Indoor Run

[juliebee]

I have a large fold-out run for my pigs that works in the house and garden. The combination of Scottish weather and living in a tenement flat means they don't get outside terribly often so the run is almost permanently set up in my living room.

It's pretty much the perfect size for 2 bath towels and I used to plonk the run on top of them and all the mess would be mostly contained. However, my wee pigs now LOVE to burrow underneath the towels so it soon looks shambolic. I'm not bothered about poo and hay getting everywhere (I bought a handheld hoover just to clear up after them) but their pee now goes straight onto my laminate wood floor, which is messy and stains if I don't spot it immediately. Oh and sometimes the slant of the floor means I end up standing on it. Lovely.

Does anyone have a great solution for cleanliness of indoor runs? I don't have lot of space otherwise I'd keep huge bits of cardboard for underneath it! Any advice gratefully received, thanks!

 

[claire8234]

Hi

This used to be a huge problem for me! My guinea pigs came into the lounge in an indoor run but my son used to think it was great trying to climb in and out of it and anything that we put down to soak up the pee just ended up bundled into the corner so it was a waste of time!

They now have the run of the hallway when they come inside which is laminate floor and I don't have to bother with a run and am just on standby with kitchen towel and newspaper!

How about putting a piece of lino under the whole run (rather than getting it to fit the inside) you can then just wipe it clean and roll it up when you don't need it and your guinea pigs can't burrow underneath it. If you ask around at local carpet shops etc you'll probably be able to get an off cut for just a couple of quid.

Good luck

x

 

[juliebee]

Thanks, Claire! That's a good idea. I guess it's just something else I'll have to bundle up and store, which is irritating but not as irritating as pee everywhere! If I cleared up the run after they've been in it every day it'd be easier but, in reality, it can stay up for days.

I'll have a think about the lino, cheers. I guess folk with C&C cages have the same problem too.

 

[claire8234]

My two are outdoors at the moment so when it was nice and sunny they spent most of the time on the grass so wee wasn't a problem!

I love having them indoors runing about but my lord they could pee for britain! Poo isn't a problem I just pick it up and throw it in the loo. They generally go to the toilet in the same place so I make sure I put down loads of newspaper and that usually helps.

I did away with the indoor run eventually as you're right finding space to store everything guinea pig related is't easy

 

[juliebee]

Ha ha! So true. I permanently have a sack of Megazorb in my hall. I've also just bought the wheeled stand for my Ferplast cage so I can store things underneath it. I didn't expect THIS much chaos from two tiny wee creatures

I have a small garden that's shared with 7 other flats. It's okay but, as I say, the weather's not great for outdoor fun and when I do let them out I have to sit there with them for the duration - I can't risk leaving them out there on their own in case nearby cats (or people!) get at them. I work from home so it should be easy enough but I'm normally too engrossed in work and miss the few decent days when we could go outside!

 

[TamaraMaria]

How about a table oil cloth, larger than the run?

In my indoor run I have made some snug corners and in these corners some cardboard boxes lined with adhesive plastic, old newspapers and fleece.

Most of the poo and pee is deposited into these boxes because they love to be underneath the tunnels and hammock!

(Except is there is food to be found outside these shelters!)

 

[claire8234]

How about a table oil cloth, larger than the run?

Thats a good idea and it would fold up really neatly. My local market does a cheaper version of oil cloth which is about £4 for a metre square, thick oil cloth will set you back an awful lot more!

 

[Belinda Shute]

Hi. Our 2 older girls, Dot and Ethel live in a 4 x 4 puppy pen in the kitchen, which seems to work out really well. We have put them on several layers of lino and a blanket underneath. Its really funny, as they seemed to have house trained themselves and will only pee in their pen! We do occasionally get little poo presents dotted around the kitchen when they go for their daily stroll when we are cleaning them out. We bought our puppy pen from Pampurred Pets, but found that we had to guinea proof it when we first got them with chicken wire round the bottom, as they were quite tiny and managed to squeeze through the bars.

Hope that this helps. Bee