Struggling With Enrichment Ideas

[Abytude]

Sorry me again.
Does anyone else feel a bit stuck for enrichment ideas for the pigs now the weather has turned?
If it was spring/summer the pigs could go on the grass each day if it was warm and dry, and up until the last few days, I have been cutting grass for the piggies, but now the weather is horrible it limits ideas for enrichment.
Do you do floor time every day?I try and do floor time roughly every other day, but the pigs like to get back in their cage so not sure how much they actually enjoy it, plus as mine are still babies I need to make sure they are still 'contained' during floor time so they don't get to roam freely at the mo. They do come out for lap time a couple of times a day and constantly have people talking to them and fussing them.
I think I'm just looking for a bit of reassurance that I'm not the only one who feels a bit bad about the pigs stuck in a cage for most of the time.
Thanks for reading

 

[Reenie]

Their favourite things are eating and sleeping and talking to each other, so they pretty much amuse themselves. If your cage is fairly large, I wouldn't worry too much. Maybe put in some toilet rolls with holes cut in them and stuffed with hay, or scatter some food rather than putting it in a bowl. Mine aren't getting as much floor time just now because I'm doing extra hours at work, so I just make sure a spend a bit of time with them in the morning and the evening.

 

[Member AR6]

To be honest my guineas loved being in their cage more than floor time, they used to just freeze, if their cage is big enough I used to think apart from cuddles they were happy. Mine loved fleece forests, tunnels, tubes with hay stuffed in each end and hammocks. Like Reenie says they are happy chatting and following each other about.

 

[Cavy Kung-Fu]

Yes it is tough, but imagination is the key! I always think, if you can't bring them outside, bring the outside to them! During floor time indoors you could grow a tray of grass for them to enjoy. Paper bags with hay inside are a favourite with my pigs too. Oat grass in toilet roll tubes is fun too, especially if you thread a few on some natural string and hang them like bunting or piñatas!

Don't feel too bad, there's always plenty you can do and quite often the free and easy options are the most popular

 

[Abytude]

Thanks for the replies, I feel better now.
I think we are all in the same boat unless you have free range piggies (which would bring another set of worries) then they are going to be spending most of their time in the cage.
I scatter fed their pellets tonight and they seemed to really like finding them, so I will mix it up a bit and scatter some and put some in the bowl.
I love it when the come out of their hideys in the eve and chat to eachother, I find it really soothing haha.
I like the idea of growing the grass I was thinking of doing that a while back.
Need to get the kids and help me get crafty with some ideas.

 

[Kylie80]

My two don't like bought toys of any sort or even a paper bag filled with hay and they don't even like floor time, I have the most boring and lazy pigs on the planet lol until I chuck a home made tunnel in their cage and they will literally chase each other in and out of it for hours. If you can sew there are lots of tutorials on youtube for making tunnels or i'm sure they have tutorials for other guinea pig toys too.

 

[LunaPig72]

I have an indoor pop up run for my four in winter-it's a big fabric hexagonal shaped thing (about 6ft diameter) with a waterproof floor, in which I put fleece, some log tunnel hidey things and a big hay tray, perhaps with a bit of grass or some additional veg treats.

They go in it for floor time and for a change of scene, but you know what - after a munch of hay and a wander around, they tend to settle down in the log tunnel hideys and not do a lot. My youngest two might have a bit of a jump and a run about. But generally they just like chatting, loafing and snoozing. Might as well stay in their cage to be honest!