Roaming free

[pinkyjo]

Hiya, sorry its me. I am bombarding you all with questions but as a new guinea mummy I want to do my best for my piggies. I read on here that some of you just let your piggies have free time in your living room. I would love that but do they not just run under settees etc. Do you then have trouble finding them. Maybe I am just being dumb. Also my piggies are in an indoor cage but the house due to the weather is a bit chilly even with the heating on. Obviously its not as cold as outside but do you have any ideas to give them a bit of extra heat. They have a plastic house that has their food bowl on top. I always put a good ball of hay in there and they do spend some time cuddling in there. I also put a big ball of hay in one corner so they can have some hidey time. There is also a tunnel. Any ideas appreciated.

 

[ellie_jo3213]

first time my pig was let loose, she sat and refused to move. they become more confident and braver with time.
i have some plastic garden edging that i put around the legs of the sideboard to stop her getting underneath.
i leave the cage door open and mine hops in and out as she pleases.
piece of advice - keep cables out of reach of piggies mouth! or you'll end up having to buy new electrical stuff. i learnt the hard way! mine seems to like eating carpet, so tunnels, toys and carrots scattered about seems to help distract them!

 

[Furries]

Mine don't live in the house, but when I was a child they had free range of the back garden and used to put themselves to bed in their hutch most nights (which we would then shut-up for the night).

I've just been reading Peter Gurney's book 'All of Their Kind' and he talks about his free-range guinea-pigs in his flat. He was careful to train the guinea-pigs to be wary of his feet - I think he clapped his hands or something - so that he didn't have to worry about them getting under foot (for his own safety and theirs).

If you'd like a copy, 'All of Their Kind' is available from seller RuthGurney on eBay - send her a message if she hasn't any listed. I really enjoyed reading this book; although it's full of his anecdotes and not really on guinea-pig care.

 

[Wiebke]

Mine do roam, but...

a) no cables within reach!
b) our sofa goes to the ground, and access to the back has been blocked with some hefty old books (kind of "Historics Castles of Britain"....)
Same goes for the book case - I have used to leftover grids from my cage to block it.
c) with transparent kitchen cupboard liner as underlay and old toilet/bathroom mats, bath towels etc. I have created piggy corners which can be easily cleaned.
d) you have to be prepared for the odd accident, although on the whole my piggies keep pretty much to the corner and the accidents mostly happen at the beginning, but I always have puppy accident carpet spray ready! It is not to be recommended if you are renting!

To get piggies to roam, you need to create "routes" of hideys, so they can get from "safe" point to "safe" point at first!