To those who have many Piggies (A load of questions...)

[boureki]

A few nosy questions, such as:

How do you manage to:
a. Find the space
b. Find the time for playing, floor time and the dreaded cage cleaning?

Also, we are thinking of taking on a pair of female piggies, our other four are seperated males and we have no experience with females yet. If we took on these lovely ladies, and they are an established or bonded pair, how easy is it to perhaps add to them in the future? Is it true that females will readily accept most females at any age at any time, or do you have to be a bit careful, like boars?

Thanks in advance!

Julie

 

[karenrgpr]

Ouch!

a. get a 12 by 8 foot shed and kit it out with C+C runs so they get to exercise when they want not when you want.
b. I have designated cage cleaning days, it has to fit your lifestyle. Some people do a couple of cages a day but I work full time and sometimes its too late when I get home- I have 3 children and a husband too I have purposely only got pigs of my own that don't particularly 'need' playing that includes me, Little Miss Curious positively hates Human interaction

The rescues are handled and held as is necessary and more when possible, obviously this is a temporary situation (with the rescues) and their new homes will give them more attention

No, not all sows are the same they just don't voice their opinion quite the same as the boars. Sometimes its just the initial meeting and dominance issues other times they're best seperated so everyone can be happy

Just be prepared for the worst and have a spare cage

 

[boureki]

Thanks! I wish we could get a huge shed in the garden to put them in the daytime when we are at work. We have two of our boys in a large C&C and the other two in big cages above, but it takes so much space! I would prefer them to be in the house, as I know it sounds silly, but they're like part of the family! Finding the time to put them for floor time is our biggest issue, wherever you set up their space, it's always in the way! (We need a bigger house! ;D )

It's interesting to learn about females - it sounds daft, but it's a bit like learning all over again, like we did when we first got the boys.

Thanks for the reply

 

[karenrgpr]

Females in herds with castrated boars are my favourite for watching,

 

[katiep]

I know what you mean Julie, I wish we had space for a shed in our garden but its only small. I am really tempted by Sokel's little George, but we have 2 boys already.
It takes me a while to clean their cages so I also don't know how people with lots of piggies manage!
Fortunately we can put Tiger & Jeremy in the conservatory to run around and play together, but then we have to clean up all their little beans and puddles afterwards! I am looking for a nice pen that I can put on the grass for them but its been so wet lately they would be filthy!

 

[spudnik]

i have 5 females that live together, they all live in my shed which is heated during winter and i have fans on in their during summer if they are not playing out in the garden.

cleaning happens every 1-2 weeks, takes up lots of sawdust and takes approx 40 mins to clean the full shed, i sometimes change their bedding part more often if its dirty or too wet before I'm due to clean them out

i personally prefer females as A) they dont stink like boars do, B) they seem to be that little bit more friendlier and want more cuddles well in my case they do my 8 month old boars still bite! even though they are the most sociable little things u will ever meet! and C) they do tend to accept another female easily, i started with 2 girls and now ive got 5 i just put the sow in and luckily all my older pigs are quite mothering/friendlt so they look after any newbies

 

[minky]

well i curently have 12, 9 of the 12 are freerange in the shed with 4 levels of c&c grids, I personally would say 6-8 is an ideal number 2 groups of 4 if you can manage it

To clean out usually takes around an hour, however once a month i take everything out and thoroughly clean every inch that is usually an all day job it takes longer to get everything back in

I love them all but my boys are very cuddley and do seem more friendly than some of my girls

 

[Niki]

I have 13 & they all live in hutches in my shed with a big grassed run attached where, weather permitting, they graze with me watching over them.
I don't work so have plenty of time, my hutches are on the larger size & take me approx 1-2 hours to clean which i do on a weekend, all together.
As for exercise they get it in their hutches. I have a trio in a 10ft hutch, singles are in 5ft, 1 pair is in a 2-storey 4ft, 1 pair in a 5ft with a 2 storey 3ft extension & a trio in a 5ft with a 4ft extension where they can frequently be seen pinging around. ;D ;D

I do take them out for cuddles, under sufferance mostly - they prefer their "own space" so i chat to them whilst i'm filling bowls/bottles/hay racks ;D

My sows are worse than my boys :
I have one sow who only likes HER neutered boar & hates everyone else, another sow hates ALL men but likes her 2 cage-mates & other sows except the other moody sow. Give me boys ;D ;D

 

[boureki]

Lol Niki, I LOVE my boys, they seem to love their cuddles, but I just wish I could put them in together, then they would have tons of space!

Thanks for all the replies everyone, it's always good to hear how other people deal with their broods!

 

[piggybaker]

I have a 11 girls in my herd and i neutered boar so 12, i would now strongly recommend that as a no no as just having an illness sweep through the herd and nearly wipe them out, i am considering cutting my herd in two and getting another neutered male, just in case they become ill again, i just can't take that vet bill on again :-\ but they are cute when in a natural herd,


good luck

them

 

[boureki]

I have a 11 girls in my herd and i neutered boar so 12, i would now strongly recommend that as a no no as just having an illness sweep through the herd and nearly wipe them out, i am considering cutting my herd in two and getting another neutered male, just in case they become ill again, i just can't take that vet bill on again :-\

Thats a good point, one that I hadn't considered, thank you. To be honest as much as I would love that many in one herd (!), we are happy to adopt single boys, if we get these girls they would be well apart from the others, regardless of if we get one of our boys neutered, I think.