Injury Broken toe :(

[librarychick]

I noticed this last night while I was cleaning the girls' new cage. I always pick each pig up and give them a general go-over. Willow is fine, even seemed more ok about being caught and checked over, but I'm pretty sure Ruth has a broken toe. Her back left foot one of the toes is quite crooked and a bit swollen, and there's some blood by the nail bed.

I've already made a vet appointment, and I've limited the girls to a single-level cage for now. But is there anything else I can do for her?

I feel bad that I didn't notice sooner, but she's walking and running fine. They have been a bit noisier the last 2 weeks than they are normaly, but I figured they were just loving the new cage.

I think it may have been caused by the ramp I've put in. I taped coroplast strips to the ramp to give it some grip and I'm trying to re-think that. I think I'll try gluing popsicle sticks onto the ramp instead...unless anyone has a better idea.

 

[SurfingPigs]

When I had a ramp, I just used a strip of wood and hot glued a strip of uhaul furniture pad to the wood for traction, and lined the ramp with coroplast walls. Worked wonders.

 

[librarychick]

I've thought about that, but one of the girls likes to pee on the ramp (no idea which) so I want something that I can clean easily.

At least if it's coro and popsicle sticks I can soak it in vinegar once a month or so.

 

[SurfingPigs]

If you have a thin enough ramp (or big enough binder clips), you could binder clip the fabric to the ramp, and remove it whenever soiled to wash.

I would guess that the loose fibers that make up popsicle sticks would absorb a lot of liquid when soaking.

 

[pinky]

I velcro'd a fleece pad, sewed to the size of the ramp, to my ramp when I had it. I could remove it to wash it but it stuck securely with the velcro.

 

[Mrs_Ames]

When I had a ramp I used two grids and covered them in carpet pieces. So they could easily get a grip with there nails. I had to remove it due to my lethal white piggy. He is blind and I didn't want him getting hurt.

 

[Candi Brown]

I used indoor outdoor carpet on my ramps. Plus I have a one by five section of green indoor outdoor carpet. It grips really good. Plus I built my ramps out of wood. My ramp is a shallow 30 deg angle. They are just babies and are litter box trained!! So they absolutely love the big astro turf section. They are always flying and popcorning. Crazy brothers. But they are awesome and very tame. Plus indoor outdoor carpet is easy to clean if they happen too use it as a bathroom but pigs usually use corners anyway.

 

[librarychick]

Spy9doc that sounds perfect! Where did you get it?