Jack is lazy!

[Olivitree]

Help, what do I do, he's so lazy, regardless of where he is he'll be in his house laying around. I know he's getting old, but he's still fit as a fiddle really, I don't know if he aches at all as he seems to be ok to move around outside providing I'm out there with him.

I really want to get him moving and get his muscle back as he's getting skinny and I think it's because he's not moving around enough as he eats plenty. He is 6 years old though so he's getting on a bit, so I don't want to force him to do things that might give him achy joints or anything.

Any suggestions?

 

[Briony_S]

Buy one of those food balls that are metal mesh and fill with hay / veggies the piggies have to reach up a little and it moves around a bit so it is fun and very gentle exercise.

You could also try stuffing hay into a kitchen roll tube just to make it a bit more fun and will require again a small amount of extra energy.

Another suggestion would be to place veggies etc.. in a trail so he has to keep moving whilst eating.

maybe he is just getting that bit older though. No of the above will harm him however!

 

[Sarah from Chucklebunnies]

Have you tried warming him through and gently massaging him? If he isn't moving around because his joints ache then he will respond very well to this and move more freely afterwards - just as you would! You'd have to observe him closely though.

Older piggies still 'truck' around, that's my experience. They just do less, but still in bursts of activity...they do look stiffer though...

 

[Olivitree]

Buy one of those food balls that are metal mesh and fill with hay / veggies the piggies have to reach up a little and it moves around a bit so it is fun and very gentle exercise.

You could also try stuffing hay into a kitchen roll tube just to make it a bit more fun and will require again a small amount of extra energy.

Another suggestion would be to place veggies etc.. in a trail so he has to keep moving whilst eating.

maybe he is just getting that bit older though. No of the above will harm him however!

Those are some good ideas! I think I'll definitely get him one of those balls I think he'll quite enjoy that, especially if i keep it filled up with grass, I think I might have to be careful though he has a habit of eating too much and getting bloated if I give him more grass than he needs. He doesn't seem to know when to stop eating.@)

Have you tried warming him through and gently massaging him? If he isn't moving around because his joints ache then he will respond very well to this and move more freely afterwards - just as you would! You'd have to observe him closely though.

Older piggies still 'truck' around, that's my experience. They just do less, but still in bursts of activity...they do look stiffer though...

He's not exactly stiff, just very reluctant, he does like a good back rub though, he stretches out, legs out back and front and has a big yawn. I guess it's the way everyone gets as they age though! I think I will try that though, trouble is he's a bit bitey if you touch his sides, legs or feet!

 

[Wiebke]

Can you get him going by making him follow you for his food? Or come to you?

My Dizzy (5 years) is getting rather a bit stiff, so I make her come to me the whole length of the living room to get her grass or a treat. She's also getting a bit of painkiller every evening on her "night night tidbit".

I have tried a hot water bottle, but she wasn't comfy with it. She likes to sleep next to a radiator, though.

She needs more sleep than when she was younger...

 

[Olivitree]

Can you get him going by making him follow you for his food? Or come to you?

My Dizzy (5 years) is getting rather a bit stiff, so I make her come to me the whole length of the living room to get her grass or a treat. She's also getting a bit of painkiller every evening on her "night night tidbit".

I have tried a hot water bottle, but she wasn't comfy with it. She likes to sleep next to a radiator, though.

She needs more sleep than when she was younger...

Well he comes to me outside and enjoys having a tramp around out there, but other than that if i put him on the floor inside he'll just find somewhere to hide like behind the sofa and he'll sleep there >.< I think Jack needs more sleep too, he gets quite messy really as he sleeps in exactly the same position for hours sometimes and wees in the same place because he can't be bothered to get up. So it's not great! But I think I might make him have run rounds in the living room more... maybe block up the gap between the sofa and the wall so he can't just go right back to sleep.

He's outside with me now in fact having a good munch but he's not running around a lot except to come sit next to me... and eat things he shouldn't! got to keep an eye on him!

 

[Wiebke]

I have blocked off access to the back of our sofa, as I would have a job to get them out of there, apart from cleaning...
Start slowly, putting food down a bit away from him, but not too much. I find it helpful waving my hand with grass in it to collect all my pigs, apart from my food call. They are pretty myopic and react better to movement at a distance.
It takes a bit of training and some patience, especially at his age!

 

[Olivitree]

Thanks for the tips I think I'll give it a go! Though he's a stuborn old man, he's still pretty clever... ish, getting a bit forgetful though, things he learned in his younger years he's almost completely forgoten saddly.

 

[Wiebke]

Good luck! Old piggies can be stubborn...