going outside?

OliverBean · #1 06-30-06, 08:53 am

I live in the country and I have a huge, lush lawn. We do not use pesticides on the lawn. I was thinking about making a little play-pen outside so Oliver can explore the great outdoors. Is it okay to let your piggie play outside, as long as you are supervising? I know piggies are succeptable to heat stroke so it would have to be in the evening on a cool day, and I would bring his hidey huts out with me. What does everyone think of this?

**Percy's Mom** · #2 06-30-06, 09:09 am

As long as it doesn't get too hot or cold (between about 70-80 degrees), some outdoor time is perfectly fine. As long as you haven't put any pesticides or fertilizer on your grass, your plan sounds like a good one. You can make the playpen out of extra grids connected with cable ties. Then you can fold it down and slide it under your bed when you're not using it. You can either get yourself a lawn chair to put along side the pen, so you can keep a watch out, or some people make the pen extra big, so they can sit inside with their pigs.

**C&K** · #3 06-30-06, 09:14 am

You do want to make sure though that you don't have any dangerous weeds in the lawn that they may eat. Clover and Dandilions are ok though. Also, try shorter periods at first until his tummy gets used to the fresh grass.

**JarBax** · #4 06-30-06, 12:42 pm

Quote:

Originally Posted by C&K

Clover and Dandilions are ok though. Also, try shorter periods at first until his tummy gets used to the fresh grass.

I read that white clover is poisonous.

**jabberwock** · #5 07-01-06, 02:34 am

White clover (Trifolium repens) can have pink flowers. Confusingly, red clover (Trifolium pratense) can have whitish flowers, but red clover always has leaves close below the flowerhead, so it's possible to tell the two species apart.

**jabberwock** · #6 07-01-06, 09:27 am

sorry for the interrupted post - the electrician suddenly needed to turn the power off NOW and I foolishly hit "submit" instead of waiting to start again later.

According to the guinealynx forage list, white clover is OK, but may cause gas in large amounts and is a source of calcium. And Ly&Pigs says that both white and red clover are OK in this thread
http://www.cavycages.com/forum/showthread.php?t=16100

I've read on another forum that red clover should be limited, but the clover in our garden is all white anyway and I always restrict it for the reasons given above.

I have a friend who takes a supplement made from red clover for menopause symptoms so I wondered whether it had any other active constituents that meant it should be fed in limited quantities?

**JarBax** · #7 07-01-06, 10:45 am

I am trying to find the list which says it is poisonous. It is either on here somewhere - or on gl. It is 6 pages long and page 5 lists white clover as a poisonous plant and in brackets 'red clover in small amounts is OK'. Interestingly, it does list clover (Trifolium repens or Trifolium pratense) as EDIBLE on page 2.

I printed it out, which is just as well - as I cant find it again! it is just called 'guinea pig foods [1] I'm not disputing any rights or wrongs, but noticed it in the poisonous section, and didn't want Oliverbean taking any risks.

Will have another look later, and post it here if poss, and I have more time. In the meantime, if anyone else can find the thing (I'm sure Daftscotslass gave it as a link recently) I would be v. happy!

**JarBax** · #8 07-01-06, 02:13 pm

Found it! http://www.cavycages.com/forum/attac...4&d=1148599574

(look at the bottom of the poisonous plants list - White clover

Bit confusing - as it has clover as being OK earlier. Maybe someone more in the know could clarify?

**Merry** · #9 07-04-06, 10:16 am

Mine love clover, and I have never had a problem with it, but they've only had small amounts at a time. I had never heard of it being poisonous. Thanks for posting that link, JarBax. As you said, hopefully someone here can clarify whether it's truly bad for them.

Replying to the original topic of this thread: outdoor playtime is a great idea now and then and very fun for the piggies. However, it's important that you are right there with them the entire time to make sure they don't escape or eat something that's bad for them, and to keep predators from being a threat. One more thing you need to look out for that I don't think has been mentioned yet is animal waste. You said you lived out in the country, so I'd keep a sharp look out for dog, bird, or other animal droppings.

**Lyndsay** · #10 07-06-06, 09:13 pm

I like to sit in the cage with my pigs, that way they can be extra lazy and I will feed them grass that I had pulled out. They don't mind too much, and move around me. My outdoor run is quite large, I can lay down in it, and not even come close to touching either side. My guinea pigs will only eat grass outside they don't understand the concept of outdoor exercise yet.

**fourbwabbys** · #11 07-07-06, 02:21 pm

I love sitting in their run outside with them. They think I'm a big hidey house and put their nose under my arm and fling it up so they can hide underneath.

**Myspoiltpiggies** · #12 07-27-06, 04:29 am

Mine get the entire garden for themselves if I have time to watch them. If not, they go in their run. You really have to watch them carefully though, my 2 boars found a nice poison ivy and were about to eat it! The grass is all dried up from the sun at the moment so they go searching for wild plants.

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