark more so everything smells how they want it

 

[binkytofu]

Thats what I thought, its definitely not as bad as it was. It's just so potent! I caught a whiff of it on my top whilst food shopping and instantly thought that's the piggys

 

[Piggies&buns]

Boys certainly are special! My two youngsters can really make my shed smell!