Good quality run recommendations?

[Eddie & Elvis]

I know it's going to be too cold for putting the piggies outside now but the run that I have at the moment hasn't lasted very long at all so I was looking for some suggestions for big, good quality runs that should last much longer for next year.

Thanks in advance

 

[sport_billy]

We found a sturdy one once at a garden centre but then picked one up locally. I advise looking first hand at them as photos on websites can be deceiving

 

[Eddie & Elvis]

Are all garden centres likely to sell runs?

 

[Piggies&buns]

Are all garden centres likely to sell runs?

no, they won’t all sell them. I have five garden centres near me and only one of them sells anything to do with pets/has a pet department or an pet shop within the garden centre.
home and roost website sell good runs.
if you are handy though, the other way is of buy the wood and wire and make your own. It’s really not hard to make a run. It’s important to make sure you paint them regularly to stop water damage

 

[Eddie & Elvis]

I'm not handy enough to make my own so I'll have a look at home and roost. I didn't know about painting the run I'll remember that for next year

 

[Piggies&buns]

I'm not handy enough to make my own so I'll have a look at home and roost. I didn't know about painting the run I'll remember that for next year

A good pet safe wood paint to stop the water from getting in and a run can last for many years.

 

[DM270921]

We have this one:

View attachment 155361

It's very good quality and a bonus is that it has a hidey part attached so they can be inside if they feel like it.

You do have to coat it with wood paint, I think the seller said after 3 months and then every year after.

 

[eileen]

a folding run can be useful,so you can pack it away for winter ,to stop water and winter damp weather getting to it .

 

[Betsy]

This is the one I have 6ft Folding Rabbit Run Canterbury Range | Fast Delivery | H&R Its nice and sturdy but the sides are difficult to get straight and so I just leave them a bit bent and pop the roof on the top. I don't use the door to get the pigs in and out, I use the top of the run as it is easier. I haven't got the sunshade either, I just chopped up an old blanket and use that instead. It folds up easily for storage in the shed over winter. I have 3 piggies in this run, the other two are in a smaller run.

 

[Eddie & Elvis]

A good pet safe wood paint to stop the water from getting in and a run can last for many years.

Do you know where I could get a pet safe paint from?

This is the one I have 6ft Folding Rabbit Run Canterbury Range | Fast Delivery | H&R Its nice and sturdy but the sides are difficult to get straight and so I just leave them a bit bent and pop the roof on the top. I don't use the door to get the pigs in and out, I use the top of the run as it is easier. I haven't got the sunshade either, I just chopped up an old blanket and use that instead. It folds up easily for storage in the shed over winter. I have 3 piggies in this run, the other two are in a smaller run.

This is actually the run I have currently. At least part of the problem I have is my lawn is a bit sloped and because it folds it started tilting increasingly because of the hinges on the sides. It got to a point where I was holding it upright with string attached to the run and poles in the ground. I don't know if it was the specific run or just my lawn that's the problem... Maybe a non folding one would help?

 

[Freya1234]

Do you know where I could get a pet safe paint from?

When I have painted animal runs/bird tables/bird boxes I have used the cuprinol ‘garden shades’ paint. It comes in a very wide range of colours and is pet and animal safe once it has dried. You can get it from pretty much any DIY shop and I have seen it in some garden centres. Just make sure when your painting you put something on the ground as it stains and doesn’t come out - I can vouch for that as I now have a nice blue outline on my patio!

 

[Eddie & Elvis]

When I have painted animal runs/bird tables/bird boxes I have used the cuprinol ‘garden shades’ paint. It comes in a very wide range of colours and is pet and animal safe once it has dried. You can get it from pretty much any DIY shop and I have seen it in some garden centres. Just make sure when your painting you put something on the ground as it stains and doesn’t come out - I can vouch for that as I now have a nice blue outline on my patio!

Thanks I'll make sure I get some of that. And I'll avoid painting a colourful outline on my patio too

 

[Piggies&buns]

Sorry didnt see your question but yes Cuprinol is the widely recommended paint

 

[LollyJJ]

Hi, I'm a newbie here, but thought I'd share. I bought this metal run for my 2 boys, it folds up and it's light and easy to move around. Has 2 little trap doors on either side and a large one on the top. Has 4 pegs that go into the ground. It's very sturdy and good quality, I would recommend it. I got a medium size (I think the measurements on the picture are the large size) one from eBay, but I've seen it on Amazon, around £35. I've decided to bring my piggies in for the winter and have adapted this run by turning it upside down so it's open at the top, lined it with corex and fleece. They are so happy my boysJust one thing, they are sleeping and pooping and oeeing in the hay box

 

[Eddie & Elvis]

Thanks! That sounds like a good option

 

[Piggies&buns]

I’d be very careful using metal runs. They aren’t as predator proof as a good sturdy wooden one with fine gauge mesh, and can be knocked over by a determined predator relatively easily

 

[Eddie & Elvis]

Oh ok I'll remember that

 

[Qualcast&Flymo]

This is the one I have 6ft Folding Rabbit Run Canterbury Range | Fast Delivery | H&R Its nice and sturdy but the sides are difficult to get straight and so I just leave them a bit bent and pop the roof on the top. I don't use the door to get the pigs in and out, I use the top of the run as it is easier. I haven't got the sunshade either, I just chopped up an old blanket and use that instead. It folds up easily for storage in the shed over winter. I have 3 piggies in this run, the other two are in a smaller run.

Do you know where I could get a pet safe paint from?

