Mama Pig had her babies!

Shel920 · Dec 20, 2008

Hi
My 8 mos old sow just had 2 babies in the night I guess. I was watching her like a hawk so I could help if need be but she did so well on her own!! They were running around her 10sq ft cage this morning....so cute, one fit right into a toilet paper roll with it's head and bottom sticking out either end! (I got them from a rescue about 6wks ago....guess she was prego when I got her!) Anyways, my big question is if I use alfalfa hay to cover the cage floor (as they need it at this time, right?), would it be ok to provide Timothy hay on the side and continue to cover the floor with the alfalfa, even after the babies are bigger and Mama Pig's not nursing anymore? It's so much cheaper for me and they don't really seem to eat the Timothy I put on the floor of their cages anyways. Is it different with alfalfa?
Thanks!

rabbitsncavyluv · Dec 20, 2008

Congrats. Remove any male babies at 21 days. You are using hay as bedding?

Babies and nursing moms still need alfalfa.

Deenanicole08 · Dec 20, 2008

Timothy hay is a grass hay, and Alfalfa is a legume (sp?) hay. Mom and babies need both at this time. Alfalfa is a high calcuim type of hay and Mom needs it because she's nursing, and babies because they're growing! Timothy should be offered as well unlimited, so you can cover the floor with both hays. Alfalfa is needed for pigs growing, so up untill 6months-a year, older than that it should be more of a treat due to the high calcuim causing sludge and bladder stones. I hope that was kind of what you were looking for.

Shel920 · Dec 20, 2008

Deenanicole08 said:
Timothy hay is a grass hay, and Alfalfa is a legume (sp?) hay. Mom and babies need both at this time. Alfalfa is a high calcuim type of hay and Mom needs it because she's nursing, and babies because they're growing! Timothy should be offered as well unlimited, so you can cover the floor with both hays. Alfalfa is needed for pigs growing, so up untill 6months-a year, older than that it should be more of a treat due to the high calcuim causing sludge and bladder stones. I hope that was kind of what you were looking for.

Hey!
It is somewhat what I was looking for, except I was wondering if I can still use the alfalfa as bedding after they're older and not risk the stones/sludge....and of course give them plenty of Timothy on the side otherwise. (It just doesn't appear that they eat much of the Timothy I currently put down as bedding now, only the stuff I put in bowls or stacked up...my sister says they'll eat more of the alfalfa vs the Timothy, though)What do you think?

Shel920 · Dec 20, 2008

rabbitsncavyluv said:
Congrats. Remove any male babies at 21 days. You are using hay as bedding?

Babies and nursing moms still need alfalfa.

Yes, I am using hay as bedding...I put down newspaper, then plain paper, them corncob litter or this newspaper stuff, then I put down the hay. Isn't that what I should be doing???? ahhhhhhhhhh!! Oh yeah, how soon can I sex them? Is it easy to tell? I've never really looked at Mama Pig's privates....the other boys I have look pretty ballsy if you get my drift!!!! I can't imagine the 3 wk olds having such obvious signs!!!!! I'll have to go to a piggie porn site and check out their stuff so I know what I'm looking for...hahahaaa, just joking!

Deenanicole08 · Dec 21, 2008

Well after their older, and they're eating the alfalfa (which normally they would because it must have a better taste, because my pigs love it, but only one can have it) it wouldn't be recommended to use it as the bedding, just because there would be some to eat all day, which they would probaby do that very thing. Have you tried to order hay in bulk? And have you tried using fleece as bedding in most of the cage? it saves a ton of money trust me. I'm so happy I switched.

rabbitsncavyluv · Dec 21, 2008

Corn cob bedding is not recommended. Hay alone has bedding doesn't work since it won't soak up pee. Both can mold when wet too.

Please read Guinea Lynx :: Bedding

You need to buy safe shavings, Carefresh or use fleece, or something as bedding.

Alfalfa isn't good for older pigs as D stated.

Shel920 · Dec 21, 2008

Deenanicole08 said:
Well after their older, and they're eating the alfalfa (which normally they would because it must have a better taste, because my pigs love it, but only one can have it) it wouldn't be recommended to use it as the bedding, just because there would be some to eat all day, which they would probaby do that very thing. Have you tried to order hay in bulk? And have you tried using fleece as bedding in most of the cage? it saves a ton of money trust me. I'm so happy I switched.

You know, I would LOVE to use fleece as bedding, but I'm pretty sure they'd poop and pee all over it...yuk. I wanted to do that when I first made my cage as I saw all the pictures of others like that, but my pigs just go EVERYWHERE! And I've been looking into bulk hay, it's the shipping that gets me in the end

. Any hints on switching to fleece, as none of my pigs are over 3 mos, except Mama Pig.:boggled:

Shel920 · Dec 21, 2008

rabbitsncavyluv said:
Corn cob bedding is not recommended. Hay alone has bedding doesn't work since it won't soak up pee. Both can mold when wet too.

Please read Guinea Lynx :: Bedding

You need to buy safe shavings, Carefresh or use fleece, or something as bedding.

