My guinea pig won't go up his ramp

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jayesse

My guinea pig Basil lives in a luxury hutch with his forever friend Ebony, a black bunny. They have lived together since they were tiny. Both are nearly five now and have been living with me for the past two years after I adopted them from a friend.

The hutch consists of a large ground floor run with a ramp up from it to a chalet style house. It is in a safe sealed off patio garden which Basil and Ebony can run around in when I am at home to keep an eye on them. We have never had any problems with either of them up until now.

About two weeks ago I happened to be looking out of the kitchen window and to my horror saw a small rat come under the fence from the neighbouring house and squeeze its way through the bars of the hutch. It cheekily went up the ramp, stole some food from Basil and Ebony's food bowls and came back out again. The following night it came back and did exactly the same thing - this time barging past Basil who was sitting at the bottom of the ramp having a dandelion leaf dinner.

Since then my partner and I have reinforced the hutch with fine mesh chicken wire which even the skinniest rat could not get through. We have also given the hutch a really thorough disinfecting and scrubbed the ground underneath it. The rat has not been seen again.

The problem is that ever since this unwanted visitor made his appearance Basil has become phobic about going up the ramp to his bedroom and eating area. If we pick him up and put him up there he his perfectly happy once he is there, but if we do not he stays on the ground floor level at all times and will sleep all night under his little igloo. Once he is on the upper level he will come down again quite happily but he just will not go up of his own accord. Even dandelion leaves placed on the upper part of the ramp will not tempt him up there. I don't know if he thinks the rat is still there and that is why he will not go up.

I am worried about him, particularly as we will be going on holiday shortly and the pet sitter will not be able to continually put him up in his bedroom as I am having to do at the moment. Can anybody suggest how I can make him start using his ramp again?

Many thanks

Judi
 
I'm not really sure sorry, but I'm going to bump this thread up the list.

Hopefully he will get over his fear soon, poor guy. A rat burrowed into my guinea pigs' run once and they were terrified. :(
 
Rats can kill guinea pigs! So Basil's fear is not unfounded.

I had a similar experience with my Llewelyn and a mouse in the summer hutch - he didn't like to go there after that!

Patience and persistence will help. Feed Basil downstairs but some food on the ramp where he can reach it from the bottom. Then, slowly and very patiently, entice him up by placing the food a tiny biy higher. Take your time and every time he panics, restart a bit lower. Praise him for every bit he goes up the ramp, like you would a dog.

It may take a few weeks, but you will get there - I have managed to get a very timid guinea pig to join the rest of the group at dinner time right across the living room by literally inching her food plate closer and closer to the others and not losing my temper whenever Cariad panicked and ran back to the catch and wouldn't come out again...
 
A lot of guinea pigs won't use a ramp, especially if they're frightened. You could try leaving a trail of veggies at the ramp to tempt him up?

Just to add, your guinea pig shouldn't be living with a rabbit. Rabbits carry a virus which isn't harmful to them but can be fatal to guinea pigs. One innocent kick of your rabbit's foot could easily kill your guinea pig. Both animals need the company of their OWN kind too.

:)
 
Tracyxx said:
Just to add, your guinea pig shouldn't be living with a rabbit. Rabbits carry a virus which isn't harmful to them but can be fatal to guinea pigs. One innocent kick of your rabbit's foot could easily kill your guinea pig. Both animals need the company of their OWN kind too.

:)
Click to expand...

I was thinking that too, but since they've been living together all their lives (since before the OP got them) then would it be a bit cruel to seperate them now? They might be closely bonded.
 
I know it's not standard practice to put a guinea pig and a rabbit together but that is how they have always lived and I adopted them from a friend who had them together all the time. Ebony, my bunny, treats Basil as her baby - she cleans and grooms him and he loves all the attention she gives him. He often lies on top of her, across her body, for a cuddle. If I take her to the vet he pines for her. I certainly couldnt separate them now after a lifetime together but I do understand what you say and wouldn't put a rabbit and guinea pig together in another situation.
 
I am delighted to report that this evening, lured by an array of delicious greenery strategically placed on his ramp, Basil has gone up eating, scoffing his way to the top and into his bedroom! The sight of him sitting up there with Ebony near brought a tear to my soppy middle-aged eye!
Thank you to everyone who replied to my question with their suggestions. Hopefully his phobia is now cured.....but if he has a relapse I will be back in touch again.
Judi
 
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