Just Ordered My Cage Parts!

[GPcrazy]

I just ordered my cage parts! So excited
I'll be building a 2x4 C&C cage, but with a solid floor and lid/roof (the floor and roof grids are each 1450x750mm).
First step to getting piggies!

I've also mentioned my plan of creating an outside garden for the piggies to play in to dh and he mentioned this morning maybe we can start prepping that today
That area is about 2300x1500mm. I want to grass it and then add some natural forage areas for the piggies. They'll probably get to go in it about 3 times per week (on the other days they'll get indoor floor time).

So yay, so excited to finally be taking the first steps to gettingy piggies!

 

[sport_billy]

Yay! Great stuff! Cannot wait to see the finished article, be sure to post some photos

 

[GPcrazy]

Thanks, will do. So excited to finally be making the first official steps to getting my piggies! (apart from all the learning I've been doing up to now).
We made a start on their garden play area as well yesterday. Cleared out the area and put down grass and I planted a few seeds as well (basil, coriander/cilantro, thyme, marigolds and chamomile). I started on the fencing (stabbed my poor hands a good few times cutting the wire!) as well, just need to get a few more pieces to make it nice and stable and then somehow construct a roof for it as well. Thankfully there's lot's of rain predicted for the next few days so it should help the grass to take root nicely.

I also ordered some waterproofing/PUL from a lady and should be getting that this week so I can make some pee pads (I'm planning to do fleece bedding). The grids and stuff to make my cage should arrive either tomorrow or Wed and then I just need to buy coroplast and cable ties and I can get to work on it!

 

[sport_billy]

Thanks, will do. So excited to finally be making the first official steps to getting my piggies! (apart from all the learning I've been doing up to now).
We made a start on their garden play area as well yesterday. Cleared out the area and put down grass and I planted a few seeds as well (basil, coriander/cilantro, thyme, marigolds and chamomile). I started on the fencing (stabbed my poor hands a good few times cutting the wire!) as well, just need to get a few more pieces to make it nice and stable and then somehow construct a roof for it as well. Thankfully there's lot's of rain predicted for the next few days so it should help the grass to take root nicely.

I also ordered some waterproofing/PUL from a lady and should be getting that this week so I can make some pee pads (I'm planning to do fleece bedding). The grids and stuff to make my cage should arrive either tomorrow or Wed and then I just need to buy coroplast and cable ties and I can get to work on it!

It sounds like they are going to have a right piggy palace to move into! The herb garden will go down a treat and be destroyed within no time I bet!

Are you thinking of getting boys or girls? Are pigs a popular pet in South Africa?

 

[GPcrazy]

I'd like to encourage natural foraging which is why I planted the seeds, but I did wonder if they would destroy the plants completely so I'm thinking of building a mini 'cage' around the main part of the plants and then they will only be able to access the leaves and branches that grow out between the bars, protecting the main parts of the plant. I'm not sure how well it'll work to be honest but I figured it was worth a shot If all else fails I'll have a few pots of herbs and will rotate them.

I'm hoping to get 2 females. Initially I thought males but having done more research I think 2 females will suit us better.

GP's are not all that popular here. I'd say hamsters are more popular. And sadly there are not really many rescues either. There's one in Johannesburg which I would dearly love to support, they seem to do really great work and also have a few piggies up for adoption, but it is too far away (2 hour flight / 10 hour car trip), and I've only found one in Cape Town but they don't have any piggies at the moment and only very rarely get them in. So at the moment I'm looking on gumtree for someone that might need to rehome theirs etc. I have found one petshop that sells them and one mobile petting farm that sells them but I'm trying to avoid both as I doubt their conditions are all that good, and especially with the petting farm - when I asked if they had their answer was "yes, lot's!" so I'm guessing they're all housed together and males and females are probably not separated. This is just a guess though and I haven't been to look yet (I'm scared I won't be able to say no!), but at the moment I'm mostly checking out gumtree.

 

[sport_billy]

Will be interesting to find out! Ours dont stop till they have devoured every piece of Coriander ha ha

That is interesting, we are lucky in the UK to have rescues fairly accessible. I am sure you are going to give two piggies a great home. Will keep an eye on this thread for updates