Run Around Room

[Julia sawicka]

when i let my 6 pigs run around my room(i put blankets all over it so its soft for them to walk on) 2 of them hide in the house and don't come out a lot. what should i do?

 

[Merab]

Give them time - it's a big scary world for a little prey animal. They're all different characters anyway and you may find that the 2 of them are more coach potato piggies than the others.

 

[randomname]

I learned something about this with my degus - I bought them a massive rabbit run for free time. They hated it, just stayed in their hides. Then I used cardboard to line the mesh sides & they were totally different, exploring all over. I think a lot of prey animals hate being exposed from all sides & will mostly hide. It's genetically hardwired into them so I'd work on making them feel less exposed, see if that helps.
You could try a more enclosed area by using cardboard boxes or use tunnels (I like Boredom Breaker ones) - In a average size room I'd probably use 4 tunnels & 5-6 big boxes as well as their huts/houses. Make sure they're kinda linked together so there's no scary expanse of open area.

 

[Julia sawicka]

thanks ill do that

 

[VickiA]

They are often afraid of a wide open area at first. By placing tunnels and hideys such as stools for them to sit under it makes it less scary for them. They will soon get used to it and once they feel more secure they will venture further and enjoy floor time more.

 

[Swissgreys]

Fill the area with boxes and tunnels and they will slowly come out and explore.

 

[my big big pig]

I also cover the sides of my pen with cardboard walls, this way the pigs don’t feel exposed and feel free to explore without fear. This is my pen:

 

[my big big pig]

I made a tunnel out of a folder:

 

[Betsy]

I have outside piggies and when they are in the run I cover it with an old duvet. Even though the sides are exposed they still feel safe underneath it in the run.

 

[my big big pig]

Nice, a pity Its to Cold down Here where I live to make an outside pen; once I took some clean and washed grass and put it in their cage. they loved it! The remains of it:

 

[Merab]

They left that much??

 

[my big big pig]

Well they finished the rest later anyway.