Ramp

[HappyHamster7]

Hello, did anyone else's guinea pigs have trouble going up the ramp when you first got them into their hutch, and how did you manage to solve this? I'm thinking they will just eventually go up and use it on their own - I have placed treats and such on it to encourage them, but think at the moment they are a bit frightened. Has anyone got any tips?

 

[boreen]

I'm not sure, but why not try putting one pig on one floor and another pig on the other? I'm not sure, though. Don't have any experiance with that case, other members sholuld know, though.

 

[maxdawn]

Piggys can find ramps difficult, I alway stick noslipe carpet to my ramps. Its the little door mats. B&Q sell them for a £1. This stops it being so slippery. With my pigs I put them on the ramp for their first time, just halfway up so not to scary. I only put one pig on at a time. I've took a photo of my ramp, hope this helps

 

[Veggies Galore]

Guinea pigs are not natural climbers and do find ramps difficult. I have a 2 tier hutch - just for use in the summer. I had 2 boars last year and they got used to the ramp eventually. However, the ramps in 2 tier hutches are quite long and steep and I have insisted on a few adaptations this year before the hutch can be declared operational this year .

1) The ramp will have a bannister attached - to prevent falls
2) I will be using a ramp tunnel ( I got mine from C&E Cosies)

 

[VickiA]

I've never managed to get my resident piggies to climb up or down any ramp, despite changing sides, gradient, floor covering and covering with a tunnel. But they are a most stubborn pair. My latest piggies are much more adventurous but I've not tried them with a ramp - just given them a large c and c.

 

[the boys]

My boys love zooming up and down the ramps.
I got them used to climbing up the ramp.
by detaching it and leaning against the wall. Getting steeper every so often. Applied carpet to the ramp for better grip. And I put fudge and hutch upstairs so they had to go down. (Separately) Now they both love it

 

[PiggySmitten]

It does seem to have taken our group of 3 a while. We have a hutch with run underneath (and goes off to the side) outside that we only use during the daytime and we've had it since the end of April. One of our 3 was very quick to go up but has only recently started going down and she will happily do so now "as is" with no modifications at all to the ramp. The other two only started to use it this week (both ways but prefer going up) and only as long as the expanding tunnel is on - one of those plastic expanding tunnels you can find all over the place. I pull it up just into the upper level and down as far as the bottom "rung" thing on the ramp.

I put the tunnel on because I was worried about them falling off the ramp.

 

[Angryjohn]

I bought a tunnel ramp cover http://www.candecosies.co.uk/ramp-tunnel from candEcosies and then put Porkie and Pie in the loft with lettuce at the bottom. Pie (who thinks in 3d) dived down it at once and Porkie (who thinks in 2D) soon followed. The ramp was quite long and shallow so it was dead easy for them. The only trouble was that they would end up sleeping in there which was not good for hygiene. So I bought a wooden ramp on ebay which is much steeper and put the tunnel ramp on that. They dive up and down it easily and did so from the first. Even Porkie who is not blessed! (thats Porkie's rear end you see to the left!)

 

[AvrilA]

We also bought a ramp from Candecosies.co.uk and can't recommend it enough! My guineas run up and down at super speed! :-)

 

[BossHogg]

I've just used a length of guttering with carpet glued to the bottom, my 3 are up and down the ramp all day with no problems.

 

[Mel&Soph]

We have only had our girls a couple of weeks and yesterday they finally mastered ramp. I placed quieter one on lower level and left more confident one upstairs. Put food on lower level. Lucy soon sussed it. Next thing I know both are running up down enjoying extra freedom.

 

[HappyHamster7]

Thanks everyone, they have learnt to used the ramp now! Thank you for all your tips I found that placing them on the half way platform for the ramp, and then giving them some nuggets really helped!