How do I get my 2 new Guineas to use the ramp in their hutch

[Biddy Kid]

Hiya,
We've recently got 2 rescue piggies to come and live with our current one who had just lost his sister. We have a large 5 ft double story hutch for them and have used this for all of our piggies. All of our previous piggies have used the ramp with no problem but I just cant coax the 2 new ones to use it. Their brother uses both levels but the 2 new ones just dont seem interested. They have more room for hideaways and toys if they use both levels.
I have tried various things but was looking for suggestions or improvements on my ideas. I have put them on different levels but they are not interested in looking for each other and just curl up and go to sleep. I have put food on the ramp but their brother just eats it. I have bought them a hideaway with a ramp and put them on top of that to get them used to ramps but they just jump off the top or run down the ramp. I have tried coaxing them up the ramp to get away from me when trying to catch them (they like to give me the runaround when catching them). I have even tried putting one of them half way down the ramp but she just stuck her legs out in all directions so that she was too wide to fit down.
I know its not the end of the world if they dont use both levels but it will give them more room and it will be much warmer and cosier in the colder months.
Any ideas would be appreciated.
Thak you

 

[Betsy]

Piggies follow scent spores so you could try blocking up the hole, taking out the ramp and let them run over it for a couple of days. This has two advantages. It gets them used the to feel of the ramp under their feet and they also sent mark it as they run over it.

 

[Biddy Kid]

Thank you, I will look into that. I'm sure that it is secured down with nails or screws but I can check it out.

 

[Cavy Lover]

I've had this problem aswell. I tried nearly everything and nothing really worked. The only thing that worked for me is I would lift them up on the ramp about half way up. I would then just let them figure it out themselves. Just make sure you are there so they don't fall but they should either run up or down. I did this nearly everyday until they knew what to do. Other then that I also gave them time after a while they got curious and just went for a look around and got it. I hope this helps.

 

[Biddy Kid]

Thank you. Ill give that a try. All of my other piggies first went up the ramp to get away from me when I went to pick them up so I tried getting them to head over there when I was catching them. They just stop at the bottom and surrender and let me pick them up. They have been in this hutch for about 3 weeks now and are not even curious as to whats up there. I thought it would be easier for them to run up rather than down which is why I was trying to herd them over to the ramp when catching them. They are not even curious when their brother heads off up stairs, I suppose he goes up there knowing he will get a bit of peace

 

[Tangle]

If you haven't had them long they might just need time. When our two moved in, Fudge was very happy to go up and down and went exploring very quickly. Jemima took a good few weeks longer before she could see the point in using it, but she's got there in her own time

 

[anyar.dris]

When we had Cookie when she was around 5/6 weeks old, she figured it right away. But all our past guinea pigs and our current boar Prince, I had to teach and encourage them going up and down the ramp. I usually would put them at the bottom of the ramp poking them softly to encourage them to walk and go up. Then once up, I would put them at the top of the ramp and poke them softly again until they go down. I did this 3x in one go during the day and 3x again during the night. It was always supervised. After a few days, they got the hang of it until they did it themselves.

But it will really depend on your guinea pig. I don't do it when the piggy is still panicking. I let them be aware of what the ramp is first. It's helpful when one of the piggies can go up and down and the other one wants to do the same but don't know how to.

When we got Prince and he saw Cookie go up and down the ramp and wants to follow her, I started teaching him with my technique. He is fine now and can do it himself. He just won't jump from the house at the bottom of the ramp (we had a wooden house at the bottom because the ramp was steep) right away unless Cookie pokes him to jump down.