Piggies hate floor time

[toodledoodler]

Hello! My boys are 1,5 years old and have been getting regular floor time their entire lives (1+ hour at a time). The thing is that they just seem to hate it. They stay in their hideys and don’t really come out, they’re just scared and make that purring “leave me alone”-sound. Should I keep giving them floor time or is it actually doing more harm than good? Is it still enriching even though they don’t seem to like it at all?

 

[Piggies&buns]

If they are scared and not using the time, then it won’t be enriching for them.
Piggies don’t like open spaces so floor time doesn’t work for some. It can be beneficial to use a playpen so that you can cover the top with a sheet - it can encourage them to be more active during exercise time.

 

[toodledoodler]

That’s a great idea, thank you!

 

[Hath]

Other thing will be surface, too. Mine don't like the slippery wooden/tile floors. But much happier when I put blanket on it. But as suggested above- if they feel vulnerable they'll need more cover and will hide.

 

[Minnou]

Also may depend on what time of day/night you are letting them out? Guinea pigs are more active at certain times, usually the times that are least convenient for you. Or perhaps they just don't feel like doing anything at that time.

Sometimes my two are as you've described in your post; they just hide and refuse to move. Sometimes as soon as they're out, they're galloping all over the place.

I've learned to take cues from Gaia. My piggies can see me getting their tunnels and boxes out ready for floor time and most of the time I find that if when I go to pick them up they try to avoid me, they usually don't do anything when they're free. However, if Gaia comes to me and tries to get in my arms/jumps up at me, when they're free they both go manic and run around a lot.

 

[fluffysal]

My boys are free roaming but they choose to spend the majority of their time in their palace with penthouse. When they were younger we'd have a lot of tubes and 2 exit hides out as they definitely prefer to have a covered route to wherever todays mission is !

 

[Minnou]

My boys are free roaming but they choose to spend the majority of their time in their palace with penthouse. When they were younger we'd have a lot of tubes and 2 exit hides out as they definitely prefer to have a covered route to wherever todays mission is !

I bet none of those missions were in the kitchen.

 

[fluffysal]

Obviously not as they can't pass the invisible force field that only affects guinea pigs......