Guinea pigs and ramps

[julesjoy]

So the piggies live in a two storey hutch. The girls took around a week to learn how to use the ramp (not too steep, has a side and cross bits) but were much younger when they learnt. Rufus appears to be able to come down it, but not up. I've tried putting him on it, but he's stubborn and opinionated and won't move Currently I have to chase him round and put him upstairs at night for veggies, no idea how long he stays there for. Any ideas how to make it more appealing for him to try going up it himself?

 

[scats]

We carpeted the ramp in our hutch, and put a bannister on it. Some pigs needed a hand around their bum to help them get used to it.

 

[julesjoy]

I get a right telling off verbally if I try to cup him up it round his bum, and he'd rather jump over the bannister than up with encouragement. I'd have thought down would be more difficult so I'm not sure what would help? What did you carpet it with?

 

[splashgirl45]

I put carpet on mine as well, I had some carpet tiles over so cut one of those up , you don’t want anything too fluffy so a cheap carpet tile would be perfect.

 

[julesjoy]

How did you fix it on? Would their claws not get caught?

 

[splashgirl45]

I glued it onto the ramp

 

[ester]

All my ramps have full width carpet (I stole some tiles at one point which work well for gluing).
Originally in the outdoor hutch ramp I had squares of carpet between the ‘rails’ but they were quite full width and solar spread her back legs and slid to the bottom.

I think they’re usually better with others to learn off (otherwise I’ve had to do food trails) so I’d just make it more secure for him.

people do also use the corrugated plastic tunnels as that seals the whole thing in for them

 

[scats]

We had some left over carpet so used that and I think my dad stapled it down.

 

[julesjoy]

I've been hoping he'll work it out following the girls. Maybe I need to be more patient and not immediately put him upstairs for veggies. I'm only hesitant on the carpet because the ramp often gets covered in poo and will be harder to clean carpet. And the girls would eat the food trail, tried that!

 

[ester]

Genuinely none of mine gets particularly dirty, only the very bottom section get's a bit minging and washed off with a nail brush occasionally. - The carpet tiles are at least designed to be pretty scrubbable/hoseable. The indoor ramp I've got raised on a spare chunk of broken slab - partly as I didn't quite get the angle right building it but it does also raise it out of any damp bedding.

 

[Lois Lame]

Is he a little out of condition and therefore finds going up the ramp a little difficult? If so, would it be possible to make a longer, more gently sloping ramp?

 

[julesjoy]

Is he a little out of condition and therefore finds going up the ramp a little difficult? If so, would it be possible to make a longer, more gently sloping ramp?

Now this is an interesting question and a good point! He was in rescue for quite some time I gather before I adopted him so quite possible. He's such a funny personality

 

[Griffin]

I agree with if they see other piggies going up and down, they are more likely to try it. Sometimes, they just need a bit of time to work it out and if they realise they are on their own, they are sometimes a bit more adventurous (that's why I have a Ring camera in my small pets' room, I can see what they really get up to).

 

[suestowford]

I used to have a ramp. Some guineas used it, some didn't. One pair would go up but not down!

 

[julesjoy]

So I put a lump of paving slab under the end to make the angle less acute, while I tried to source some carpet. Left him down Monday. Put him up Tuesday. Couldn't find him today and he was upstairs of his own accord! Fingers crossed he's cracked it and it's not just a fluke!

 

[ester]

Excellent It def can help as they dont mind a little hop on

 

[julesjoy]

Poor chap didn't seem to manage it again, despite his best attempts. Have now fixed some carpet to the ramp. Which initially put off one of the seasoned ramp climbers. Then I basically climbed into the hutch and put him back on every time he tried to go backwards. Hopefully he'll get the hang of it soon!

 

[scats]

I hope he gets the hang of it soon.
Guinea pigs are such odd little creatures. Phineas has always been a nervous sort. He’s much happier now he’s on his own, as I think he was bullied by Murray a fair bit. He used to self harm, and we weren’t sure why, but now he is the picture of health. He’s come out of his shell so much since being on his own, but obviously I don’t want him to be lonely so I interact with him as much as possible and he’s in the house so there’s always people around him. He seems to have developed a bond with one of my cats. TC is a very gentle cat, she gets bullied by her brother a bit and I think she’s found a kindred spirit in Phineas. Whereas Phineas will still dart and hide if a human comes up to his enclosure, he’s happy for TC to jump up onto the box next to his cage (she has a blanket on there now!) and he doesn’t even flinch. Then she settles down above him and they sleep near to each other. She even gets in the cage with him sometimes and curls up in his hay and he curls up in the next hay pile (the cats and Guinea pigs have always coexisted happily- dogs are kept away) Yet if I go next to the cage, he still legs it. Funny little things they are.

 

[SantaVera]

can you put in a longer, shallower ramp and add carpet too?

 

[julesjoy]

Hurrah! I think he's cracked it! He's been upstairs and downstairs without my interference, repeatedly! Thr carpet definitely made the biggest difference. Thank you everyone for your thoughts on this!