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Small pets

It's definitely spring - the pigs are out!

29 replies

FernieB · 10/03/2018 14:17

It's hit 16 degrees today in the tropical northwest so the Fernie pigs are out in their run for the first time this year. It's half on grass and half on the path (with a nice soft towel covering on the path) so they've somewhere dry to relax.

Madampig has completely forgotten grass and is hiding in a pig loo in case it attacksShock. Gingerpig hadn't forgotten and got stuck in mowing but he had forgotten about squirrels and pigeons, all of whom regard the pigs as some kind of Entertainment and are watching him avidly!

They won't be out long. First time out is only 30 minutes to get acclimatised and do they don't get bloat from stuffing themselves when they're not used to grass. Still it's nice they're out as it means it's really spring.

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TimeIhadaNameChange · 10/03/2018 14:46

16 degrees!!!!! Wow! We’re hitting 6 here. Don’t think the guineas will be going out for a while yet. Not that the girls are bothered, but it would be nice to be able to get my now-very-well-and-chewing-everything-in-reach bunnies back outside.

Could you send the sun further north, please?!

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70isaLimitNotaTarget · 10/03/2018 17:49

Ahhh lucky piggies , they love the return to grass Grin

I was planning a half hour graze for the pigs ( cardboard retreat under the hidey box , Bert has a raised wooden box) but it is still boggy here.
DD and I were out at 7am with the grass scissors to get a bowlful . The grass looks green but it's hard getting enough to cut.
Quick warm rinse of water et voila.

They are looking forward to getting out in the Pighouse again, DD and I plan to tidy and renewthe bedding tomorrow .

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EastMidsGPs · 11/03/2018 18:30

DH has been having a daily walk to our local park ostensibly to keep his vitamin D topped up. He has unbeknownst to me he has been taking a bag and pair of scissors Confused to cut fresh grass for the girls. The seed trays are barren of grass.
He's washed and warmed the grass and given to the girls "as a lunchtime treat".
However, it seems he has gone from bringing home a bit of grass and Friday I caught him giving them nearly a bag full. No wonder they are putting on weight rather than looking post winter scrawny.

It was relatively warm here today but our garden is all boggy after the snow and the grass looks battered. DH has been tasked with checking the run so that the piggies can get out on warm days.
Nessa won't remember being outside and thinks the utility room is the world Sadie won't be arsed to move much and will just mow in front and to the sides of her mouth😃
Cannot wait to get them out tho think they are bored (apart from it seems, lunchtimes) .. they both also need a bath as they smell very guinea piggy.

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fortifiedwithtea · 12/03/2018 18:12

EastMids your post explains why your DH is the guinea pigs favourite Grin he really is going beyond the call of duty.

My Old Lady pig has not ventured out yet but has had some hand picked grass in between the showers. Essex is too wet for piggies.

Millie's refuses to sit on old towels, she shuffles about until she is sitting on a very soft fleece blanket. She will accept food treats whilst on said blanket and then she settles down for a nap. When she starts nattering that means she wants her slave to return her to her clean hutch which has been cleaned during her lap time nap. She is now one month past her 7th Birthday.

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FauxFox · 13/03/2018 12:46

My South Coast pigs are out on the lawn Grin they are having a delightful time and mowing away with a bit of pop corning and rumble strutting thrown in now and again for fun...it's about 11 degrees here but it feels warmer in a sheltered sunny spot so i've put the run out against a high fence. They are hardy old chaps though as they live in the shed, i'll probably let them stay out until they disappear into the pigloos...I always feel like a total killjoy if I have to bring them in when they are still having a good time Grin

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EastMidsGPs · 13/03/2018 13:44

@fortifiedwithtea
Good to hear Millie is still going strong Smile
I could probably forgive DH the bag of grass it is the fact he has been warming it for the girls that has made me Hmm
I did wonder aloud I thought they'd both put on weight and needed to get the scales out - as they both look like weebles from the back He never said a word!

@FauxFox
It could be weeks before our garden bog dries out, it is raining here again Sad

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fortifiedwithtea · 13/03/2018 17:27

Millie spent half hour in the run today. Just long enough for me to do some gardening. Window cleaner has complained our bush is now making it dangerous to put his ladder up.

Ok the ground is very boggy , lovely Essex clay but I thought Millie would at least have a nibble of grass. No , she wasn't having any of that not even with her favourite log roll on the grass. She spent the whole time in the summer house looking out at the grass Confused

Brought her in for a cuddle and cut grass on DD2 lap. She was as warm as toast. Ate her grass and settled for a nice nap. She has lots of naps these days, the smallest thing is so tiring. Zzzzzz

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FernieB · 14/03/2018 20:22

Eastmids - you're showing your age mentioning weebles! That's exactly what my two look likeGrin

Sadly our grass sojourn has been short lived as Madampig has had to go to the vet this week with a fungal infection on her ear (possibly caused by a reaction to a nip from someone (stares hard at Gingerpig)). She now has a special shampoo for her ear but when we came back from the vet I decided they were both a bit ripe so they had a thorough scrub, rinse, blow dry and pedicure. They really were delightfully perfumed pigs for about 30 minutes! Currentbun ended up having a rear end dip too, much to his disgust.

