Where do your pigs live?

[tryhard]

Mine are currently under the stairs (not as grim as it sounds, all light & open!) in the hallway, although they don't have as much space as I'd like (a C&C 2x3 with a 2x1 loft), they have a 2x7 playpen in the utility room during the day. But they hallway is quite a good spot for them because they can see me when I approach the fridge in the kitchen (and they let it be known that they can see me!!), they hear us around the house but it's not too noisy, no drafts etc. Just wondered where everyone else kept their pigs? And if they're outside, how often do you get to see them, especially when it's cold?

[mrstiggy]

Mine are in a two tier cage in the living room atm. Still going out into the outdoor cage in the day until recently when it dropped a bit too cold.
In the summer they live in a outdoor cage with a run underneath and the bottom door open during the day to free range in the garden. They much prefer that tbh even with the trade off of more fussing and treats when indoors.
When outside they get fussed over quite a bit as they like to sit next to dh when he is gardening (Which is his hobby so he does a lot of) and next to me whilst I hang washing (Which is NOT my hobby but I do a lot of also!) And we are outside with the kids quite a lot too.
I have considered leaving them outdoors all winter with a cover on like my sister did with my nephews pig but it just seems a bit mean to leave them in a dark smelly box alone for so long, and I'd worry about forgetting about them!

[70isaLimitNotaTarget]

Mine have the DC old wooden playhouse, converted by DH into The Pighouse. Four perspex windows , 2 can be removed but the window spaces are lined with grills/chicken wire/fly mesh.
Light and powerpoints.
I put a plastic screen on the outside of the window so I can have protection against drizzle but fresh air can get in.

What I'd really like is a way for them to get from Pighouse to give them more freedom but its probably more sense for us to decide . If we did tunnels they'd sit in them and mash their wee soaked pooh into their paws.

We have two groups (boar+2 sows and 2 sows) .
The trio have a rabbit hutch with a door cut in the shorter end (it was their outdoor summerhouse but we brought it into the Pighouse)
The two have a plastic trunk with doors (the sort for storing garden cushions)
Each group has floorspace seperated by C&C type grids.
We move the hutches round to 'challenge and interest' (ie bamboozle) them.

At the moment they're indoors as DD was on PigDuty and my little piggie GP5 has been unwell.
When I get home, I have the enviable task of cleaning the Pighouse.
They'll be in at night while its so cold, out in the Pighouse by day with loads of bedding and Snugglepads (and a heater to waft off the chills)

[dietcokeandwine]

Currently in the kitchen, they have a nice airy corner but we will need to move them come the spring. Kitchen has glass roof lights and big bifold doors and will get far too hot as the weather warms up.

Planning to relocate them to either hall or utility room (both of which will be cooler) for the warmer months.

[EastMidsGPs]

Mine have a huge solidly built ancient hutch - not a flimsy one from the chain pet superstores.
In the summer it us kept in our summer house (sounds grand but it isn't, it's old and quite small) this means if it is not warm enough to go out the doors can be opened. However whenever it is warm enough and dry they go out in the garden their run. They are free range in a contained bit of the garden if we are out with them.
In winter I.e now they are in the utility room in their hutch. Daily I let them have a play in their but put a blanket down as Mollie doesn't like laminate floors!

[fortifiedwithtea]

Millie's hutch is beside the chimney breast in the lounge. Away from radiators and draughts. In full view of the sofa where I sit. She likes to know where I am and can spot when I head for the fridge kitchen.

[pipsqueak25]

my piggies moved into the dining room because it was so cold and never moved out again there were 9 but we are down to 4 now over the past couple of years. it's great being able to spent time with them and interact in a way you can't if they were outside. [for]'s millie i've got one like this, she is so nosy !
it's great to hear these lovely piggy stories.

[2017watchoutherewecome]

In the lounge in a cage like the c and c, it's the Midwest habitat which is 8sq feet for two pigs. I've ordered the loft extension for it today.

[stumblymonkey]

Just came on this thread as I genuinely thought you were talking about pigs 🐷 ....was very confused about them living under the stairs!

As you were!

[tryhard]

Haha no not those type of pigs 😂 🐹🐷 Thought I'd share of photo of my girls' set up...

[2017watchoutherewecome]

Do they use the ramp? I was thinking of getting one. What is on the bottom of the cage?

[2017watchoutherewecome]

This is the current set up, it's about to be replaced. Bonus picture of one piggie, the other ran to hide.

