Piggy palace is finished!

zez

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The girls have just moved into their new shed. I’ve made fleece liners today too (need to make second set tomorrow/Wednesday) . I am so excited for them. They are a little terrified by the move right now, but I am sure they will explore both levels over the next few days.
 

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Such lucky piggies! Lots of room!
Would they like a pile of hay downstairs to play in? Knowing what our boys are like they love to dive in and push it round 😂
:agr: my boys stay where the hay is if there's only hay upstairs they don't go downstairs if there's only hay downstairs they don't go upstairs. A few more tunnels and hides would always go down well but it looks lovely and I'm sure they'll love it.
 
It looks great! I was going to suggest a bit more hay too. Downstairs a big pile of hay in the middle would be great fun for your piggies. Are they boys or girls? A pigture of your piggies would be good! We all love a bit (a lot) of piggy spam!
 
That's a fantastic space for lots of piggy fun, once they've settled in show us some pigtures please:roll:
 
Such lucky piggies! Lots of room!
Would they like a pile of hay downstairs to play in? Knowing what our boys are like they love to dive in and push it round 😂
I think they would, but I just used the last of mine in the upstairs bit! Don’t expect them to go downstairs today as they have never used a ramp before and are terrified, but will go and buy some more hay tomorrow.
 
:agr: my boys stay where the hay is if there's only hay upstairs they don't go downstairs if there's only hay downstairs they don't go upstairs. A few more tunnels and hides would always go down well but it looks lovely and I'm sure they'll love it.
Tunnels and some cuddle cups to be made at the weekend I hope!
 
It looks great! I was going to suggest a bit more hay too. Downstairs a big pile of hay in the middle would be great fun for your piggies. Are they boys or girls? A pigture of your piggies would be good! We all love a bit (a lot) of piggy spam!
I have 4 girls: Pingu, Chewbacca(!), Spice and Latte. But hubby said yesterday he had assumed I’d get a couple more now we have such a big home, so watch this space....
 
What a great space - lots of room for popcorning & zoomies!
It’s basically 5ft in each direction bar the cut off corner. Once they make it downstairs, they won’t know what to do with themselves. I wonder how long it will take them to brave the ramp....
 
You should ideally have more hides. For as minimum. While they’re getting used to the space, you could put even more in so they can move from one to another without being too exposed. I’d put four on the bottom level.

The top level is a little tricky. If they’re not using the ramp they’re sort of being forced to share a hide - the right hand side.

You could try attaching a tunnel to the ramp or covering it with something. Maybe you could then tempt them up/down it with some veg.
 
It’s basically 5ft in each direction bar the cut off corner. Once they make it downstairs, they won’t know what to do with themselves. I wonder how long it will take them to brave the ramp....

Looks nice. I agree with the others though, more hay, more hides downstairs

If they don’t know how to use the ramp yet, then I would move then downstairs. i know mine were much happier going up for the first time, than going down for the first time. You won’t want all four of them in the top space as it doesn’t look big enough for all four (Presumably its 5ft by about 2ft - that’s the size required as a permament home for two piggies)


At 5x5ft - but less than 25sq ft due to the cut off corner, (the upper level doesn’t count) that is basically a 4x4 c&c equivalent, and as there is already four piggies in it, I would actually think very carefully before adding any more piggies and reducing the amount of space each piggy has - it’s counter productive to give them all that lovely space to enjoy and then put more piggies in it so they have less space each. Of course, you’re then at risk of having to split the space in half in any bonding fails and they can no longer live together.
 
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It looks great. My two boys took over two weeks to go down a ramp! I would put them at the bottom and they could run up. But they would NOT go down it😏. So I started putting them on it half way down and kind of forced the situation. 🤣. They are fine now. Pictures of the piggies would be great.
 
Looks great, . Lots of friendly advise being given. Hope piggies know all hard work you done, lol
My four go tho tons hay, , , I'm off shopping again after work for more, little loves.
 
Well, the food from downstairs was gone and someone pooped, so at least one brave piggy used it. Apple down there and down the ramp this morning, will put a big hay pile after ai have been to the pet shop and if they don’t get brave, I’ll try putting them downstairs.
Thanks for the suggestions.
Have some spare offcuts of wood so will try and make another hide for downstairs, but will try and find a box while I am waiting.
 
Added another box hide for now and at lunchtime I am going to bring them downstairs to explore/get more hay. I am excited for them.
 
Just remembered something! When I had a ramp in the hutch before I had to split my herd, they were alot happier to use the ramp once I had put some carpet on it using waterproof carpet tape as it helps with the grip. You could also take it from its position, put it on the ground and let them run over it for a bit to scent mark it then they know its safe to use. Guinea pigs tend to follow scent marks.
 
Moved them down. It was so much easier to catch them than in their old hutch and run!
 
Just remembered something! When I had a ramp in the hutch before I had to split my herd, they were alot happier to use the ramp once I had put some carpet on it using waterproof carpet tape as it helps with the grip. You could also take it from its position, put it on the ground and let them run over it for a bit to scent mark it then they know its safe to use. Guinea pigs tend to follow scent marks.
Have already spoken to hubby about carpet so will see if I can manage to get an offcut. It is lined with veg at the moment, so we’ll see if they venture up.
 
Have already spoken to hubby about carpet so will see if I can manage to get an offcut. It is lined with veg at the moment, so we’ll see if they venture up.
I buy carpet squares from B&Q and cut them up to line the bottom of the ramp so they have something to grip on!
 
Have already spoken to hubby about carpet so will see if I can manage to get an offcut. It is lined with veg at the moment, so we’ll see if they venture up.
I buy carpet squares from B&Q and cut them up to line the bottom of the ramp so they have something to grip on!
ooo a good suggestion. I can pop there at the weekend.
 
Wow what a great space your girls have.

My piggies were also nervous of the ramp at first. We have lined ours with a strip of rubber doormat which has ridges on both sides (from B&Q). We have found that if it is cut to size it will stay put on the ramp but can just be lifted off and washed/disinfected during cage clean. The piggies were happy to use the ramp once they could get a grip on it easily.
 
New hay tray installed on the bottom floor. 3 out of 4 now happily using the ramp. Have put another water bottle downstairs so if Chewy gets stuck, she won’t be without water and have just put pellets, hay and grass upstairs in the hope that helps her to be motivated to use the ramp. Will report back.
 
By the look of the poops, they have well and truly mastered the ramp.... apart from Chewy. I’ll go and get a carpet tile tomorrow after work to see if that helps her.
So a total success for 3 out of 4 and we’ll work on the 4th!
 
A bit of roofing felt on the ramp and Chewy has cracked it. And I have just caught Pingu (my grumpy one) running around popcorning which she never does! I am so happy for them. Made the second set of liners tonight too.
 
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