Behavior Let new pigs stay in hidey or force them to be brave?

[MadScienceMum]

I'm quite torn! I have 2 new piggies (I'm a new-again piggy mommy - haven't had any since I was just a kid) that are very young. I've had them for just a few days. Built them a C&C cage (2x4) and am going to build up a 2nd level as well (another 4 grids) sometime this week. They're very sweet but shy.

Here's the problem - if they have their hidey in the cage with them, they just hide in it and seldom come out. I'm torn between letting them have this small comfort of a place to hide OR forcing them to be brave and explore their new home by taking the hidey out. When I do this, they're confused for a moment and then start walking around their cage, sniffing and making happy, exploring noises. But I know that if I put the hidey back in, they'll just run back into it and not move.

I do have a fleece secured over about 1/3 of the top of their cage so that they have an area that is more "denlike" - I've put their food and water there as well. I should also mention - they won't touch their veggies when they have the hidey in their cage. If I take the hidey out, they eventually find their veggies and start munching.


I know it will just take time, but I don't want to enable them OR not give them the "security blanket" they need if they do indeed NEED it.

THOUGHTS? Opinions? Other ideas to help bring these sweeties out of their shell?

 

[bpatters]

You can take the hidey out, but let the fleece drape down so that they feel more secure. You can feed them underneath it for a couple of days, then start moving it more to the edge and out from under the fleece. It takes them several days to adjust.

 

[pinky]

Welcome, @MadScienceMum. I was trying to get a closer look at your little ones. I'd love to see more photos.

 

[MadScienceMum]

I don't have a ton of photos yet, but here are a couple more.

 

[MadScienceMum]

Ok well I guess I can't figure out how to put them in this reply, so I added a couple more to my album.