Piggys don't seem to like being out in their run

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mshappy89

mshappy89

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We've had our gorgeous girls for 8 weeks now. They are indoor piggys.

When the weather is nice we put them out in the garden in their run.

They rarely come out of the hidey bit and just stay hiding. They don't seem to come out onto the grass at all. Is this normal behaviour?

They are 4/5 months old
 
My two are also like this, they seem to get really nervous of being in the open, and stay in their hideys all the time, which defeats the point of a run rolleyes It would be great if someone could explain why, maybe they are scared of being in an open space? (My run is indoors)
 
I let then have hallway time and I put there igloos out there and they run and pop corn all over the place...
 
They are still quite young and probably lack confidence yet. Try covering the top of the run so it is not open to the sky and take away the hidey for a while. Also give them some long grass which they can tunnel into.
 
The outdoors with all their new scents and noises is quite frightening! Wide open spaces spell DANGER for prey animals. It will probably take a few visits to get used to the new space.

You can help:
Please cover at least part of the run with a beach towel (piggies should always have shade available). Sprinkle hideys around the run (even cardboard boxes with a "door" cut in will do) so they can explore from a safe base. Give them time to get used to the new territory.

Always make sure that your run is safe against cats, birds of prey and roaming dogs.
 
My girls are the same, they get worried as a few doors along they have a big aviary in there garden and they can hear the birds. They also don't like being put out when its windy.
 
I havent tried mine in the garden yet (it needs sorting) but my babies hate free roaming, they will spend the whole time hiding under my tv unit (I have to watch like a hawk as there are wires under there) yet put them in a play pen and they run like loons, I dont get it lol, they are obviously wusses and I can see them not being to keen on the garden lol
 
I'd say its because they're still young. I'd try throwing a blanket over one side and chucking hay and long grass in for tunnelling, that way they feel less exposed.

However, i did have one pig, Charles, who was totally not on board with the whole run idea. He would grumpily sit in the hidey part until i returned him indoors (which would gain me the smug 'i told you so' look). I tried and tried his entire 6 years and never would he go on the grass... *sigh*
 
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