Using a litter tray, sort of successfully!

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Porky Pig

I have noticed that several folk have asked the question "how do I get my gps to use a litter tray?"

May I share my own experience? It may work for you. I experimented and it works 90% of the time!

It started when I got my boy. He was initially in a petshop cage (too small!).

Step-by-step, here's how he got used to peeing/pooping in a litter tray:-

1. For a limited period of time, I used woodshavings to cover the entire floor space of his small cage. Woodshavings are awful, so I only used it for about 4 weeks while his bigger home was being built.

2. I took note of where he peed the most - it tended to be at the far back corners of the cage, with a few moist areas here and there. He pooped virtually everywhere.

3. I started putting a generous amount of shredded paper where the highest amount of pee was. He began to pee and poop there more and more. But not all the time.

NOTE: I spot cleaned twice a day

After a week or so, and still in the small cage:-

4. instead of woodshavings, I lay down newspapers, towels and fleece to cover the entire floor space of his cage. BUT, I put a put a generous amount of woodshavings & shredded paper in the two corners where he peed the most.

5. When he got the idea that woodshavings + shredded paper = pee/poop area, I only put woodshavings/shredded paper in ONE corner.

6. Finally, I bought a plastic corner litter tray. I filled that with woodshavings and shredded paper and put it in. He was a little apprehensive of the red plastic thing at first, but very quickly jumped in to mark it and pee/poop!

He is now in a bigger home, 4 x 2, and the plastic corner litter tray is now bigger tray (a cat litter tray!) - he is growing fast and a bigger bum deserves a bigger loo :))

He pees/poops in the tray 90% of the time - with the odd poo here and there (not a lot) and the odd wee spot (not enough to make the fleece/towel wet!).

Below is a photo of when he was using a corner litter tray and a photo of the bigger litter tray.

I really hope this is helpful! Let me know if you think it's worth a try for your gps and if it works (or not!)

PS - I use woodshavings OR carefresh AND shredded paper for the litter tray now.
 

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*** bump ***
Just wondering: has this worked with any other piggies out there before? Or, is my boy "gifted"? :))
 
thanks, ive just laid down vetbed for the first time in my hutch for my piggies, and I'm gunna use these tips to try and get my piggies to do the same-ill let you know how i get on!gemxx
 
I have tried to litter train the boys but they tend to sleep in the litter tray and poo in the house. I will try some of these tips and see how I get on :)
 
I too have a 4x2 hutch with an open 'empty' run underneath and I would like to try your idea.

In the bedroom section they now have an igloo thing to keep them snuggle as all the straw and hay etc got flattened. I would like to not put straw & hay etc in the bedroom as they now have a nice little bed that has fleece in and a snugglesage bottle with the area becoming also lined with fleece. If I was to put a full sized cat tray in I think it would take up most of the space in the living room bit, so perhaps a corner one might be ok.

Do you think a corner one is big enough for the piggies when they finish growing (whenever that it, what age fo they stop growing?, Dora is quite big and she's around 10 months)
 
Wacky's in the house!

I like your tips on the litter tray and I'll try it for Wacky. I pity him when the woodshavings in his cage are moist with urine and filled with poop, trying to sleep. So I think I have to construct a bathroom to limit the pollution of the woodshavings.

I would just like to ask if Porky ate some of the shredded paper? I remember Wacky eating newspaper when I used it as a base for the floor of the cage (well, I see him eat woodshavings when he's scared!).

I'll try to find a low litter tray so that Wacky would not be afraid to jump in to urinate and defecate. Baka sabihin niya "ilang taon na ako umiihi at tumatae kahit saan tapos ngayon ka lang maglalagay ng banyo dito?" :))

I'm not really fond of forums, but I'm definitely fond of rodents that's why I made an account here! :)
 
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what are the green cube things in your photos? I love you cage btw it is really cool
 
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