I need some suggestions about looking after my piggies please.

Betsy

Betsy

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I may have a bit of dilemma with my piggies in the not too distant future. We may be having to split our time between houses. Like 4 nights during the week here and the weekends and school holidays elsewhere. I know travelling too much is stressful on piggies. The summer holiday will be OK cos its 6 weeks and I'm not so worried about moving them for that amount of time it's just the weekends, half terms and 2 weeks over Christmas and Easter that I'm worried about. If this does happen it'll probably be in about 6 months and last for around 12-15 months. I'm not too sure how best to look my piggies. When I go on holiday I always ask friends or neighbours cos it's only for a short amount of time. I couldn't possibly ask them to do it long term. Can you come up with any suggestions? I've had everything from "just take them with you when you go" to "just get rid of them they are only guinea pigs!" I have no extended family I could call on either.
 
It depends really on how far you are travelling, if it's not a vast distance I'd try taking them and see how they get on with the travelling. I suspect they would soon adapt and if the end of the journey meant food each time they'd soon look forward to that.

I have been thinking along similar lines for the last few days as Bracken is now on long term meds, feed and syringed water twice a day. I visit my daughter every 4-6 weeks and I've not been able to go for a while because of this. My OH looks after the piggies when I go but I think this is too much for him, so I'm thinking of taking Bracken and Rusty with me, it's about an hour each way depending on traffic.
 
So I used to travel with my three piggies every weekend. They were fine. It was about 1-2 hours drive. Never had any issues, they would eat hay all the way.
I’d say give it a go taking them with you. I actually think they enjoyed the outings :nod: I did always drive very carefully with them in the car though.
 
If you've got a decent sized area in a boot that's not enclosed, (like an estate or a hatchback with the parcel shelf out) you could set up a cage there, and another in your other house. Take as much of their toys and bedding so that everything smells the same, and I wouldn't imagine you would have too much trouble. There is someone (I can't remember who) who takes their piggies on caravaning holidays, so I'm sure it could be done. You'd miss them too much if you'd to leave them that often.
 
Thanks guys for all your help. It's about 45 mins to an hours drive I have 2 carriers. One will hold 3 piggies and the other 2 piggies. I have a bunny business run that I can take with me to the other house that they are used to here that I could set up for them. I'll not be that worried about them now.
 
Hi. We take our two girls away frequently in our motorhome, normally just an hour journey, but tomorrow we are driving for 3 hours. They never seem upset when we arrive at our destination, just happy to get back in their holiday home cage and eat lots of hay!, I love taking them with us as then I know they still get all the love, attention and food that they normally have!x
 
I take my pigs over to stay at the mother in laws every christmas, for 2 weeks they take a few days to settle but i get to sleep in the same room as them which is funny hearing them rustle about in the dark.
 
Bill and Ted have visited the vets in Northampton, a 6.5hour journey each way and they were fine. Slept most of the way in a smallish cage (bigger than a cat carrier) Since then been on holiday with us in Devon 1.5 hr journey each way. They acted completely normal. I worried before because they had only travelled for a maximum of 10 minutes, but was totally unfounded 👍
 
@Betsy hope this helps a little bit.
I took Rusty and Bracken to my daughters last Thursday and arrived home this evening. I took a C&C pen, a large sheet of plastic to protect carpet, puppy pads and a fleece liner, hidies from their cage that they are used to and smelt of them. They travelled in their pet carrier we use for the vets. The journey was just over an hour, they ate hay and seemed quite relaxed. I fitted the carrier with a fleece cover so it was like being in a large hidey. When they arrived at my daughters and were let out into the pen they were excited and explored it scenting it as they went! They were quieter there than they are at home getting used to the strange surroundings, but quite happy, eating well and running around. I kept their routine the same as at home as far as possible. They were very pleased to be home this evening and have popcorned and zoomied and bounced around. I will take them again as this is a way for me to get away occasionally and for Bracken to get his medication.
 
Thanks @piggieminder this had put my mind at rest. OH suggested buying another hutch the same as we have here for down there and so they can have a hutch in both places. I'll take down some of the contents of the old hutch to put in the new one just so that it smells right and hideys that they like.
 
Betsy said:
Thanks @piggieminder this had put my mind at rest. OH suggested buying another hutch the same as we have here for down there and so they can have a hutch in both places. I'll take down some of the contents of the old hutch to put in the new one just so that it smells right and hideys that they like.
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That sounds perfect @Betsy.
We are also often away at a second house, and we actually have a C&C set up there. It is slightly smaller than they have at home (only 2 x 4 for 2 piggies) but they seem to love it.
Having another cage set up really makes life easy, as when we leave we just shake all the bedding out and remove food and water dishes. Next time we come back we add fresh food and hay and it's ready to go within minutes of walking in the door.
The piggies never seem bothered about the travel - we just take extra care to check the weather and be prepared for any extreme (hot or cold) conditions and pack accordingly.
 
A few years ago when my parents still lived in Nottingham (they now live just down the road) we used to visit regularly. I had outdoor piggies at the time. We just brought another hutch and hugger etc and left it in my parents garden. It was slightly smaller than the hutch they had at home but it was still ‘theirs’. I would therefore just transport the piggies in carriers and some of their things and they were always perfectly fine and soon got used to the 100 mile trip.

I now have indoor pigs and when we go to the the husbands family in Nottingham, my parents come round to look after them or my mum stays over if it’s for a longer period but even Ellen and Edward are fine with travelling
 
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