Guinea Leads... Not For Baby Pigs, I Learned Today

[Cat...]

Just a warning which might stop someone making the mistake I made today. My adult pigs love/loved being walked on leads in the garden, and today I thought: the mid-sized one (about three months old) loves to run, the lead is adjustable, I'm sure he'd love a runabout outside.

It wasn't that he was too little so much as too wriggly. It was really difficult to manage properly, and then while I was untangling the lead he ran into a really dense thorn bush and wriggled his harness in such a way that it caught and I could hear him properly choking.

I had to tear the thorn bush apart (in turn it tore my hands apart, but I was so adrenaline-fuelled I didn't notice for ages). He was instantly fine and as happy as anything, but I will never put a lead on him again until he's got some weight to back it up.

 

[Piggly]

Hi there! Unfortunately leads just aren't recommended at all for piggies theres too many problems like the ones you have experienced, as well as the high risk of them causing real injury to themselves, including back injuries and choking. It happens! Get them a run - its safe, they won't escape and they won't hurt themselves

 

[Humfred]

I'm glad he was ok. You must have had a fright. From what I've read leads aren't suitable for pigs full stop, because pigs have a very sensitive spine. Just another product that isn't suitable marketed by pet shops for money. Anyway, maybe a run would be a good idea? Glad your little one was ok.

 

[Cat...]

I've always felt a bit bad about putting leads on them (reassuring myself by saying out loud "now the situation is: you were born in captivity, so you don't know how not to get eaten by cats" - the neighbours think I'm a crazy person). It's just that my older guinea pigs love(d) running long distance, investigating flowers, hiding in bushes and all that... also, my guinea pigs always seem to get really fat despite having a fairly big cage to run in, so I really want to give them a chance to run long distances.

 

[biscandmatt]

leads need to be banned. they're so dangerous

definitely recommend getting a large run instead

 

[Piggly]

Years ago I had mine on leads too! I really did think I was doing them a favour, myself and my friend lived in a top floor flat and we took them on their leads into the communal garden to explore and munch grass. But as you have found it really can potentially end badly. They just aren't made for wearing harnesses, it twists and strains their backs. If you secure your garden enough or have a couple of those metal runs to fix together they can have a nice big space to run around in and they'll do just fine

 

[Cat...]

I didn't realise they could be so dangerous - thanks, I will look into building them a run for the summer months.

 

[Piggly]

They will enjoy running about freely in a secure run

 

[Ruby Inferno]

I'm glad he's okay! Like the others said, leashes are quite dangerous for all piggies.

If your piggies really like roaming around the entire garden, what I recommend you do is buy one or two octagonal runs like this (though the door doesn't look too secure to me so you may want to use a wire tie or padlock to close it safely) : http://www.zooplus.co.uk/shop/small_pets/runs_fencing/8_sided_runs/outback/194040
You can then use the run's panels to block off hedges etc. to piggy-proof your garden so they can have freeroam without a leash, though you would still need to be with them at all times. If you don't have time to be outside with them the whole time, you can set up the run as an octagon like in the picture and put the sun cover on it. Even with the sun cover, you do have to keep an eye on them but you don't have to actually be with them the whole time because the cover should protect them from predators, especially birds. You can do house jobs etc. while watching them through the window.

If there are too many bushes and hedges to piggy-proof easily, you can always combine two or more of the runs to make one huge run! I don't think the sun cover would fit if the run is made larger like that though, so you would have to be with them at all times.

 

[Maisy and Poppy]

Thanks for warning us. When I got my piggies - last Easter - I bought a lead but the piggies hated it and did this : .

 

[Cat...]

I'm glad he's okay! Like the others said, leashes are quite dangerous for all piggies.

If your piggies really like roaming around the entire garden, what I recommend you do is buy one or two octagonal runs like this (though the door doesn't look too secure to me so you may want to use a wire tie or padlock to close it safely) : http://www.zooplus.co.uk/shop/small_pets/runs_fencing/8_sided_runs/outback/194040
You can then use the run's panels to block off hedges etc. to piggy-proof your garden so they can have freeroam without a leash, though you would still need to be with them at all times. If you don't have time to be outside with them the whole time, you can set up the run as an octagon like in the picture and put the sun cover on it. Even with the sun cover, you do have to keep an eye on them but you don't have to actually be with them the whole time because the cover should protect them from predators, especially birds. You can do house jobs etc. while watching them through the window.

If there are too many bushes and hedges to piggy-proof easily, you can always combine two or more of the runs to make one huge run! I don't think the sun cover would fit if the run is made larger like that though, so you would have to be with them at all times.

Thanks, I think I might try something like that but make more of a full/sturdy cover - I have total cat paranoia, I can't even leave a door to the house open unless I'm standing in the doorway; in my head all the neighbourhood cats are just waiting to rush in and snack on the pigs... which I know is way OTT but I'm stuck in my ways now =/.