Is it too late to try litter training?

[hayleyface]

I have had my pigs since February and jumped on the C&C cage bandwagon pretty quickly (much to the dismay of my boyfriend who forked out for a lovely hutch that is now 'rotting away' in the garden :red) and I have now collected a couple of fleeces I hope to one day make into liners but the idea of litter training has been preying on my mind for some time.

I asked at Petscorner and they said they'd never heard of a guinea pig being successfully trained to go in a littler tray, only one apparently, whom was clicker trained. Naturally, I know that's a load of rubbish.. We have a huge piggie community teeming with litter trained piggies!

The reason I haven't really bothered before now is because I know the general idea to litter training is to pop the tray in their most used corner, but Ginny and Henwin seem to favour no particular spot.. I have now finally placed the tray in one corner and filled it with soiled bedding before giving the cage its weekly clean to see if the smell will give them a clue as to where I want them to go.

So far they haven't cottoned on. Mostly Ginny thinks it's a nice, comfy bed for her to doze in but I persist in chasing her off unless she looks like she's going to pee. I'm also trying to move any newly soiled bedding to the litter tray.

Do you think this is a good tactic or are my pigs too used to peeing wherever they fancy now? I would really appreciate any help

Edit: Thought I just saw Ginny peeing in the tray, went to give her a treat whilst she was peeing and went "OOH, TREAT!" and ran up to me, stopping whatever she may or may not have been doing. *facepalm*

 

[AbiS]

Am looking forward to any responses as well - I did not know you could litter train piggies

 

[PipandPop]

Ours showed a preference for weeing in corners as they were able to get their bum firmly pushed in, so when they're down on the floor they go in their litter tray as they find that if they wee in their houses they have to lie in it. However, since putting vetbed in their cage they've found they can wee to their hearts content where they sleep and it stays dry!

I guess it depends on your pigs, if they dislike lying in wet bedding, and you wait an extra hour or two before taking it out they may try somewhere else. Mine also like to pee on hay so if there isn't hay in your litter box already try putting some in? That way it's in one end and out the other! But change this hay regularly so they're not eating the wet stuff. They also like to wee in private, so if it's possible to cover it in some way so they can maintain their dignity whilst relieving themselves sometimes the little divas are thankful. Some ideas?

 

[kidspiggies4]

Mine always wee in corners too. Theres always one soaking wet corner whether in their cage or run. I haven't tried potty training but think I might give it a go!

 

[hayleyface]

I guess it depends on your pigs, if they dislike lying in wet bedding, and you wait an extra hour or two before taking it out they may try somewhere else. Mine also like to pee on hay so if there isn't hay in your litter box already try putting some in? That way it's in one end and out the other! But change this hay regularly so they're not eating the wet stuff. They also like to wee in private, so if it's possible to cover it in some way so they can maintain their dignity whilst relieving themselves sometimes the little divas are thankful. Some ideas?

Unfortunately my girls are absolute slobs and couldn't give two monkeys whether something's soaked in wee or not - if they want to lie down in it, they'll lie down in it :p Thanks for the advice about hay though, I had noticed before I got a holder for their hay and put it in large piles that it was often very wet when I went to change it so I'm now combining already soiled and fresh hay, still hoping the smell of urine will draw them to the tray (obviously this is still changed every day).

When I was doing a clear out earlier I noticed that Ginny's spot, where I originally put the tray, is much wetter than the other areas so have switched it back there. She seems to want to cozy down in it whichever side it's on so might as well be their toilet side

 

[madguinealady]

i have litter trays with sawdust and hay in and it is covered with dark fleece. Other end has towels then fleece under hideys and is also covered They seem to pee and poo in litter trays so they are emptied and cleaned every day and fleece and towels changed every other day as long as not. wet. Seems to work really well and cleaning a doddle. Only ever odd wee at hidey end but loads of poos These get swept up twice a day but are dry so not a problem.