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Bedding How to stop burrowing under bedding?

englishdaffodil

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Ack, help, friends! I'm a longtime piggy owner, but for the first time I have a pair of sows who burrow under every type of bedding I've tried with them. A bit at my wit's end here. Hoping y'all have some suggestions.

I'm currently using GuineaDad liners, and really like these for our 5 cube x 2 cube cage. They love the pocket and I love how much easier to clean they are than fleece, towels, pee pads (which the girls just eat, ack), etc. Even putting rocks and other heavy objects on the liners doesn't seem to stop them from getting underneath to the coroplast.

We've also tried fleece on towels. Even when clothespinned to the sides of the cage, the girls find a way underneath.

They have several hideys, toys, etc, and get regular floor time, so I don't think it's about boredom? They are very clever and mischievous, and sure do keep me entertained, but my goodness am I frustrated about bedding. Thought I knew what I was doing with pigs, and now I'm just discouraged.

TIA!
 

Kelsie

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I hate to be a downer here but I think once they start burrowing under fleece it's very difficult to stop that behavior. I never had that problem with any of my other sets of girls but this last pair are just like your girls. None of my other pigs would ever go under the fleece. They were happy to just sleep in their beds which were placed under their Cozy Cottages. When I first adopted these last two, only one of them would go under the fleece but she soon taught the other one to follow suit.

I've tried various methods to stop the behavior none of which were successful. I finally gave up and now I just lift up the fleece liners that I use on top of the Piggy Bedspread and clean up the area a few times a day. I use lots of fleece liners throughout my cage. Since I'm home during the day I change my cage every 3rd day. I realize that isn't practical for everyone.

I feel your pain, and like you, I get frustrated by their behavior but they are determined to crawl under the fleece so I just gave up and accepted that this will not change. I love them dearly and aside from that irritating trait they are wonderful in every other way.
 

SardonicSmile

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I put a frame in my fleece

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I don’t have liners, I have fleece on top of wood pellets and it works great for me.
 

ItsaZoo

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Keep an eye on their health if they are burrowing into the pocket on the GuineaDads. One of the forum members had a pig with respiratory issues that took a while to figure out. It was from burrowing into the pockets and then breathing the ammonia fumes when they wee and sleep in the same place.

Would it help to throw a piece of fleece over the GuineaDads so they would burrow under that?
 
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