They're very Envy about freshly cut grass. Our grass is not looking great. No wonder your DH is their fave.

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70isaLimitNotaTarget · 15/03/2018 22:58

Oh poor Madampig (but you cannot blame Gingerpig unless you saw his teeth make contact)

One of our girls (GP7) had a haypoke , we bathed her eye with warm saline , found the bit of hay then GP8 (my lovely little piggie) washed GP7 eye with PigSpit (that well known cleansing agent of the CavyWorld) . Eye resolution .

My pigs are still in, DD and I gutted the Pighouse last Sunday but its too chilly here.
Even my DDad (who is of the "they've got fur coats they'll be fine" attitude) said "Oh its too cold for the wee things to be out"

Even though he admired the Pighouse and said whistfully that there are people sleeping out in less palatial conditions .

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FernieB · 16/03/2018 22:56

Aah pigspit! That great antiseptic cure-all. I'm fairly sure that's what the doctors used when my DD had appendicitis.

We're back to cold and windy now although the frogs have returned to the pond and created a lovely lot of spawn, so at least someone thinks it's Spring.

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EastMidsGPs · 20/03/2018 18:53

EastMids piggy pamper day today (they did pong)
Bath, gentle blow dry and claws clipped.

We now have to judgy, sulking pigs to contend with Hmm

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FernieB · 21/03/2018 14:18

My pigs can't understand how/why humans pay a fortune for a pamper day at a spa. They'd both pay good money to not have a bath! Mine were bathed last week and still aren't speaking to meWink

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EastMidsGPs · 22/03/2018 14:36

Ness was like 'what the hell's torment is this' in the bath and she hated the hairdryer.
Sadie was more 'oh no, again you did this at Christmas'

Sadly the pampering has put me even further down the pecking order. Neither have wanted to sit with me since - nothing new there really 😃

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70isaLimitNotaTarget · 22/03/2018 20:33

Ours need a bath soon too, my piggie (shorthaired) likes to sit in a haybed of her own wee Envy

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70isaLimitNotaTarget · 25/03/2018 12:30

Ours aren't out out but went out to the Pighouse yesterday (deep hay bedding, Snugglepads and their little heater on low overnight)

This morning (clocks changed) they were wheeking when they heard me open the door, usually I hear them as I approach the Pighouse but maybe they were having a lie-in Grin


Looking at the weather forecast to plan a grass hour or two.

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EastMidsGPs · 25/03/2018 14:16

Ours are out, DH has a coffee,Sundsy newspaper and is reading to them. Probably cricket related. They will be coming in at 3pm.

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EastMidsGPs · 26/03/2018 17:45

Another hour outside in the garden today and they are both asleep ! Wusses Wink

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Brys125 · 26/03/2018 18:41

Decided to put our two out in the run yesterday as the temperature had reached double figures. Thought it would be nice for them to stretch thier legs. They had other ideas and just snoozed in one sunny spot. Lazy little things!

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FernieB · 28/03/2018 11:33

East - were they tired or just depressed by your DH's recount of the state of the cricket?

Mine haven't been able to go out this week due to showery weather and are sulking. It doesn't matter what kind of veg I try to placate them with, it isn't what they wantAngry

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EastMidsGPs · 28/03/2018 12:38

FernieB
DH was all 'disgusted of EastMids' over the Aussie ball tampering row. The girls couldn't have cared less. They let him droan on at them in return for grass and treats.
Sunbathing in the Spring sunshine has come to an abrupt end here. Had drizzly rain yesterday, cold grey and miserable today with much the same forecast for the rest of the week.
During their limited time outside, Sadie still managed to turn her white fur green 😠

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EastMidsGPs · 05/04/2018 13:36

Two delighted 'EastMids' piggies currently outside sunbathing.
It has been a long miserable winter

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FernieB · 05/04/2018 19:55

Mine have been out today mowing what lawn there is and enjoying the sun. Two very grumpy pigs were dragged in after a couple of hours.

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70isaLimitNotaTarget · 14/04/2018 16:36

Mine are out in long grass for the first time Grin they are delighted , their faces got chowing before their back feet touched down.
Gave them a cardboard sheet to park on in case they don't want to sit on the grass.

I'm giving them an hour so it'll be : Cue Judgey Looks when DD tries to catch them.

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EastMidsGPs · 14/04/2018 17:09

Just fetched ours in. They're tired out and are now snoozing.

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70isaLimitNotaTarget · 15/04/2018 00:34

Next week looks ok, ours might get out and about.
Race against time for them to attack the lawn like locusts before DH gets out the lawnmower, I reckon the pigs have it in the bag.

The only downside to a day of grazing is we cut down on their evening veg. They have loads of hay and pellets tonight and a sweetcorn to pick at. They do like their routine so we'll get chattered at tomorrow for the blantant neglect .

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