small container for piggie ideas?!

peppermintSmoothie

peppermintSmoothie

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I'm looking for ideas for a small container for my pigs, similar to those pop up ball pens you see but smaller and possibly a bit sturdier.

we've used pop up storage crates before but he's like a giant slinky he'll slide right up and over the sides! 😂

it just needs to be big enough to fit a piggie, water bottle and a handful of hay! bonus points if I can put them both in it occasionally for cage cleaning they like to eat my dustpan!

we have an elderly boar we're trying to get his weight up but I have calls during the day and If I put up a divider in the cage I won't always be able to take it down for a few hours and it stresses them both out to be divided but they're fine if ones out of the cage 🤦‍♀️ so my idea was to take one upstairs with me to make sure he eats!?
 
Please don’t separate them for those reasons. Separating is highly stressful for them and could ruin their bond. Boars should only ever be separated if they are fighting and their bond is broken.

You also shouldnt put a piggy in a small container. If you need to move their cage then they need to stay together and they need to be in the correct size cage at all times - 180x60cm for two boars.

Taking him upstairs won’t make sure he eats. The stress of that may actually mean he eats even less.
If he is losing weight, then it’s because he isn’t eating enough hay. You need to step in with syringe feeding a recovery feed and see a vet.

Also note that as an elderly boar, depending on what is wrong with him, but if it is simply age related decline rather than a medical issue, then you are unlikely to get him to put on weight.
Elderly piggies lose muscle and lose weight as they age, simply as part of the process. You can give a few porridge oats as a calorie boost but high hay intake is the main thing he needs.

Wiebke

Thread 'Caring for Older Piggies and Facing the End - A practical and supportive information collection'

1 Caring for Older and Frailer Piggies
- Overview of old age and its particular challenges (Guinea Pig Magazine article)
- In-depth care information
- The importance of regular health/weight monitoring and saving up for euthanasia/vet access
- Signs of illness/pain, emergency and hot weather care
- Common old age issues and practical care advice
2 Facing the End and Dealing with Dying and Loss
- Overview of the challenges and practical approaches...
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I didn't mention he's on emeraid sustain hence my wanting to feed them apart!

they are fine with being separated but not divided. it's age related decline both of them are coming up to at least 5 possibly 6. they get annoyed if they can't be together physically even though they don't cuddle up at all but don't give a hoot if they're not in the same room!

they're used to being taken upstairs so I'm not worried about stressing him out. both of them are very chill boys as I said they're more stressed being divided because they like to share bowls and have a whole breakfast rotation routine! and if one of them is getting fed and the other isn't able to get to the bowl that causes the grumbles!
 
To be honest given they are both older I wouldn’t worry about feeding them apart - I didn’t separate my elderly pair when I was in a similar situation with them. I’d just provide two bowls of emeraid and let them have what they want, along with plenty of hay. Normally we would say bowls at least a body length but if they are happy to share a bowl then the two bowls could be right next to each other so they can remain together and still have free access. If they still choose to try to share then the other bowl is there for them to have after.
If one still isn’t enough getting enough and is losing weight at each daily or weekly weight check; then remove that piggy, syringe feed a couple of times a day (once in the morning and once in the evening is often sufficient if there is still a good amount of hay intake and the emeraid is merely a booster) and return to his friend after those few minutes. You are looking for weight stabilisation.
My two old boys used to have a measured amount of porridge oats given each day as a calorie booster which really helped them.

c&c grids with a sheet of plastic on the floor for protection and then a something absorbent with fleece on top works well - a 2x3 for a single pig at a minimum, a 2x4 to take them both up.
Separating them at all is something we would highly advise against.

The daily weight checks are your guide as to whether there is enough independent hay intake and enough top up feeds.
 
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