grass and pigs?

[kristie]

hi,

I'm moving house on wednesday to a house that has a huge back garden (obviously 4 my girls!) and if its sunny id like to start letting them on the grass in a run as they have never been outside as my current house has no garden! and basically I'm not sure whether or not the grass has been sprayed with anything and neither is anyone else, assuming it is is there anything i can do to make it safe for my pigs to go on?

thanks

 

[alcesterpigs]

If in doubt wait until the lawn has been cut a couple of times then you can be certain that any chemical that may have been on the grass will have been eliminated.
If you look on the product information leaflet most lawn products are "animal safe".

 

[Laura-CCC4]

I always wonder about this too, it is one reason I tend not to put my pigs out very often since I move house so much. When I get to a new place I don't know what animals use the garden (hence urinate/defecate in it) and I don't know if the lawn has been treated. I tend to wait a few months until I know what comes into that garden and until, as AP said, any chemicals that may have been used have grown out.

 

[Wiebke]

When you put your piggies out for the first few times they will be frightened by the big expanse of open ground.

It will help a lot if you place a slab of wood or peg an old bath towel over the top and put some of the huts and tunnels into the run to entice them out. It still may take a few days for them to get their bearings...

Always make sure that there is plenty of shade in the run, especially over lunch time/early afternoon. Please, don't put indoors piggies on a wet, cold lawn. "Hand test" the ground first in order to avoid UTI's.

I am sure that your piggies will come to enjoy the access to the lawn - mine always come to life when they can live outdoors!