Alfalfa isn't good for older pigs as D stated.

WOW! I feel so stupid :sorry: about the bedding....I thought I was doing well with my set up. Geez, I hope there's no mold in there, poor pigs. Guess I'm switching to fleece with corner litter boxes...

ptimist:

Deenanicole08 · Dec 21, 2008

Mine poop and pee all over their fleece too, I have a hand vac though and I vacuume the cage daily and every week or week and a half I was the fleece. It works great. Also buying in bulk still saves you money, even though it seems a lot up front. But if you're buying the quality hay anyways, but at a store in small quantities, they jack up the prices, so you're actually probably better off paying a lot at one time, but it saves over time.

fieryone · Dec 21, 2008

It does seem like a lot when you add shipping, but I bought 9lbs of Sweet Meadow's meadow hay and added up how many bags would equal 9lbs and the price and it was a lot less, even with shipping. It's quite a bit up front, but I bought the 9lbs quite awhile ago and still have a lot left. I won't have to buy hay for a couple of months.

With the fleece, I use Carefresh in a corner litter pan and in the hay area. It helps, but they don't use the pans exclusively. I sweep out the poops daily, clean out the Carefresh every 3 days or so, and change the fleece and mattress pad weekly.

AnimalHouse36 · Dec 21, 2008

Well it seems everyone has answered your question. . . I have one for you, Where are the pigtures!

Shel920 · Dec 21, 2008

AnimalHouse36 said:
Well it seems everyone has answered your question. . . I have one for you, Where are the pigtures!

hehehee

, you're so sweet to ask! I am SO the proud:lovestrucgrandmother!!! I only have pictures of one of them as I haven't held the other but once and didn't have the camera handy. They're so absolutely precious! I'll attempt to provide a picture! Thanks for asking!!!

Shel920 · Dec 21, 2008

fieryone said:
It does seem like a lot when you add shipping, but I bought 9lbs of Sweet Meadow's meadow hay and added up how many bags would equal 9lbs and the price and it was a lot less, even with shipping. It's quite a bit up front, but I bought the 9lbs quite awhile ago and still have a lot left. I won't have to buy hay for a couple of months.

With the fleece, I use Carefresh in a corner litter pan and in the hay area. It helps, but they don't use the pans exclusively. I sweep out the poops daily, clean out the Carefresh every 3 days or so, and change the fleece and mattress pad weekly.

Yeah, I've been looking into bulk hay, I already have a ton of Timothy I got on sale from Petco-8LBS for about $10 free shipping. Great sale though, not easy to find! I'm looking into bulk alfalfa now. I just ordered my litter pans from ebay and I have to figure out what towels to use as I don't have any fleece. Why do people use fleece over towels? Toenails get stuck in loops or something?

Deenanicole08 · Dec 21, 2008

Fleece wicks moisture away to the under layers. Also it's more cozy and warm for the pigs.

sammy_kaye · Dec 21, 2008

The towels absorb the pee, If you just have towels the piggies end up on wet towels. The fleece isn't absorbant but will allow the pee to 'wick' through to the towels. This means the towels get wet but the fleece stays dry for the pigs. Sometimes it can take a while for the pee to wick. Check out the fleece project sticky in the bedding forum.

https://www.guineapigcages.com/forum/bedding/21568-fleece-project-study.html

Shel920 · Dec 21, 2008

sammy_kaye said:
The towels absorb the pee, If you just have towels the piggies end up on wet towels. The fleece isn't absorbant but will allow the pee to 'wick' through to the towels. This means the towels get wet but the fleece stays dry for the pigs. Sometimes it can take a while for the pee to wick. Check out the fleece project sticky in the bedding forum.

https://www.guineapigcages.com/forum/bedding/21568-fleece-project-study.html

Very interesting study about fleece! Who KNEW??!!! Now I see why everybody uses it. I gotta find me some fleece now too! Thanks very much for sending the link...what a great bit of info.

hueyeats · Dec 21, 2008

If you are interested in fleece I bought all 4 rolls of mine for $3.99 each (40" X 70") from Walmart. That is an awesome price when it comes to bedding.

Shel920 · Dec 21, 2008

hueyeats said:
If you are interested in fleece I bought all 4 rolls of mine for $3.99 each (40" X 70") from Walmart. That is an awesome price when it comes to bedding.

Yeah, that sounds like an awesome :eye-poppi price from what I've been finding on ebay and online. I'll have to look....eeek! Can I brave the local Walmart a few days before Christmas!?!!!!! AHHHHH! For my piggies I can...

Thanks so much for the tip...I was wondering if if be cheaper there. I sure do appreciate it!

rabbitsncavyluv · Dec 21, 2008

Be careful of the Petco hay. The quality isn't that great and they use twine to bind it. If you don't remove it, the pigs can choke on it. I know someone who lost a pig that way.

Oxbow or Kleenmama hay is much better if you're ordering online and they don't support pet mills.

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Mama Pig had her babies!

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