How Can I Improve Their Ramp?

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MycuteBoys

MycuteBoys

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Hi, as some of you know my boys live outside in a large two level hutch, for the first week I had them they had use of the whole hutch but because they needed to undergo treatment and a lot of cleaning out and disinfecting I thought it best to remove the ramp and only use the lower level until they were better (they were only tiny and each level is 5ft by 2ft so plenty of space) so almost a week ago we got the all clear I dashed outside straight away after putting the phone down from my vet and put their ramp back in so they could enjoy the whole hutch again well their not using the top level at all as I think they are unsure about the ramp :( I've tried putting parsley... a favourite food for there's at the top and they take a while to attempt to scramble up to it and once the food has gone two will come straight back down but fudge can't :( so I have to lift him down, the bed area has remained untouched over the last week so clearly they don't go up there at all because they don't like the ramp can anyone give me any tips of how to make it easier less of a worry for them to use I don't think I need to add a fabric tunnel as it seems to be the ramp itself that's the issue may be adding fabric or more wooden slats if adding fabric how do I stick this down please?
Many many thanks for reading and any replies.

Oh I should say.....For the first week I had them I put a thick layer of hay on the ramp as they were to small to get up there just by using the wooden slats, but this is messy and costly so I need to find a better way to improve their ramp.
Kell.
 
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I had the same.prob but i cut a hand towel.in half then velcroed it onto the ramp in 2 individual strips now they go.up and down as they please :)
 
That's great thank you newtoguineas :) I'm going to try this today as I have some very soft towels that don't have big hoops in them (so their clews don't get caught) I think I have Velcro in my craft box :)
Thank you again :)
 
No worries. I found it a cheap and easy solution. I spend sooo much on them i couldnt justify another £20 on a ramp tunnel, though I'm sure they are good
 
Oh I do like that @maxdawn :) thank you very much for adding the photo too I'm going into the big city on Monday and they have a B&Q there so I will defiantly get some of these for my ramp what did you stick them down with? Just normal glue? Do they last a while eg not fraying etc do your piggies chew at it?
Sorry for all the questions :( I think this is the problem solver I needed.
My boys are out in their run on the grass at the mo I've put the towel on the ramp for now so hopefully this will help until Monday :)
Many thanks again....kell
 
Its a very hard wearing mat. So it doesn't fray.
The first one I made last summer to go on the outside of a hutch. At the time I had 2 old boys that couldn't jump in & out of the hutch. That ramp is as good as the day I made it. On that ramp I use hard as nails glue to stick it down. On this new one I've used carpet glue, I only made the new one last night so I need to wait and see if carpet glue is as good. I think for a outside ramp I would use the hard as nails. Just don't glue right up to the egde , you don't want glue on carpet.
On the carpet their is ridges like lines I find that pigs can grip better if the ridges are going side to side ways not straight up and down. If that makes sense. I also cut carpet too long so there is a over hangs at both ends. That way I can put the over hangs under the bedding. If you cut carpet so it tight up to the sides and put the over hanged under bedding they don't have anything to chew. I will upload some photos you show you.
 
Here's photos
The fist 1 show carpet tight cut into sides
20140726_120104.webp
The next to show the over hang

20140726_120034.webp
20140726_120049.webp
Hope that helps
 
Perfect :) and very helpful thank you again for the photos, I will post pics once I've done my ramp on Monday :) and that's helpful about the overhang at the ends and not getting glue on the carpet (as not good for piggies)
I am very grateful for your help maxdawn :) fingers crossed it works for my piggies too.
 
My3cuteBoys said:
Perfect :) and very helpful thank you again for the photos, I will post pics once I've done my ramp on Monday :) and that's helpful about the overhang at the ends and not getting glue on the carpet (as not good for piggies)
I am very grateful for your help maxdawn :) fingers crossed it works for my piggies too.
Click to expand...
If you need anymore help let me know
 
@newtoguineas a huge thank you for the towel tip my boys went back into their nice clean hutch just after lunch and they noticed the towel straight way Oreo (always my brave fella and first to try something new) raced straight up the towel covered ramp followed very quickly by pippin they did three or four laps of the whole hutch before fudge tried the ramp he went up fine but took a while to brave the trip down it lol but he did in the end which was fab :) :yahoo:
 
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Hi Kell. I had the same problem with I got the bluebell so I did the same as @maxdawn I put carpet up the ramp so that they could grip. Then to get them used to this I would put them up top to bed each night (The two older ladies as the younger girls had no issues) and after a few days of doing this they got their confidence with the ramp and flew up and down it. Now it's not an issue. I think with some piggies its the confidence and knowing they aren't going to slip and slide anywhere :) Glad its worked!
 
Thanks Ruth I will pop them all up there tonight, I'm off to work now and I just went out to check they are all ok mainly due to the gear today pip and Oreo are chilling on the shaded slabs and fudge is asleep upstairs in the hutch :)
 
I'm off to work now too! All fun and games with the hubby, dogs and piggies get to chill all evening!
 
Ooh very posh! Mine is the same but with red instead of black and it isn't as neatly done because I'm rubbish at DIY lol!
 
@maxdawn....They were not as sure at first about using it not like they were with the towel on the ramp but after a few sniffs and a dozen rumbles plus bum wiggling they seemed to be happy with their new stair carpet and began playing a game of tag lol they ran up there and down quite happily during their game....yet another fab idea and problem solved via this fab forum :)

@Flutterby I liked the red and the green ones too Ruth :) thought black would not show up the mess as much as the other colours (I'm a bit OCD with mess )

Kell
 
Haha I'm the same but red was the only one I could get hold of so it had to do! Originally me ramp had scoured lino on my even that didn't have enough grip :)
 
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