New Hutch, need help... :s

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Maddey72

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The hutch has finally been assembled, but my guinea pigs don't like it :(
I put them into it and they looked terrified!
Loki just sat at the top of the ramp while Harvey was just lying down, ON TOP OF the ramp.
They didnt move, not even fresh veg Helped!
There in there old home for the night again, what do I do?
It's two stories high and Loki is not very smart so I'm concerned as to whether he'll realise what to do....
Please could you help me?
Thank you!
 
Maddey72 said:
The hutch has finally been assembled, but my guinea pigs don't like it :(
I put them into it and they looked terrified!
Loki just sat at the top of the ramp while Harvey was just lying down, ON TOP OF the ramp.
They didnt move, not even fresh veg Helped!
There in there old home for the night again, what do I do?
It's two stories high and Loki is not very smart so I'm concerned as to whether he'll realise what to do....
Please could you help me?
Thank you!
Click to expand...

How do you know they don't like it? Did you leave them in there the whole day? They probably were terrified, its a completely new environment and they don't understand why they're in there, all they knew was it wasn't familiar to them so they didn't feel safe in there. Plus if they've never seen or used a ramp before, then they will need to figure that out in their own time. As long as it isn't too steep, they'll be whizzing up and down it soon enough.

It would be best to leave them in there completely alone all day tomorrow, go do other things what you'd usually do and just let them get on with it. They'll have each other, their hay and veg (which they probably wouldn't have eaten before because they were scared) to keep them occupied. Check on them from a distance, don't disturb them too much, it isn't wise to fuss as it just makes you more worried when you needn't be.

Hope they settle into their new hutch soon :)
 
Thank yo so much for your help!
I'll do that then. Also will they figure out how to use the ramp on there own?
 
They may just have been a little startled, different guinea pigs take to different environments in different ways (wow i said different alot there) and i guess they may have just had a bit of a shock, they are prey animals and so do becoming quite scared at things like that,

Also a new cage doesn't smell like them, it's a new smell, thats quite a scary thing to a piggy, just new'ness !

I'd say leave them in it for a day, see if there behaviour changes at all, they may get used to it, they may not, but it's more likely they will, i've never heard of guinea pigs not liking a new cage !
 
My 4 girls had never been in a ramped hutch before until either late last year or early this year, but none of them would go near it for a few hours. I had them on the bottom so it was safe for them to investigate it and I tried to coax them up by putting their food and bottle up at the top and they all eventually got the hang of it, but my Daisy couldn't get up and down very well as she's quite chunky and even though it was comical to see her attempting scramble up lol, it wasn't fair on her so I brought them inside again into a one tiered cage.

If you put them in the bottom section so there is no risk of them falling down the ramp, and leave some food (not veg), hay and a bottle at the top, and also have one of each at the bottom, then that might help them feel more at home.

And they should figure out the ramp ok, but if they don't, like I said, it could be too steep and they don't want to risk it, or they'll just need to get used to it :)
 
When I brought my girls home from blue cross they took a few days to get accustomed to their new cage. I'm sure yours will warm up to the new place soon :)
 
Have you tried attaching a tunnel to the ramp? Guinea pigs love tunnels ;) when i got my first boy over two yrs ago now, he just wouldn't use the ramp at all - i tried everything, but he just wasn't sure of it - i then attached a tunnel to the ramp (on the advice of this forum) and he was up/down it in no time - i think it makes them feel more secure...

Ramp Tunnels:
http://www.cosycavies.co.uk/products/tunnels/
 
Sodapops said:
Have you tried attaching a tunnel to the ramp? Guinea pigs love tunnels ;) when i got my first boy over two yrs ago now, he just wouldn't use the ramp at all - i tried everything, but he just wasn't sure of it - i then attached a tunnel to the ramp (on the advice of this forum) and he was up/down it in no time - i think it makes them feel more secure...

Ramp Tunnels:
http://www.cosycavies.co.uk/products/tunnels/
Click to expand...

That's something I could have used for my girlies, only one query about it...

What if you have a stubborn pig who decides being in the middle of it is much nicer than being caught by their piggy parent? :))

My girlies would stay in the middle of the ramp so I would have to gently push them either up or down depending on which way they were facing :p
 
Thank you everyone, Loki has just decided he owns the Hutch!
he's been rocketing up n down the ramp while Harveys been sitting there wondering where Loki keeps dissipearing off to lol.
They love it now!
Thank you everyone
 
Sounds great, I'm so happy for you that there enjoying there cage, I'm happy for them to as I'm sure they love it !
 
They do love it!
Looks like Loki is teaching Harvey now, as Harv is following Loks everywhere lol.
I've never seen them so happy!
I gave them some floor time earlier and they were mental!
Jumpin in n out of the hut h, while exploring under all my dressers and my bed :)
 
Maddey72 said:
They do love it!
Looks like Loki is teaching Harvey now, as Harv is following Loks everywhere lol.
I've never seen them so happy!
I gave them some floor time earlier and they were mental!
Jumpin in n out of the hut h, while exploring under all my dressers and my bed :)
Click to expand...

:) sounds like you have two very happy chaps indeed!
 
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