Floor time

MilliePigs

MilliePigs

Junior Guinea Pig
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So I’ve had Horace and Benji for about a year now and have never really given them floor time. Bambi’s cage (my other guinea pig) is so large that the space I have for floor time would be much less than his cage size and so I’ve never given it to him. However, Horace and Benji only have a 120cm cage which really isn’t enough for them to do the best zoomies that they can!
I set up a 2x5 c and c with left over girds that I have and I wish they would have his space all the time but it’s in the middle of my bedroom and I’m afraid we’d have an incident with my cat! :soz:
Anyways, the boys are in the make shift run at the moment and have been for more than 20 minutes but they’ve just sat under a stool for the whole time, scared to come out. I understand that this is a new and scary experience for them but is there anything that I can do to make them relax and enjoy this floor time?
 
I have put out some hay and they are now venturing out a little bit. They are still nervous and going back under the stool every time they find a piece of hay but baby steps!
 
Just give them time and ensure there’s nothing that could scare them.
A guinea pig can take fright for no apparent reason.
In time they will safe enough to venture further and enjoy floor time
 
Merab's Slave said:
Just give them time and ensure there’s nothing that could scare them.
A guinea pig can take fright for no apparent reason.
In time they will safe enough to venture further and enjoy floor time
Click to expand...
I think I’m going to do this maybe everyday for an hour so they get used to it, all they’ve done today is take their best piggie naps!
 

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If they've never had all this space before they are probably scared. Have you put a fleece or old towel on top or is it just open? Try putting something on the top next time so they don't feel so exposed.
 
Betsy said:
If they've never had all this space before they are probably scared. Have you put a fleece or old towel on top or is it just open? Try putting something on the top next time so they don't feel so exposed.
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I didn’t think to put a fleece on top, I’ll try it out tomorrow, thanks for the advice!
 
That's great! Let us know how they get on! Sometimes it the obvious things we don't realise! :doh: That is what this forum is for to benefit from other peoples knowledge and experience.:)
 
Good idea to provide cover and safe space for those 2 beautiful piggies.
I have a very nervous little girl, Phoebe, so this is her getting some lap time.
She feels safe in her pouch and she’ll let me stroke her there. In time she’ll feel bolder.
 

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Merab's Slave said:
Good idea to provide cover and safe space for those 2 beautiful piggies.
I have a very nervous little girl, Phoebe, so this is her getting some lap time.
She feels safe in her pouch and she’ll let me stroke her there. In time she’ll feel bolder.
Click to expand...
She’s gorgeous :love:
 
My Finn and Lara have a playpen where they go to have a floor time everyday. I want them to have a floor time but sometimes it turns out to be a lap time. They jump around in their cages and walk around in the playpen so they are both pretty active.
 
Update: I’ve just put them out for floor time again with a towel covering half of the run and they are already much more comfortable. They didn’t venture outside of the stool at all yesterday but Horace has explored the length of the cage already! Thanks for the advice everyone
 
I have come to the realisation that Horace and Benji are very lazy piggies! They would much rather sleep and eat hay than waste their energy on popcorns! :lol!:
 
Merab's Slave said:
Just give them time and ensure there’s nothing that could scare them.
A guinea pig can take fright for no apparent reason.
In time they will safe enough to venture further and enjoy floor time
Click to expand...
just try to move the cat into another room and sit down with your guinea pigs when it is floor time and they will tell safer
 
Hdbuinfxpredvla said:
just try to move the cat into another room and sit down with your guinea pigs when it is floor time and they will tell safer
Click to expand...
The cat doesn’t bother them during floor time it’s just I wouldn’t feel comfortable them being in my room unsupervised with my cat. She likes the piggies but you can never be too sure!
 
MilliePigs said:
The cat doesn’t bother them during floor time it’s just I wouldn’t feel comfortable them being in my room unsupervised with my cat. She likes the piggies but you can never be too sure!
Click to expand...
well if you do not feel safe with the idea you sould move the cat it doesn't get any ideas
 
Put the boys out for the third time today with a towel covering each end of the run leaving around a third of the middle exposed and they seem to be used to it now. They are exploring the run and running through the tunnels eating hay, some very happy piggies!
 
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