fun ideas for spending time with my piggies

[ShadowWolf1988]

hiya =] for those of you who dont know me and my piggies have moved about two months ago after a few difficulties.

now theyre out door piggies while I'm at a friends house and often find myself really busy and forgetful trying to find a new home, so the poor boys often only get a hug and attention while I'm cleaning them out or topping up what they need.

anyone got any ideas what i can do while spending time with them other than hugs and kisses and allowing them to run around the kitchen lol

or better yet a way of making myself remmber to be a proper mammy to them =] instead of forgetful?

 

[Wiebke]

Make sure that you firmly plan the boys into your daily routine.

You can do little enrichment things, like hay-filled toilet rolls or dumping a bath towel on the kitchen floor for them to burrow underneath. They can also havefun wioth cardboard boxes!

If you can, get hold of a handful of wild bird seed, a bit of compost from a flower bed. Spread the seed closely, water lightly, cover it with clingfilm until the seed start sprouting. You can leave the tray outside all winter - but the fresh green sprouts will be a very cheap (and healthy) new part of their diet. Treat it like a cut-and-come lettuce and don't let it set seed - those are too protein rich and fattening for piggies.

 

[piggyqueen]

It sounds like you need to find them a foster home until you get yourself sorted its cruel for them to be forgotten about and at this time of year they should really have been brought in the house

 

[ShadowWolf1988]

the reason they are outside atm is due to no space indoors for them. they have a perfectly sized hutch in a sheltered building. I do not completely forget about them, as they have interaction with me every day as well as all the food and water etc they need daily.
it was merely a thread to see if anyone had ideas to help me spend even more time with them, as my mind is often distracted.

 

[ShadowWolf1988]

Make sure that you firmly plan the boys into your daily routine.

You can do little enrichment things, like hay-filled toilet rolls or dumping a bath towel on the kitchen floor for them to burrow underneath. They can also havefun wioth cardboard boxes!

If you can, get hold of a handful of wild bird seed, a bit of compost from a flower bed. Spread the seed closely, water lightly, cover it with clingfilm until the seed start sprouting. You can leave the tray outside all winter - but the fresh green sprouts will be a very cheap (and healthy) new part of their diet. Treat it like a cut-and-come lettuce and don't let it set seed - those are too protein rich and fattening for piggies.

thanks for your advice =] its very helpful

 

[Wiebke]

It sounds like you need to find them a foster home until you get yourself sorted its cruel for them to be forgotten about and at this time of year they should really have been brought in the house

Foster homes can be quite expensive - if you can find a cheap place, then it's certainly an option. Guinea pigs can stay outside if they are well protected again frosts and cold/wet weather.

Shadowwolf wouldn't post like this if she was in any way happy about the situation or wasn't trying her best to find a home quickly and making her boys as comfy as possible under the circumstances.

 

[ShadowWolf1988]

Foster homes can be quite expensive - if you can find a cheap place, then it's certainly an option. Guinea pigs can stay outside if they are well protected again frosts and cold/wet weather.

Shadowwolf wouldn't post like this if she was in any way happy about the situation or wasn't trying her best to find a home quickly and making her boys as comfy as possible under the circumstances.

thank you

 

[KingBoris&HisFollowers]

It sounds like you need to find them a foster home until you get yourself sorted its cruel for them to be forgotten about and at this time of year they should really have been brought in the house

I do agree with this,

No piggy should be outside with the weather the UK has right now.
and this statement stood out to me
or better yet a way of making myself remmber to be a proper mammy to them =] instead of forgetful?

It should not be a matter of remembering the piggies should be apart of your family,if they are being forgotten then maybe they should be somewhere else,i could never forget my pigs or have to be reminded

 

[Claire W]

My piggies live outside due to my hubby being allergic to them and there being no room for them in the house. Their hutch is in a sheltered part of the yard, they have a hutch snuggle and hutch hugger, carpet over the front at night, a dome, lots of hay and 2 snugglesafes. If worse came to the worse, they could come inside in VERY cold weather but they would be in a tiny cage.

I feel guilty to my girls as I can't spend as much time with them as I do in the summer as I don't like bringing them indoors in the evenings because we have the heating on.

What I do is to make sure that I have a few days a week that I make sure they come inside for a long run. They come indoors for playtime 4 days a week (suppose to everyday during the summer).

