Outdoor Exercise At This Time Of Year?

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LozzyBee

LozzyBee

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Barlo will be returning home at the weekend with his new friend Elvis and the rescue have said they want us to ensure they get plenty of exercise time outside on fresh grass (I think spurred from the fact I'd told them I don't put them out when the grass is wet).

Our garden is north facing and now stays wet/damp the entire day. I did put them out throughout the summer, but I've never even considered it at any other time.

They have an indoor run which I assumed was fine for a change of scenery/exercise...but now I'm questioning everything. To me, it just feels wrong putting them out when it's wet, but then I haven't run a piggie rescue for years so they're obviously more knowledgeable than me....but my gut just says no.

I've looked on the internet but everyone has different opinions. What do you do?
 
I wouldn't put mine out on wet grass.It could make them ill.Pretty sure the advice on the forum says not to either.
 
My girls are indoor piggies who go out every day that is warm and the grass is dry. The past week the grass is not drying out enough even though i have a south facing garden, so they are now in till it warms up next year. I cut them grass by hand and dry it to keep their tummies used to it.
 
My pigs are outdoor pigs due to OHs severe asthma.

I give them the choice, for most of the year (as long as it's not raining or really cold), about if they want to go for a frolic/munch outside.

When I get home this afternoon I'll load them all into their carrier, take them out to the run and then leave them to it for a bit. If they want a run and a munch they'll come out and start eating and playing. If they don't want to munch, or decide they'd rather stay dry as well as their carrier they have the choice of several tubs (lined and filled with hay - we've moved onto the heavy duty waterproof ones now that autumn has arrived) where they can also settle down for fresh hay and a munch but can keep their tummies and feet dry.

I'll monitor them, and if they're all choosing to stay inside/keep dry then I'll bring them back in.

Yes, the lawn will still be a bit damp - but they've been grazing all summer and seem to enjoy the chance to continue to graze. I don't leave the out for hours, and they will always have a dry, hay stuffed hutch to come back into.

In the past when I had a hutch with a tunnel through to a run my pigs could chose whether to go out or not. I'd quite often find them out and grazing, even on drizzly days when they had a dry hay filled hutch and fresh food available inside. This is why I now offer mine the chance to get out and about if they want to.

Obviously if you have indoor pigs who have adapted to indoor temperatures or elderly/delicate pigs the above probably isn't such a great idea.

You know your pigs - do what's right for you and them!
 
It's turned really cold here in the last day or two so decided to keep mine in until next year. I have some grass growing in some tubs so they still have it regularly.
 
I'm wondering this too. My turf is just a right mess doesn't seem to be draining well at all.. SO I put them in their run but on the patio and cut them off some grass... also have a nughtmare cos my dog pees on the lawn. So have to be very careful usually wait till theres been heavy rain and place the run or move it to a new location before the dog can pee on there. The dogs pee has ruined my turf and killed it off in places maybe I should do half and half patio/turf.. then they can choose the thought of them getting wet and cold isn't nice though x
 
Thanks all. I got the impression from the rescue it was more to do with getting them outside than keeping them used to grass...but it's still not sitting well with me - especially with them being indoor piggies. I'll speak to them in person at the weekend and broach the idea of growing grass in tubs for them during indoor floor time.

@Todite88 our grass is such a mess we're planning on replacing it with artificial soon (but with a raised grass bed for the piggies) lol. Most of the back gardens in our road are paved because we just don't get enough sun for the grass to grow properly. If it's not patchy it's full of moss lol. I'm so envious when I go to friends houses and they have luscious green lawns.
I did see a comment when I was searching and someone said they do half patio half lawn so their piggies can choose, so you might be on to something there!
 
Interested to know what the rescue said. I hope it all went well and Barlo and Elvis are settling in well.
 
Tewdric said:
Interested to know what the rescue said. I hope it all went well and Barlo and Elvis are settling in well.
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Basically, as long as it's not snowy or frosty or pelting down with rain put them out. They recommend putting them out in their carriers but with the door off so that they can decide if they want to be on the grass or not. To be honest, it scares the hell out of me, but I shall give it a go.

They're getting on ok I think. Fair bit of chattering from Elvis but Barlo isn't doing anything back. It's weird seeing Barlo with a different pig. Elvis is quite jumpy and noisy and I don't know if he's agitated or if that's just him. When I say jumpy, not as in scared, but he's just doing a lot of running around, bounding around.

Hopefully we'll all get used to each other soon!
 
LozzyBee said:
Basically, as long as it's not snowy or frosty or pelting down with rain put them out. They recommend putting them out in their carriers but with the door off so that they can decide if they want to be on the grass or not. To be honest, it scares the hell out of me, but I shall give it a go.

