Hides/pigloos

[catzeye21138]

Okay, well I always used hidies in my cavies' cages, but last week my mom had gone in there and lifted up a few of the hides and saw that they were dirty and made me wash them all. The plastic ones that is. I got rid of a few soiled wooden ones. But I had hand washed them all and put them on a rack type of thing to dry. Well I went into my room and started to read and completely forgot about them.

Only the next day when I was feeding my pigs did I realize that there were only toys in their cages(and food/water/hay ect.), no hides. Well I sort of freaked because I had forgotten that I took them out for cleaning and thought someone threw them away. I found them. But before I put them back in, I was playing with the pigs a bit and they seemed much more friendly!

I was calling their names and they would run to the side of the cage and let me pet them. Usually they would run away and hide somewhere. And they don't freak out when someone drops something or walks into the room anymore. It seems like this is a change for the better in my opinion. They are much more cuddly and sweet.

Now I was wondering your opinions on hidies in your cages. I still have toys in there by the way, just no hides. And the bedding doesn't get nearly as soiled any more as they go in the potty more often instead of in the hides too so I can go longer without a full cage cleaning.

So.
Hides?
Or no Hides?
That is the question.


Linds

[Ly&Pigs]

I think hidey's are necessary for pigs. When your pigs get comfy enough they will not use them as much but they always need a place they can hide if they need to.

I have 6 sows but only Finna and Moppy tend to use hidey houses. The rest of the girls prefer to lay out in the open. I still keep 3 in the cage along with other things like pillows, etc.

[catzeye21138]

I understand what you mean, they need somewhere to go if they are completally freaked out. But when there are pigloos and stuff in my cage, they almost never come out. Especially Ella, like I said earlier, she never came out and would run away even when I was going in to feed her. Now that there is none, she popcorns right up to my hand and tries to climb it almost hehe. I have a grid bent at a 90 degree angle that provides a mini hide you could say. Its in a corner so there are two sides and a roof made of hay. They usually run over there if they run(which is rare now) at all I've noticed.

[Tulia&Susie]

My piggies like the hidey houses. Sometimes they go in them and sometimes they like laying under the bent grids I did. But I would defiantely have them just in case they get scared or they just want to get under something and feel secure.

[Jennicat]

My pigs only seem to utilize the hidey houses during the day (to nap, I guess, with less light) and when it's food time, because they drag off their spoils into a pigloo and block the door with their butt to keep someone else from eating it!

[maxyluver43]

hidies give piggies a sense of securaty. my piggie is obsessed with his cuddle cup and pigloo. i'd suggest an openish hidie like a cuddle cup or a hammock

[gpigluver14]

I would still keep a hidy or two in the cage. Because what if something falls for instance, creating a really loud noise? They would have no where to hide in. If you just got a pig, hidys would boost its comfidence and it will settle in better to its new home.

I usually find my one piggy sleeping out in the open in her litter box, or beside her litter box, and my other one will always sleep in her shoebox hidy house. I also found her under a ramp one time- I don't know if she was sleeping under there though.