I can't really offer you any advise but I know how you feel. I just think that at the end of the day, they have each other and I try my absolute best for them just like you are. When they come inside for playtime, I certainly make up for it x

 

[piggyqueen]

the reason they are outside atm is due to no space indoors for them. they have a perfectly sized hutch in a sheltered building. I do not completely forget about them, as they have interaction with me every day as well as all the food and water etc they need daily.
it was merely a thread to see if anyone had ideas to help me spend even more time with them, as my mind is often distracted.

fostering them until your mind is less distracted is not a bad thing it means they will get the interaction they need until you are in a better place and doing what is best for the boys

 

[snugglesbaby]

It sounds like you need to find them a foster home until you get yourself sorted its cruel for them to be forgotten about and at this time of year they should really have been brought in the house

I don't think more up heavel for these piggies is the right thing for them. Shadowolf is doing their best by the piggies- hence asking on here for advice. Sometimes things happen and some things cannot be helped!

Shadowwolf- I am a very busy person myself, I make sure I have at least half an hour with my boys every day. They have bird toys in their cage, hay filled tiolet rolls,hide aways,an igloo, hammocks etc and they are as happy as can be! Maybe add a few little bits to their cage and you will find that they will make their own fun- and they have each other. Remember guinea pigs don't NEED cuddles to survive! They just help Love your piggies, put a few things in their cage to help keep them entertained, make sure they are warm and have a good diet---they will be fine! They do not need a foster home! They need their mummy to do the best she can, and I am sure that you are!

 

[piggyqueen]

I do agree with this,

No piggy should be outside with the weather the UK has right now.
and this statement stood out to me
or better yet a way of making myself remmber to be a proper mammy to them =] instead of forgetful?

It should not be a matter of remembering the piggies should be apart of your family,if they are being forgotten then maybe they should be somewhere else,i could never forget my pigs or have to be reminded

I couldn't have said it better myself

 

[piggyqueen]

surely you have a friend who wouldn't mind looking after the boys until you get sorted what worries me is that it was said they are now out door pigs which says to me they were indoor the temp change could really badly affect the pigs

 

[snugglesbaby]

Guinea pigs are amazingly resiliant animals. As long as they are kept at about 60farenheit they will be fine. Did you say they were in a out house?

 

[Wiebke]

the reason they are outside atm is due to no space indoors for them. they have a perfectly sized hutch in a sheltered building. I do not completely forget about them, as they have interaction with me every day as well as all the food and water etc they need daily. it was merely a thread to see if anyone had ideas to help me spend even more time with them, as my mind is often distracted.

It is not so easy to look after your animals when they are staying in a different place, and we should please keep in mind that these boys are neither neglected nor left to the mercy of elements!

It is always better to find out the particulars before jumping on newcomers and achieving the opposite effect of what this forum is about - making people feel bad when they are asking for help in a difficult situation instead of helping them!

What Shadowwolf was asking for was tips on how to make the most of her regular interaction with her guinea pigs. Any more help on that?

PS: Bonnie, the weather here in Britain has been so warm this autumn that anypig could easily adapt to the change from a house to an outdoor building.

 

[snugglesbaby]

It is not so easy to look after your animals when they are staying in a different place, and we should please keep in mind that these boys are neither neglected nor left to the mercy of elements!

It is always better to find out the particulars before jumping on newcomers and achieving the opposite effect of what this forum is about - making people feel bad when they are asking for help in a difficult situation instead of helping them!

What Shadowwolf was asking for was tips on how to make the most of her regular interaction with her guinea pigs. Any more help on that?

PS: Bonnie, the weather here in Britain has been so warm this autumn that anypig could easily adapt to the change from a house to an outdoor building.

Well said. I thought forums were about advice and making friends with people who share an interest..Shadowwolf was asking for tips and advice, if you can't help with that then why post un helpful comments? I agree that our piggies should be well looked after and the fact that Shadowwolf has asked and reached out for help tells me she has the interests of her piggies at heart!

Shadowwolf, does the outerbuilding have electric access?

 

[KingBoris&HisFollowers]

It is not so easy to look after your animals when they are staying in a different place, and we should please keep in mind that these boys are neither neglected nor left to the mercy of elements!

It is always better to find out the particulars before jumping on newcomers and achieving the opposite effect of what this forum is about - making people feel bad when they are asking for help in a difficult situation instead of helping them!

What Shadowwolf was asking for was tips on how to make the most of her regular interaction with her guinea pigs. Any more help on that?

PS: Bonnie, the weather here in Britain has been so warm this autumn that anypig could easily adapt to the change from a house to an outdoor building.

fair point but that last line to me did seem like they were forgotten about and thats purely what it says xx

 

[ShadowWolf1988]

theyre in a garage with electricity. theyre kept warm and probably more warm than myself indoors.
thank you for all your help and advice, even if some of it sounded a little condeming....

 

[Wiebke]

fair point but that last line to me did seem like they were forgotten about and thats purely what it says xx

That is what she feels like right now - but you have to think from which perspective she is writing from: that of a CARING owner who can't do their piggies justice right now and wants to do better.

A person who didn't care would write and formulate completely differently, if they bothered at all.