!
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So similar to what I do then. The pic below is from yesterday afternoon. I'd taken the tops off the carrier and 'hay trays' so that I could get some photos. If you've got completely indoor pigs in the middle of winter I wouldn't do it unless it was a really mild day..... but as it hit 20C out in our garden yesterday afternoon, at this time of year I'd give them the choice of a graze for an hour or so.


img_0865-jpg.52976


It sounds like Elvis is quite young and excitable. I hope they continue to enjoy each others company. :D
 
Tewdric said:
So similar to what I do then. The pic below is from yesterday afternoon. I'd taken the tops off the carrier and 'hay trays' so that I could get some photos. If you've got completely indoor pigs in the middle of winter I wouldn't do it unless it was a really mild day..... but as it hit 20C out in our garden yesterday afternoon, at this time of year I'd give them the choice of a graze for an hour or so.


img_0865-jpg.52976


It sounds like Elvis is quite young and excitable. I hope they continue to enjoy each others company. :D
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Gorgeous photo!

See, I also was lead to believe not to do it when it's cold/middle of winter but the rescue don't believe in that. Said they do better in cold temperatures than hot.

We've had one squabble today, I'm really hoping they get along long term! I just need to remember it's not Barnaby and Barlo - it's Elvis and Barlo! B&B got along sooo well, always slept tougher, ate together, were never far from each other...Barnaby even used to groom Barlo! Elvis and Barlo may well not end up like that, I just need to remember they're different. And that its early days! I'm very nervous I've got to admit, seems like all new territory for all of us.
 
I have indoor piggies and I really wouldn't put them out on cold wet grass. I didn't even do that when I had outdoor piggies but I guess everyone is different.

It's gone cold here now so my piggies won't be having outdoor time now until the weather warms up next Spring.
 
TheCavySlave said:
I can be quite paranoid about damp grass. I'm going to start giving them regular cut grass to keep their tummies used to it.
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I'm like that too. My grass is often damp even during the summer so they have their run on the concrete patio with plenty of fleeces down and I cut them grass unless the lawn is bone dry
 
Just to update...put them out yesterday and they stayed in their carrier (and fought :eek:)....have put them out today and they're both just sitting in the carrier :hmm:...Elvis did come out for a bit but for the past twenty minutes they've been just sat in silence in the carrier - quite possibly just waiting to get taken back inside.

I'll persevere - the rescue were keen to point out that Elvis loves it and it would be a shame to take that away from him. Maybe my grass isn't as nice?! I don't know...they're obviously not feeling it at the moment for whatever reason. I wish I'd just put them in the run indoors to be honest - at least they run around and get exercise in there.
 
Hello folks. I've been putting them out whenever it's not raining pretty much.. they had cardboard boxes scattered about with bedding in and the run is on half grass half patio .. today I bought them a better long term hidey for the run and could possibly put them out now even if a shower is due..will attach a photo..was only 30 pounds from pets at home. X x

20161010_143408.webp
 
Todite88 said:
Hello folks. I've been putting them out whenever it's not raining pretty much.. they had cardboard boxes scattered about with bedding in and the run is on half grass half patio .. today I bought them a better long term hidey for the run and could possibly put them out now even if a shower is due..will attach a photo..was only 30 pounds from pets at home. X x

View attachment 53336
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That looks brilliant!

Unfortunately for me/them, they're not bosom buddies at the moment and I can't have anything with only one exit as they'll end up having a squabble.

I have to say, Elvis does indeed seem to love outdoor time, but Barlo not so much. He was even sitting shivering yesterday and I felt so very bad because Elvis was having a whale of a time. I'm going to alternate between outdoor and indoor run time so they're both catered for. I get that Elvis is the newcomer, but it's just not fair on Barlo.

Can I ask where you got your run from and how large it is pls? At the moment I am using the indoor run outside and I stand there freezing whilst watching them!
 
I got in off an online site.. it may have been zoopla.. I will have a look in my emails and post a link. I think it's along the lines of 2M ×1M Captain also doesn't do much when in the run..well that I see but Popeye runs mad doing laps etc I think it's because Captain is the older of the 2 pigs. They're both getting so much tamer now I like this hidey because I can wait till they both hop in there close up the door then the roof opens up so I can pick them up from there and put back in their hutch at the end of the day.
 
I think the idea of alternating indoor and outdoor run time is brilliant.
Personally run time is over for my lot this year.
It is getting pretty cold at night, so the grass usually stays damp for most of the day (even in the sunshine).
I hand cut grass for them and give it to them during floor time, but I just don't think that putting them outside where it is cold and damp is a good idea.
But they are indoor piggies so if they lived outside I might feel differently.
 
you can buy fleece liners to cover bottom of run,on patio.or nylon puppy pens large that fold dowm,use fleece/puppy pads on base,and then place grown grass hand cut, to give them exercise.:) i have piggies in a shed from nov to march ,but i would not put them out on cold damp grass.:)
 
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