Am I expecting too much too soon?

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Polypea

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Hello everyone

I haven't been on here for a while what with thing or another so I hope everyone is well!

I am in need of some advise please: :)

I have just put my piggies, this afternoon, outside in their brand new 2 storey hutch.
They have previously been inside in a C&C cage on one level and I bet you have guessed my problem already................... yes they won't use the ramp! :{

I have covered the ramp with vetbed to make the whole experience that little bit nicer, I have put veggies up/down the ramp and I have coaxed them up/down but to no avail, they will not have it! grrrr
If I put them on the ramp they will either go up or down with a lot of hesitation and some pushing from me but once they are either up or down (sounding like the grand old duke of york here!) thats where they stay!

What I want to know is will they use it? or have I just wasted money on a lovely big outdoor hutch? :0
Maybe I am expecting too much too soon, they have been in there about 4 hours now. rolleyes

Any advise or similar experiences would be great.......... thanks ")
 
Does your ramp have a side on it at all? Some piggies don't like to be able to see the drop down the side. You could make one with some correx if you have any to hand. :)
 
I've heard other people with the same problem on here. Some have made a tunnel over the ramp which the pigs are more inclined to use. But they will probably just need more time to get used to it. Food at either end is a good idea. Good luck.
 
My three girls all use their ramp happily, but it did take Pippa and Willow a couple of days to figure it out.

I'd give them a day to two and if they still won't have it, try covering it over.

My girls finally figured it out with a trail of herbs up and then down :))
 
Hi

It does have sides on it but they don't start until about 3 inches down from the top, but there isn't really room for them to see over the side of it in that small area.

Is there a possibility that they will try it out in their own time or should I be expecting them to use it by now?

Thanks
 
I think they'll probably explore in their own time :) especially if they've never used a ramp before

Just make sure there's food and water on both levels for them, so if they do go up but don't want to come down, they can still get a drink ;)
 
Another thing that can work is to lift the bottom of the ramp and put it on a big brick, wide house or something. That way they can jump up on the brick/house and then walk the ramp, and it makes the ramp less steep.

4 hours is nothing though... It took mine two weeks to start using a new fleece bed! Make sure they have hay and water on both levels though until you see that they use the ramp with confidence. Otherwise they may dare to walk up but then not get down or the other way around.

They'll figure it out!
 
i had this problem with my sows and one of them went down the bottom but was unable to get back up lucky there was water and food there to as she was down there for 1 day before i caught one she couldnt get back upmalletheadmallethead:{:{ in the end i had to put guttering lined with a towel there instead of the ramp i nailed the guttering at the top so it couldnt move and they were useing this after but it took angel a little while longer before she was happy she could get back up:{:...rolleyes
 
Hi

I have put a water bottle on both levels and a bowl of pellets on both levels so at least they can get something if they do decide to stay either up or down.
Also I've made sure there is a hide at the bottom too as there is a sleeping compartment at the top, so there is somewhere for them to get away if they want to on both levels.

The only thing I haven't done is put hay on both levels as I've got both hay racks downstairs but I may move one upstairs tomorrow just to be safe.

Thanks everyone, I may try the the cover idea too if things don't start to improve, I've got a snuggle tunnel I could use. :)
 
Hi, a lot of people seem to have this problem! Thing that interests me is that my girls barely used their ramp in their outdoor two story but in the C&C they were fine with it! I think the thing that help are either having sides but as you said, you already do. The next thing is give them time. Gently guide them up and down. The thing is my hutch was double story but they got the same benefits from each story so it was almost pointless having two stories. So I just removed the floor of the bottom story and made it access to grass so it was a lower grassy area and upper sleeping quaters.

I find my guinea pigs learnt by being shown up and down the ramp a few times and that worked best (if the ramp of course is secure and there are no external influces) then it was just getting the girls up to it. Having treats at the top always works. Also rustling hay and then putting it up the top/bottom will encourage them to go up/down. If they start running round and wheeking gently put them at the base of the ramp and then nudge them and they will start to go up. They'll eat the hay and then come by to see if they've gone down, if they haven't nudge them down and have fruit or something down there. It took mine a while even though all of that, to get used to it anyway.
 
When my boys went into a 2 storey they took about a week to work out the ramp issue. They magically discovered it once we put thei veg on the top floor one night.
 
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