Permanent Outdoor Piggy Run

[Mackers]

Does anyone have a permanently placed outdoor run for their piggies? On a combination of slabs and grass? Would it work? I'm thinking of doing this as my garden is small and the piggies have to share with my two dogs. Finding grass that the dogs have not wee'd on it not easy. Therefore, I'm thinking of a permanent summer run where I can poo rake and hose down the grass daily.

I have a new 6x4 run and shelter on order from Manor Pet Housing (can't wait - all built to my own spec but VERY expensive!) The idea is that I may attempt to leave it in one spot for the summer and then fence that area off from the dogs in the winter so that it's piggy-safe the following year.

Am I living in cloud cuckoo land or could this work? In my experience of my own piggies over the years, they don't actually eat that much grass during the day, preferring to munch the areas under their hidey houses/tunnels and pretty much leave the rest. Therefore, I'm thinking that if I move hideys around, the grass in the area should survive.

 

[flowerfairy]

I have a friend with a MASSIVE garden and his guinea pigs are literally munching on the grass all the time.

When I was a child we had a huuuge hen house where i kept my guinea pigs and it was just mud under them. I would go with all slabs and grow grass in large trays to put in with them.

 

[Mackers]

They'd only be in in for a few hours during the day throughout the summer as they live indoors in a C&C otherwise. Do you still think the grass would turn to mud?

 

[flowerfairy]

I just dont know. Hopefully not. I guess just go for it and worst case scenario is having to put slabs down over the mud. It sounds such a good idea.

LOVE manor pet housing stuff.

 

[JCJ]

I'm hoping to do something similar later this year. I think it must be possible to maintain the grass if the pigs are not out there all of the time. So long as you keep an eye on the grass and give it a rest where necessary. There are bound to plenty of days when it is too cold or wet for the pigs to go out which will also give the grass time to recover. I grow grass in trays for them at the moment and it only takes about three days to grow back after they have gnawed on it.