I have the 2 laziest most boring pigs

How big is your cage? How old are they?

Our cage is a 3'x4' with a 1'x4' loft. The pigs are both aprox. 1 year old.

What kind of cage do you have? It seems like you're doing things to keep them interested and active, I really don't know why they wouldn't even popcorn now and then. Are they up there in age? Maybe you just have two really laid back guys. My Sherman is very laid back. I'm if it wasn't for the fact that she has four super-active and silly roommates I doubt she would really do a whole lot. They seem to get her going once in a while, but if it were up to her she would sit on top of her wooden house and chill out and watch the show all day. Do your guys purr and enjoy being petted? Are you certain that they're healthy and mite free? Where did you get them? Do you think they might have been mistreated in the past?

I have a 12.5 sq. ft. cage and both pigs are aprox. 1 year old but we can't be positive. For lap time Stitch talks most of the time and gets comfy, Shannon just freezes and barely moves although she does lay down and seems to get comfy, the only time I hear a thing from her is when it's feeding time. They are both healthy and mite free. Stitch came from a good but ill informed home he was aprox 6 months old when we got him Aug 3rd last year. Shannon was from the SPCA and she looks like she had a rough life as her ears look tattered the shelter said she was just dropped off at the door so they had no info on age or anything about her, she is definatley timid and took forever to come around, even now she's not overly fond of anyone but me.

I have a 4 year old boar and he's as lively as a baby guinea pig. he doesn't even have a playmate. I give him floor time in his playpen and he runs around and plays. Maybe you just haven't found a toy that sparks their interest. are they healthy?

I bet Shannon's background has a lot to do with it. Poor thing. I've noticed that my pigs will often "take cues" from each other, so for example if one moves suddenly, the other four will scatter. It's as if they're very in tune with each other all the time. They also get excited and playful if one in the bunch starts acting this way. I bet Stitch, being around a timid pig, is reacting accordingly. I suggest being patient and I think Shannon will become less timid and more playful over time, and then Stitch's playful side will come out too. It seems like you're doing the right things, and I'm sure she's made progress already since being with you.

She has made lots of progress but I think it's pretty much as far as she's going to get becasue we've had her since Aug. 3rd as well. They are just so quiet and lazy very rarely hear a peep except at feeding time and the strange sound Stitch has made in the middle of the night.

This is just a guess but I am wondering if Shannon was confined to a very small cage or aquarium in her past life. I would try putting the favorite hidey, pigloo or whatever she likes in one corner, food and hay in another and water in a third. Put in lots of tubes & chubes or cardboard boxes with two exits so she can sneak from place to place but has to travel to get what she needs. It worked with my boars who spent two years in a "large" pet store cage together. At first they would only travel at night and then they would take their pigloos for a turtle walk but eventually they got to like the wide open spaces. Try putting little veggie rewards in different places too. Eventually I had boars who would take turns stretched out on their piggy couch and talking about their troubled childhoods.

Yes food, hay, water, houses, cozies are all over making her have to move around she's not afraid to be out in the open but all she does is lay around, well both of them for that matter.

It sounds like it is just their personality. It is always possible that they are older then you think. I think all pigs are different, like people so maybe they are just content. I wouldn't think you are a bad pig mum. It sounds like you do everything that is recommended.

I guess if you were thinking of getting another pig, a hyper young pig may speed them up, but maybe not. They could end up not getting along or something. Other then that, I think you are doing what should be done.

Stitch is for sure a year, but Shannon is just a guess, she has grown since we got her though so she wasn't full grown yet I think.

My one piggy is going on three years old and she is very chubby, lazy, and laid-back but also the more dominant one out of my two piggies. My second one who I got not too long ago is very active, running laps at least twice a day from what I know, popcorns sometimes, and is also rather timid still around me. When Snickers (the old one) sees or hears her running around she will venture out of her hidy house or stop eating to watch her or get closer to her. And a while ago for the first time in a very long time she was actually popcorning, I think because the new one got her going somehow.

Maybe cage size permitting you could get another piggy?? Perhaps another more active pig would get them running around and popcorning.

I have considered it but I think my hubby would kill me and I would have to add onto the cage I think it's only 12sqft bottom and 4sqft loft.

re: toys: I recently purchased a "Super Pet Roll 'N' Chew" toy for my girls and it is a huge hit! Especially when I stuff orchard grass in the holes...mabye something like that would motivate them to get moving?

What is it and where did you get it?

I'm sorry that I don't have any suggestions but before I got my pig a pal my friend brought over her single pig for a "piggy play date" and it was the most boring thing I've ever seen! One stayed in its pigloo the entire time and the other ate grass and refused to move from it's spot on the floor. I was like where's the popcorn and all that fun stuff?!

It does sound like you're a good pig mum, and I'm sure they're happy which is the important thing. You know, in a way you're lucky. My pigs are extremely active, and they do their morning laps around 630 every morning...it seriously sounds like a heard of elephants, and the whole cage rattles with all the ruckus! I'm waiting for the morning we get a noise complaint from the neighbours.

Naomi said:

What is it and where did you get it?

Click to expand...

Well, its this wood thing like two intersecting circles that you put together. Each segment of the circle has holes in it that are convenient for stuffing with hay:



I got mine at the pet store where I get the girls hay and pellets (Oxbow, of course). Before you all jump on me -- this pet store does NOT purchase pets from breeders -- any pets there come from a local shelter or are ones that people have dropped off.

I will keep my eyes open for one, Thank-you