Floor Time

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Alexa

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i am new to keeping piggies and loving it!

I keep reading about floor time, which I presume is where the piggies are out of their cage for some exercise and just a different place to their cage/hutch.

How do people do this? Any photos etc would be appreciated. I feel like it's a stupid question but I live in a rented house and couldn't just let mine walk anywhere and wee on the carpet! At first are they just shy and hide? I feel mine would just want to sit in the corner rather than move around!

Thanks for any advice x
 
Floor time can be a free run of the floor but it's safer for my pigs to be in an enclosed area. I put down some lino then cover it with a sheet or blanket - easier to walk on - then put up a temporary wall. I use wood, but many people join grids together.

Throw in some food and water, and a selection of toys and things, then let the pigs roam. You're right about pigs wanting to hide but given time they'll come out. ..

If you can enclose a big enough area, you'll be able to sit in it and get some close up time if your pigs fancy that.

Floor time is a chance for your animals to enjoy another environment. Imagine how you would feel if you were stuck in your bedroom 24/7 :D
 
I ditto Shades response. Floor time can be lots of fun combined with the stimulation of a new place to explore. Piggies take various lengths of time to get used to it and to start with you might wonder if it is worth it when they refuse to emerge from hiding places! Amazon do Small Animal Fencing panels which link together to provide you with an area they can roam in. My last set I bought was not best quality and I had to file a couple of rough edges off before use, but otherwise it is fine. I think Pets at Home do a similar product but in coloured metal. I use my kitchen floor which has vinyl flooring and pop sheeting or fleece on top, plus various boxes and tunnels for them to play in, a water bowl and large pile of hay.
 
:D Shades just about covered it all in her post. I am assuming that you keep your piggies in a cage or hutch? If you are able to give them more space, a C and C cage is a great idea. This would essentially give them permanent floor time, resulting in happier, livelier and healthier piggies! :tu: I appreciate that this might not be possible in a rented house. But as you would have Correx as the base, the carpets would be safe.
 
Shades said:
Floor time can be a free run of the floor but it's safer for my pigs to be in an enclosed area. I put down some lino then cover it with a sheet or blanket - easier to walk on - then put up a temporary wall. I use wood, but many people join grids together.

Throw in some food and water, and a selection of toys and things, then let the pigs roam. You're right about pigs wanting to hide but given time they'll come out. ..

If you can enclose a big enough area, you'll be able to sit in it and get some close up time if your pigs fancy that.

Floor time is a chance for your animals to enjoy another environment. Imagine how you would feel if you were stuck in your bedroom 24/7 :D
Click to expand...

Great advice here by Shades :)
 
Thanks everyone for your help!

I will definitely be getting some fencing or run to do this. I have a lino kitchen so can easily set something up in there or get some extra for the carpet in the living room!
 
We have a puppy play pen that fold away and slots behind the cage when not in use.... Not that I've used it yet.... piggies moving in shortly!
 
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