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Small pets

Toys for little/not so little rodents and lagomorphs

9 replies

70isaLimitNotaTarget · 24/02/2016 17:09

Seeing Current Bun in a cardboard box and Sleepings piggies in a cardboard tube, I was inspired to give the 70 Hogs a couple of tubular boxes and a Primark bag to play in tonight.
They love bags'n'boxes , I think they really like the noise of their little claws (like the Billy Goats Gruff Tripp Trapping ) and bonus! they can noisily shred them (at night in winter they're in the next room to DH and I )

What playthings curry favour with your small animals.
Extra Brucie Points if they are free/low cost .

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FernieB · 24/02/2016 21:29

Current Bun is a box lover - anything that can cater for his architectural ambitions. He loves to take a plain box and create Windows, doors, skylights etc. He also loves his jingly bell ball which is especially fun when flung around on a hard kitchen floor at 2 am. He knows the people of the house enjoy that too.

The pigs also love a box to run through, chew at and pee on. Gingerpig likes to chew zips when he can find them and Scruffy adores a good button! Sadly the people of the house don't allow those joys, so that kind of chewing has to be done sneakily when a person is distracted, usually by the other pig peeing on them (which is also a fun game). Ginger loves a rousing game of 'grab the bunny's tail' even though he's never quite managed to win cos his long-eared hero can run too fast. Paper bags are a favourite. 'Pass the cucumber' is fun too (one piece between 2 pigs and watch them steal it and run off, then repeat).

No wonder they need so many snoozes.

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EastMidsGPs · 26/02/2016 16:43

Sadie loves to run at great speed through and round their long nylon tunnel .. sort of piggie circuit training ... the noise of claws scurrying on the material distracts humans from whatever they may be doing. The more mature (??) Mollie doesn't do running or hurrying and usually watches for a while, bides her time and then plonks her rather ample body in one end of the tunnel .. and waits ..Sadie running through bounces off her at speed. I swear you can hear Mollie's 'Dick Dastardly' chuckle as she blocks Sadie off. S is rather dim and never learns

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70isaLimitNotaTarget · 26/02/2016 21:22

Aww the EastPigs have got it taped

When we got the sows they went in the big run (GP3 was in the smaller run till he was sterile).
My little Mialayan girl ran into the bars 3 times the first time she went out
Once she got her bearings, (GP4 had parked herself under the Hop In tunnel -it has three tunnels which link in the middle) GP5 (my pig) ran round the run in a circuit, then dived under the tunnel. Then ran. And again. The popcorning and look of delight on her little face.

Now they're lardy and don;t bother running if there's grass to eat

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70isaLimitNotaTarget · 26/02/2016 21:23

What the Jeff is Mialayan , have I invented a new breed?
Himalayan

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FernieB · 26/02/2016 21:34

Scruffy hasn't run in while. As a more mature gentlepig (he'll be 5 soon), such things are beneath him. Gingerpig ran round Scruffy, popcorning in delight yesterday because I opened the fridge. Scruffy sat patiently and waited. He tells me he's going to retire soon, so this year will only do light garden duties as a hobby and leave the serious mowing work to Gingerpig!

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EastMidsGPs · 27/02/2016 08:45

M & S are desperate to get outside , the sun through the window is calling to them. Looked up from cutting grass for them .. to see them wisterfully watching me through the patio doors. When cuddled there was much grumbling and complaining from M ..basically telling me that even as incarcerated GPs they have piggie rights to fresh air and freedom.
My saying it isn't warm enough to be outside and the grass isn't lush enough to mow yet is met with

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FernieB · 27/02/2016 23:06

If the sun is shining then we're being cruel and neglectful not to let the pigs out to mow, according to my boys. They can see the daffodils coming out and the bluetit building its nest in the nest box, so it must be Spring and the start of the mowing season. They don't see the frost first thing as they don't get out of bed until after 3rd breakfast, so don't believe me that it's too cold.

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EastMidsGPs · 28/02/2016 14:11

Sunny again and still not warm enough

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70isaLimitNotaTarget · 28/02/2016 15:52

It looks nice here (Essex) but I know that the grass was crunchy frosty at 6.30am (when I venture out to prepare their House).
I did think yesterday "Oooh not long till they can go out" but I think not before Easter at this rate.
If it's too cold they just sit judgily (I give them a cardboard base to insulate them) not eating and looking miserable.
Though more than happy to scoff a plate of fresh cut grass if I make the effort .