[2017watchoutherewecome]

Other piggy appeared

[tryhard]

Aw very cute!! Yes they zip up & down that ramp at speed. It's fleece on the bottom from ziggiespiggies & it's really great, v easy to maintain.

[Mysteryinthehives]

Ours are in the dining room, originally they lived outside in the summer but there was an explosion in the local cat population and we decided it was too risky.

[Isadora2007]

What are fleece cage liners???

Our two piggies live in a large indoor cage in the dining room. In the summer they have a run in the garden.

I would worry they'd be lonely outdoors all year round and we bring them in in the evening in summer.

I may look out for an old hutch though to have the outdoor option for nicer weather so they can go in and out as they please... maybe a second hand hutch.

[tryhard]

Oooo they're brilliant - basically a big fleece blanket, made to measure for the cage, you sweep the poo every day but it's super absorbent so whicks the wee away & stays dry. You wash it once a week in a hay bag to protect your washing machine & the more washes they get, they more absorb any they become. I love using fleece, after the initial cost of buying it I think it probably work ms out cheaper, even with washungnut every week.

[70isaLimitNotaTarget]

I don't like fleece personally- my piggies feet are permenantly covered in grained in pooh on fleece even with changing it daily.
Fleece on top of puppy pads to absorb the wee (and the fleece needs to be one that 'wicks' otherwise it just keeps the pee against their fur)

I just bit the bullet and went back to hay. My piggies are happier, I cope with the smell of hay (just) and mutter darkly at the hall trailing round the bedroom where they sleep, but happy clean paed pigs are worth it.

[Mysteryinthehives]

We didn't get on with fleece either, we had the same paw problem and one of our boys is long haired so it got stuck in his hair too. We use a combination of woodshavings and hay now.

[EastMidsGPs]

We have newspaper to protect bottom of wooden hutch from wee and then huge amounts of hay that they trample down and snuggle into.
We are careful about the gay we buy tho. Needs to look and smell fresh as we once ran low, bought a bag from a hardware cone alsorts shop we passed and the girls got itchy from it.
Added bonus if hay bedding is that the girls smell lovely when cuddled.
Disadvantage is having to keep replacing it.

But with all the garden rubbish etc it breaks down into a lovely rich compost, nitrogen from the pee helps according to DH

[FilledSoda]

I totally though this was about actual (miniature) pigs too.

[tryhard]

Ooooo I've never had this poo issue with fleece but I'll watch out for it, it's good to have a heads up about these things. Both of mine have little strawberry houses that I stuff with hay so they can bed down on that (and eat it & poo on it 🙄)

[tryhard]

Hehe they are miniature pigs in a way! Mine are just having a chill out in front of the telly 😍🐹😍

[IAmAGnu]

This is a really interesting thread. I have promised the kids guinea pigs when we have finished doing up our house. I was wondering where to put said piggies as I worry if they are outside it is too easy to forget them. And they are so cute and interesting I want to be able to interact with them.

What sort of space do I need for them while I am planning my downstairs layout? And how smelly are they indoors?

[MeadowHay]

Ours are in the middle of our living room! . We live in a one-bed flat with only the one reception room and they basically have pride of place so we could give them as big a cage as possible. People are usually shocked at how big their cage is - not guinea pig owners, just other people who seem to have the perception that a) guinea pigs are much smaller than they actually are, and b) that they would need less space. They are in an open-top C&C cage. We have two boar brothers.

Gnu They do smell a bit but not super bad. I don't usually notice it but other people who visit probably do. I try to keep the flat well-ventilated and I burn incense/candles too so hopefully the flat doesn't smell too bad!

[tryhard]

I love having them in the house; mine are under the stairs in the biggest C&C cage we can fit under there (a 2x4 with a 2x1 loft for 2 sows) but I also set them up for floor time every day in the utility room. But no they don't smell at all - mine are on fleece, I spot clean once a day and do a full clean once a week and all we can smell is hay. The great thing about having them indoors is the relationship that you build with them - mine were rescue pigs who came from a breeding centre so traumatised and petrified, within a week they were squeaky, chatty, confident, and they've grown and grown in confidence do their personalities really show. So every time I go near the fridge they wheek like mad, every time I rustle a salad bag, they know there's tastey food coming, and I'm not sure I'd had that feedback from them if they were outside. My girls (3 & 5) help me clean them out every week which I really enjoy because a. I get help doing the big clean and b. the girls learn about animal care. It works for us and it's lovely to have them in our home.