The pig's pen was a total mud hole and I hated seeing them wade through it every day. Also, I couldn't get to their bowls to feed them without sinking ankle deep in mud. Their only dry place was inside their house. Today I decided to extend their electric fence into more of James' abandoned garden so they could dry their feet and have more to root for. Instead of using 5 levels of ribbon for their electric fence I put only one strand up in the new area, hoping it will contain them. If it doesn't then they still won't be able to escape the 10 acres of woven wire fencing their pen is in. There's now a 10 foot wide "doorway" they can go through to get to the new area. I thought they'd be thrilled with the notion of seeing grass again. I left them alone to discover the area on their own. At least 2 hours later they still hadn't left their sloppy home. I stepped into the new area and coaxed them. They both came very close but wouldn't step over the mud-line into the grass-line. It was so funny. They talked and talked to me and wanted to so badly but were afraid they'd get zapped by this invisible fence. Finally Velma did it. It was just too much for her. She was thrilled! She ran about and tore things up. Roxie watched on but still wouldn't do it.
Again I coaxed her. The most she did was move her 2 front feet over the line and then stepped back.
I am constantly amazed by the learning abilities and disabilities of animals. Your pigs had clearly learned the limits of their world and were not ready to accept the change. I think people are that way, too. :O)
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