Wooden or Metal exercise runs?

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first_time_piggie_mum

first_time_piggie_mum

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hi guys

Looking around for a summer run for the boys and just cannot make up my mind whether to get a metal or wooden one.

What are your experiences of both?

At the moment, for safety and security I'm looking at the large metal rectangular ones. Paula (salt & pepper) I know you have metal ones, how do you get on with them? Are they heavy enough not to be pushed around by the piggies?

Thanks
x
 
first_time_piggie_mum said:
hi guys

Looking around for a summer run for the boys and just cannot make up my mind whether to get a metal or wooden one.

What are your experiences of both?

At the moment, for safety and security I'm looking at the large metal rectangular ones. Paula (salt & pepper) I know you have metal ones, how do you get on with them? Are they heavy enough not to be pushed around by the piggies?

Thanks
x
Click to expand...

I've had both.

I found having a wooden one that was large enough, very heavy to move by myself. If left outside, the wood is also likely to get wet and eventually rot, unless it's treated regularly.

To secure my metal one to the ground, I used tent pegs. Again, if left outside, the rain can make it go rusty eventually, but most metal ones are collapsible and can be stored in a shed/garage etc.
 
I have both wooden (folding) and metal runs (Trixie large ones). I love my wooden runs as they fold flat in seconds and I can store them in the shed when I'm not using them, I always put them away over the winter months so the wood doesn't rot. The down side is that they benefit from being treated with wood preservative so need painting every year or so. I generally use the metal runs for visiting bunnies, a big plus is that they also come apart for easy storage the main problem I have with them is that once up I find them incredibly heavy to move, the largest one, which is about 7ft in length, I find really needs 2 people to shift it. The piggies can't move them, particularly if you use the long and short metal poles that come with them which you sink into the ground. My only concern with them is that if a cat (or worse fox) were to sit on the top they could collapse the run. I've actually had a bunny having a mad 5 minutes binkying in the run jump up onto a little box, binky off it and kick the top making the whole thing shudder - thankfully I was about to sort them all out!

I think if I were buying a new run I would opt for a folding wooden one.
 
first_time_piggie_mum said:
hi guys

Looking around for a summer run for the boys and just cannot make up my mind whether to get a metal or wooden one.

What are your experiences of both?

At the moment, for safety and security I'm looking at the large metal rectangular ones. Paula (salt & pepper) I know you have metal ones, how do you get on with them? Are they heavy enough not to be pushed around by the piggies?

Thanks
x
Click to expand...

I have a large metal run that I use as an indoor run. It folds together when not in use, when folded up its quite heavy to lift but when its set up as a run it's dead easy to push it into the shape or position you want it in. I only have two pigs in mine but they've never pushed the sides at all. It wouldn't do them any good either it would just alter the shape of the run.

This is the one I have http://www.zooplus.co.uk/shop/small_pets/runs_fencing/73280/8_sided/95235

It doesn't have a cover so it's not really ideal for outside, but I was thinking if I ever wanted to put it outside of getting the net covers you get for doors and windows to keep flies out and attaching them over the top and maybe a blanket for shelter.
 
I have no choice but to use metal ones as not only do I have an uneven garden where I have nowhere that isn't in the sun for a wooden one but you can join more than one of most metal ones up to create a larger run - which I need as I have a large herd.

I've currently got one of these: http://www.zooplus.co.uk/shop/small_pets/runs_fencing/73280/4_sided/30085 and I'll be getting at least three more before the start of the summer because they make a massive run! The cover/net is quite flimsy, so whilst it is good, it won't protect from cats unlike most wooden ones. I'll be getting extra netting and cable-tying it to the run to make it much safer.

Wooden ones give the extra top protection which I know a lot of people prefer, I just can't have them :)
 
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