So excited...Just ordered my C&C cage for my piggies :)

[LackaDAILYcarb]

Having very swiftly outgrown their plastic indoor cage, my three "babies" are in a makeshift cage made out of the top of the indoor cage, with an attached run made out of IKEA shoe shelves. They love their extra room, so I've ordered them the bits to make a 2 storey C&C palace :o

I've also got some fleece for bedding and they already have a large plastic hay tray. They are definately going to be indoor piggies, with some grass time when this bloody rain lets up and the weather gets warmer. DH is less than impressed that they are taking up a considerable amount of floor space, but he loves them really.

There's loads of online information about C&C cages. You can customise them can't you?
So if you start with a 2 stoery, you can add to it to give more space (no such thing as too much space with GPs ).
Can you make it into a single stoery if they want all one level?

I'm sure your girls will race round up and down the ramp. (Our boys have a carpet covered ramp, quite shallow incline) it gives them a hidey space under the ramp (Toilet area) .

They are hygienic too, easy to clean. (Unlike most DHs and DC)

My hogs haven't been out in the garden since last weekend, they got in an hours grazing. They sometimes have the pighouse main door open if its ok for a hour.

"Pit Ponies see more daylight than we do" they protest.

They need to grow fins and gills don't they

It's going to be 4x3 with a 1x3 hayloft. I'll keep their existing hay box on the ground floor as well though; it'll save the squabbling about who gets in the box!

My babies live in a two storey playhouse but I am in the process of selling that and getting a 14x 8 summerhouse
Built to house them (I'm a hobby breeder and have 18)

I want to do some c&c sets up within the house to make it more versatile and give my babies two storeys to create more space.

Can you tell me where you got fixed up from? Im currently looking on eBay....,

Btw I shudder at the thought of fleeces ! My 14
Ladies live together in a huge run and the amount of poo I'd have to buy a second washing machine ( first one on 3 cycles a day with dh dc's and dog!')

Dh said he wished he got as much attention as gp!

But they are way motr cuter ;)

I used fleece in my hogs indoor winter cage, curled up into a little nest.But it's a nightmare to get the hay off.
I can't do just fleece without hay.So it's easier for me to fill the cage with Catsan+newspaper+hay (in their winter overnight cage)
And for the sake of my washing machine

damppatch I get the look from DH when I go out to check and feed the pigs (early am and about 8pm) They have an hours cuddle after dinner.
You should suggest DH moves into the summerhouse when it arrives

Damppattchnot, I found a company called grendle enterprises. It's www.grendle.co.uk I think. They sell on eBay as well, but it's much more expensive that way...£75 as opposed to £55! They also do extra panels and sets of connectors via the website

Re the fleece, at the minute they have a large hay box with a lip on it and I've got paper in front if it, which keeps most If It off the fleece. They seem quite happy with that, and can be found in their pigloo all curled up together or rooting around in the hay.

The poop needs a lot of attention though, I sweep it up twice a day then throw in into my veg beds as fertilizer! I only started this set up a few days ago and it's due to be changed today, so I will see how yucky it is in the washing machine then!

70 do you put the catsan under the newspaper? I am still experimenting with what goes under the fleece to catch the wee.

Who knew keeping piggies was such an involved experience. My DH is also quite bemused by the attention they get!

The dc and I are gp crazy

We went to a zoo last year and in the farm bit they had a huge stable full of gp and it was the first time we saw baby gp! It was love at first site and a fee weeks later we had spike and marmalade coco and trudy! We have occasional litters but mainly they are for pleasure
I will check that site out and dh has his work cut out as I want the summer house insulating and wired for light and heat.

Mine are mainly long coated breeds so we groom regularly and dh did admit they are cute!

YY LackaDAILYcarb.
Last year I experimented with all sorts of bedding for the indoor (and the outdoor) cage.
Nothing 100% but I found Catsan gave the best anti-odour protection. I used Megazorb in the outside house but not inside because I couldn't get it off fleece ,whereas Catsan shakes off.

It is sharp, so I put it under a good layer of newspaper, my boars aren't chewers unless it's food.

I bought some paper based cat litter (Biocatolet or something, green bag) to put in shallow box in the pighouse.They seem to be favouring one spot to toilet but so far have ignored the litter )

Fleece has the advantage that anything wicks through it (so you need something absorbant underneath) and it washes and dries quickly.

But I'm always surprised by the number of pee patches they leave. I'll need to get the house emptied and steam cleaned but as it's been chucking it down for the best part of 2 weeks, I can't have a good clear out.

pee patches in the pighouse, not my house.
GP1 played up in DD bedroom and he was a gentleman .Didn't pee, eat her magazines or hide under the bed

The weather is not very gp friendly is it? My girls are all snuggled up
In a big wooden hay box. My pregnant lunkyara is like a big fluffy pillow and my smooth is cuddled up next to het with het head on her back!!

It's so wet and windy today. A few weeks ago they were out I'm the sunshine three days om the run it was so warm

Our hogs have been confined to barracks with the rain-some days they get their main door partly open to let a bit of fresh air through.
They're warm and dry, loads of hay, and some cut grass to tempt them.

Our GP1 is minus a bottom tooth at the moment, but that doesn't stop the mighty Chester. Oh no

IT's HERE!!!!

I'm still waiting on the coroplast for the trays and have yet to find a suitable ramp so no first floor, but I've built up a 3x3 run for them. They have been running round in circles and popcorning all over the place. I think it's a hit :o

Have loaded a pic to my profile :)

Nothing coming up on profile Daily .

You'll have to invite all all over for dinner to admire it,
. What's your PostCode, I'll just tap it into my Sat-a-Nav....

durr, I had forgotten about my low carb namechange! It should be visible now :)

Looks good . It's much more airey than a solid sided hutch and looks really easy to keep clean

The only problem (as I found out with my pigs outdoor run) is when you want to catch them, you have to physically climb into the cage (I send DD in).
They delight in the extra space and play the "I don't want to be caught" game.

Oh, yes, they just lurve THAT game...accompanied by squealing as though I was trying to murder them!

I am learning not to take it personally :o

actually, for catching them I have the cardboard tube of doom! I remove all hideyholes except that one, and when they run into it, pick the whole thing up. They are starting to catch on though and try and back out as soon as I go to pick it up!

GP1 is a champion wheeker.
GP2 purrs (like he's laughing)

GP1 wheeks when he hears a bag rustling (from the fridge when he's in the garden)
In rage when I'm trying to catch him and it's "Get your ruddy hands off me woman"

And - when I catch GP2 first and put him him the pighouse. He's "Where's my brother,where is he"?. Quite pathetically but desperately sad and needy.

My herd have been grazing today I'm the sunshine! Lovely to see them all outside

V excited at this end tonight as angel is due anytime and is enormous and looks fit to burst!

Hourly checks as she has been v quiet for days and not moving much

Oooo can't wait

Aaaah, you're on MidWife Duty .

They usually just get on with it don't they, afterbirth disposed of and baby guinea-pigs there in the morning.

Is this Angel's first litter?

Our hogs had an hour on the lawn while I cleaned their cage but they were happy to go in .
Seems ages since they were out in their run dozing in the hedgehog house. Boars can't afford to get fat and lazy, they've got their 'nads to think of.

Yes get first

I have been on hourly checks ( yawn!) but all quiet ATM!!