Bored piggies?

Ninarodders

Ninarodders

Junior Guinea Pig
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I think my piggies are bored, they spend a lot of time sleeping. Not sure if this is normal or not. The popcorn when they get their daily fresh hay change (eve time) and sometimes while they waiting for their breakfast pellets. But other than that I dont often see or hear them playing.

So are there any good toys I can buy or make that will get them more active. Or is it normal to not be active?
 
How old are they?
How big is their enclosure?

Piggies aren't normally interested in toys but things like several cardboard boxes with doors cut in, hiding their veg and pellets amongst big piles of hay instead of using bowls will keep them occupied as they can forage through for it, if you spread it over a wide area it also means they have to move about to find it.

This guide will also help Enrichment Ideas for Guinea Pigs
 
One is a year ish and one 6 months ish. They are in a 4x2 c&c. I've had them a month ish and they were in a ferplast 100 before I built them the c&c.

I am planning to add a playpen by somehow making a door so they can come and go in the playpen. They do get floor time but they just hide in the hides I put out or try to get back in. So thats why I was thinking of using a door then they can come and go as they please. But this will be in the evening once the kids are asleep. During the day I can add the playpen for them. But they just hide.

I like the idea of foraging for food. So maybe I'll try, or at least some of their food. They love their veggies so may have to try and scatter feed it a bit more.
 
Sounds as though they might still be timid and settling in, getting used to new noises and smells. That's taken a lot longer than a month with some of my piggies. Pinning fleece over their cage for shelter and giving lots of opportunities for cover during floor time might help.
 
Would love to see photos if you do that set up. I love cages with little gates out them, to an open space.
 
Floor time can be scary for piggies and as Black piggies has said, a month is a short space of time really. They feel more secure going somewhere which smells of piggies so if the floor space you are using does not have piggy scents on them, then they will feel more anxious that it isnt safe for them to be out there.
They are generally more active during the mornings and evenings.
My two have a hutch in my shed but the hutch door is always open and they free roam the shed as they wish. However, they do tend to spend the day time resting amongst big piles of hay in the hutch but they do still come out into the shed multiple times to forage around. Its more in the evening that I find them being more active within the shed itself. They are older though (3.5 years old) so they dont tend to do zoomies or popcorn as often as they did when they were younger.
 
I'm not 100% sure the best way to make a door with out it being as sturdy. So I'm working on thinking of the best way.

Last night I made treat ball things from cut up empty toilet roll tubes and they got the food out super quick! I couldn't even get my phone out to film them and they had got a piece out each (they had a ball each). I may have to try and make a harder one next time lol.
 
Ninarodders said:
I think my piggies are bored, they spend a lot of time sleeping. Not sure if this is normal or not. The popcorn when they get their daily fresh hay change (eve time) and sometimes while they waiting for their breakfast pellets. But other than that I dont often see or hear them playing.

So are there any good toys I can buy or make that will get them more active. Or is it normal to not be active?
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Personally I've realized the same things in the time of having guinea pigs. Mine LOVE when I put in new SAFE chew toys! Oxbow is a brand I trust with chew toys and they most of the time have safe ingredients. I still check to be safe though. They also love when I switch out their hideys. They don't like a boring cage that is the same all the time. My guinea pigs have some days where all they do is run around, and other days they are sleepy. By what you said it doesn't sound like anything bad health wise, but I could be wrong.
 
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