leaving pigs for a day and 1 night

Status
Not open for further replies.
C

cazzyg1

Junior Guinea Pig
Joined
Oct 12, 2010
Messages
33
Reaction score
2
Points
130
hi everyone! on xmas day my family and i are going to my mums for the day, sleeping over and returning the next lunchtime. Will my 2 indoor piggies be ok with no heating on and being fed once before we go? i normally feed them twice a day but was just going to put extra food and bedding in x
 
Personally, I wouldn't risk it. What if your piggies got ill? No one would know and think how guilty you would feel if you returned and something had happened. :( Also they might run out of water and food. Don't know if this would be an option but could you take them with you? Your piggies, indoor cage, food and water bottles? :) I would say maybe someone could nip in to see to them but it would be Christmas day so depends if people are busy.
 
I'd say this would be fine as long as you are definitely back when you say you Will. Give some keys to neighbours incase you are snowed in x xx
 
I wouldn't, I'm berating my OH for leaving his cats on their own from 6am Christmas day morning til afternoon Boxing Day, I have even said I will go feed them and he said no!

Can you ask a neighbour to pop in to give them some noms and check all is well?
 
cazzyg1 said:
hi everyone! on xmas day my family and i are going to my mums for the day, sleeping over and returning the next lunchtime. Will my 2 indoor piggies be ok with no heating on
Click to expand...

What time do you plan on leaving Crimbo day?
I would be very worried about them being too cold with the weather we are having at the moment.
 
They will be fine, just add extra food and water to be certain.
 
I admit I have done this once or twice but my boys do not like it one bit...On both occasions...I have returned 16 hours later to find the pigloo's upside down, and and the fleece turned up!

So now I always make sure my dad is staying home if I do go out because they clearly don't like it.

Make sure you fill their bowls to the brim, I've bought 2 extra water bottles so when I do go out, even though someone is in, I give them 4 bottles instead of 2 and I give them triple the amount of hay, just incase something happens.

Is there no one you can get to pop in and check on them? They'll probably get lonely.

I plan to take my boys with me this year but it went wrong last year and they were unable to, so I know what it's like, it's not always an option but I would suggest having someone at least pop in and check on them later in the evening. :)
 
Last edited:
they will be ok for one day just leave extra food,extra hay and 2 water bottles just incase.give them boxes/hideys stuffed with hay to keep warm in
 
I've done this plenty of times over the years and my pigs (and rabbits when I had them) were fine. As long as you double up on everything (might be worth getting an extra water bottle for piece of mind) one day is not going to hurt them. If they're indoors, then the temperature isnt going to drop that much plus I assume you can put the heating on timed to come on for a few a hours anyway. A few extra treats should keep them happy enought too!
 
I'd leave the heating on low or on the timer as it will get cold for them. Lots of extra hay and food and they should be fine if a little grumpy when you return :))
 
Hmm why no heating?! I just spent the night & most of today at my bfs but my heating was on, I gave them extra pellets & hay last night & I asked my mum to nip in at lunchtime today to check them & give them some veg. I mean if you have a big water bottle & give extra food you could be ok for one day but I don't see why you can't leave the heating on? It'd be better if someone could pop in quickly but at a push one day you could get away with if you leave extras...
 
I've left mine for a night quite a few times now, I always worry but they've always been fine.

They have nothing left but hay the next day (all the veggies, pellets and treats get eaten straight away), so they always get loads of hay to keep them going and their heater is always left on - it has a thermostat.
 
My piggies don't like being left at all. I've once left them from 9am and then returned around 12 the next day. When I got back their cage furniture had been turned upside down, and they had obviously been very agitated as I could tell everything had been chewed alot. I did leave extra hay, nuggets, water, and I gave them a really generous veggie helping the morning I left. However, it isn't just about the food, or warmth (I left mine in September, when it was still quite mild), I think they just got lonely and worried without anyone around for that long.

Could you not just take them with you in a cardboard box with holes in? or a cat carrier, if you have one? And maybe buy one of those ball pits from ELC as a temporary cage? It wouldn't be too heavy to take with you. Just pack a small amount of hay, nuggets, a hidey, and their water bottle.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Back
Top