This is actually the run I have currently. At least part of the problem I have is my lawn is a bit sloped and because it folds it started tilting increasingly because of the hinges on the sides. It got to a point where I was holding it upright with string attached to the run and poles in the ground. I don't know if it was the specific run or just my lawn that's the problem... Maybe a non folding one would help?

I have the Canterbury run too. My old one from P@H was sturdier but not folding so difficult to move around the lawn etc. I was a bit disappointed by the Canterbury, it uses basically thick wire rather than welded metal grids, so probably wouldn't survive my son's footballing as the old one did. Like Betsy, I find it difficult to get the sides to stay straight, and have the lid resting on top as screwing it down would render the run non-folding.
I was trying to find folding hinges that would hold the sides in position when open but couldn't find any. However I just had an idea - when I'm getting it ready in the spring, I'm going to buy some hooks - the straight sided ones which I think are for mugs - and screw them into the verticals, then use a long piece of wood resting on the hooks to hold the sides in line. This might help you too @Eddie & Elvis ? Though possibly your lawn is just a bit too sloping, but it's worth trying.

 

[LollyJJ]

I’d be very careful using metal runs. They aren’t as predator proof as a good sturdy wooden one with fine gauge mesh, and can be knocked over by a determined predator relatively easily

I have to say we have a high stone wall round our garden and a strong fence with no gaps and a very heavy gate that will only just about let a hedgehog squeeze under! We don't even get any cats or foxes, just plenty of birds so I'm more than happy to let the piggies out in this and we can see them from inside too.

 

[Qualcast&Flymo]

I have to say we have a high stone wall round our garden and a strong fence with no gaps and a very heavy gate that will only just about let a hedgehog squeeze under! We don't even get any cats or foxes, just plenty of birds so I'm more than happy to let the piggies out in this and we can see them from inside too.

Might a rat be able to squeeze through the bars? They can get through extremely small gaps when they want to. Unlikely maybe, especially if you are always there, but not impossible.

 

[anyar.dris]

Hi, I'm a newbie here, but thought I'd share. I bought this metal run for my 2 boys, it folds up and it's light and easy to move around. Has 2 little trap doors on either side and a large one on the top. Has 4 pegs that go into the ground. It's very sturdy and good quality, I would recommend it. I got a medium size (I think the measurements on the picture are the large size) one from eBay, but I've seen it on Amazon, around £35. I've decided to bring my piggies in for the winter and have adapted this run by turning it upside down so it's open at the top, lined it with corex and fleece. They are so happy my boysJust one thing, they are sleeping and pooping and oeeing in the hay boxView attachment 155521

I have this exact run for my piggies. We have it since 2014 and it's still perfect.

Last time my piggies used it this summer.

 

[Guinea Slave]

Might a rat be able to squeeze through the bars? They can get through extremely small gaps when they want to. Unlikely maybe, especially if you are always there, but not impossible.

We have similar with a totally secure garden but I would not dare to do this. Around our way (Hampshire) we now have a lot of birds of prey and some guineas and small animals local to us have been attacked and in same cases taken by the birds (hawks, red kites,buzzards etc). Be very careful as this is horrific when it happens.

 

[Piggies&buns]

Magpies have also been known to have a go if they are desperate enough

 

[Guinea Slave]

I rescued a juvenile pigeon which had been attacked by a magpie at the weekend from our garden :-(. He went to a wildlife rescue but the magpies almost killed him, they can be very unpleasant. I saw one pecking at the run with the guineas inside once...they completely ignored it (which is a worry in itself !)

 

[Eddie & Elvis]

I have the Canterbury run too. My old one from P@H was sturdier but not folding so difficult to move around the lawn etc. I was a bit disappointed by the Canterbury, it uses basically thick wire rather than welded metal grids, so probably wouldn't survive my son's footballing as the old one did. Like Betsy, I find it difficult to get the sides to stay straight, and have the lid resting on top as screwing it down would render the run non-folding.
I was trying to find folding hinges that would hold the sides in position when open but couldn't find any. However I just had an idea - when I'm getting it ready in the spring, I'm going to buy some hooks - the straight sided ones which I think are for mugs - and screw them into the verticals, then use a long piece of wood resting on the hooks to hold the sides in line. This might help you too @Eddie & Elvis ? Though possibly your lawn is just a bit too sloping, but it's worth trying.

I ended up screwing the top on because it kept sliding to the side and I felt it wasn't secure enough. I was trying to work out how to reinforce it too. It might be too late to do that to mine though, the horizontal pieces of wood on the side doors have started to come off on one side and have to be hit back into place. It's all starting to fall apart really...
My worry with getting a non folding one though, is if there will be a gap between the bottom of the run and the floor because of the angle of my grass.
I don't want a metal run as wood ones sound sturdier and I see buzzards flying about.
Who thought buying a run would be so complicated?

 

[Qualcast&Flymo]

I ended up screwing the top on because it kept sliding to the side and I felt it wasn't secure enough. I was trying to work out how to reinforce it too. It might be too late to do that to mine though, the horizontal pieces of wood on the side doors have started to come off on one side and have to be hit back into place. It's all starting to fall apart really...
My worry with getting a non folding one though, is if there will be a gap between the bottom of the run and the floor because of the angle of my grass.
I don't want a metal run as wood ones sound sturdier and I see buzzards flying about.
Who thought buying a run would be so complicated?

That's not good if it's already coming apart, how long have you had it?
If your lawn slopes unevenly, any run might have gaps underneath whether it's folding or not. All you can do is block any significant gaps with something like bricks or rolled up blankets.

 

[eileen]

i have just ordered the medium run,for next year,as my present run has rotted with all the rain.may invest in the runaround runs later next year !