Recent content by captaincavymom

Our pigs come to the side of the cage for attention. They get brief but gentle reminder everytime we come near the cage that hands are O.K. We try to stop while they still want more to make sure each 'sesssion' ends on a positive note. It took time but they now both enjoy being touched, even...

I can see a poll made out of this. Sample question: How much do you spend on hay per month choose one? $1-5, $6-10 etc. Then do the same for veggies, pellets, accessories, bedding, and how much is set aside each month to build a vet fund. We'd could also ask how many pigs in the household. :)

Using fleece will cut your costs down in the long term. I don't mind the laundry because I know how much money we are saving by avoiding disposable bedding.

The interior grid next to the hay area could be replaced with a pvc pipe support.

Our upper deck runs the full length of the cage so it is a 1x4 deck. I put the food up there. It is an open style cage.

If people call you crazy, just smile and say they're right. Embrace it and remember you know what is best. Imagine that your pigs can talk and what they might say about these nutty folks trying to tell you what to do. :)

Go to the Have-a-heart webpage, they have listings on petfinder. (broken link removed) The contact email is at the bottom of the page: [email protected]. Just send an email to her explaining what you are looking for, maybe give her a brief overview of your current situation. (I sent pictures...

We adopted from Have-a-heart. They cover NJ, parts of PA and have some fosters in NY. They had a questionaire but did not ask for sensitve information. When we got to the foster home, we gave cash and got a contract and a receipt.

I took time to sit by the cage and drape my hand over the grids. I waited until they came to me. I didn't move or try to touch them. Crackers took to licking my fingers eventually and I could slowly move my fingers while he was near me. I moved up to touching him on his head then from there one...

This is nice. I like that it is a proactive approach. You wouldn't be preaching, or arguing, just helping them search for a dog. :) Hopefully they will appreciate the assistance.

Funny how we get off topic... what reasons did your relative give for not wanting a shelter puppy? If you list their reasons then I'm sure others with be able to help rebut the arguments. It's also more than just choosing between rescue or breeder. Every dog is different and you need to choose...

We have a a good relationship with the breeder that we got our Aussie from. We screened her just as much as she screened us. We still keep in touch and share photos. If I have questions she is there to help. She came highly recommended because she believes dogs are dogs first and she also refers...

Ours do the same. They also occasionally sneeze when they have their noses buried in their pellets. We give them Oxbow but if we don't wipe their pellet dish out we can get a bit of dust on the bottom.

You could also clip fabric along one section of the cage, just something to have overhead to ease the transition. They may feel more comfortable eating if you put the food under that section.