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guinea-iggg

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My guineas have gone from a single to a double story hutch but they can't work out how to use the ramp. They just walk down then sit in the middle of the ramp not moving. Does anyone know how I can get them used to this?
 
It might just take them a little time to figure it out. You could try putting a treat at the top for them, to try and entice them. Is there anything for them to grip, or slats running horizontally up the slope?
 
I had this problem too I asked for help on here as my boys would not use their ramp and I was told to put a towel on the ramp it worked :) also @maxdawn told me a fab way to line the ramp here's a pic of their ramp (glued on carpet tiles which are very cheap in DIY shops) it will help them grip instead of slipping may be they are sliding down and it's worrying them image.webp
 
Moving this to piggy chat it will get more views there! :)
 
Ours struggled with a ramp, very stubborn in fact! I aquired a tube(an old tumble drier outlet) and ever since they have been doing zoomies! Bless them :)
 
Ramps were the bane of Pecan's life, when I first got them, they were in a two storey hutch. Maple had no problem zooming up and down the ramp, Pecan could go up but not down... At times she just slid down. Once OH thought he'd 'help' her, he poked her down and she ended up falling off it. I was not best impressed and she was in even more traumatised by it.
 
Hello,
I too gave my little Molly a helping hand down the ramp in their hutch, (Oh I am awful), and also had their favorite food at the bottom and top of it. My other cavy, SweetiePie ran up and down the ramp from the very start without a problem. So perhaps it will just take some time for yours to settle with it too. Byeee
 
We had to kind of show ours what to do, by helping them (very carefully and gently!) up and down a couple of times. They were fine going up but didn't much like going down. We left trails of dandelion leaves on them and put hay on whatever level they weren't on, and it soon encouraged them. One got the hang of it much more quickly than the other but the hay placement definitely did the trick in the end! Now they're FAR too comfortable with it and use it as a quick escape when we're trying to catch them. :o We did consider adding sides to the ramp but in the end they didn't need it. Most pigs are more comfortable with though so it'd be worth a try for yours. Good luck!
 
Iv tried helping them and putting the treats all the way down but they just won't use it. Tryed putting pudding at the bottom and igg at the top hoping they would communicate and go find each other. Their ramp has got a grippy material on it.
 
guinea-iggg said:
Iv tried helping them and putting the treats all the way down but they just won't use it. Tryed putting pudding at the bottom and igg at the top hoping they would communicate and go find each other. Their ramp has got a grippy material on it.
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Maybe try screwing a couple of flat pieces of wood either side of the ramp then? They'll feel more secure as they won't feel like they're about to fall off.
 
I have literally just put a custom made ramp tunnel in my 2 tier hutch only 3 days ago. Now I see them at the bottom which they never used to do. So it's lovely to see them moving around. I can highly recommended.
 
guinea-iggg said:
My guineas have gone from a single to a double story hutch but they can't work out how to use the ramp. They just walk down then sit in the middle of the ramp not moving. Does anyone know how I can get them used to this?
Click to expand...
i had the same problem i know this sounds cruel but it worked you get a piece of hay and GENTLY prod them in the back if they are stuck down the middle of the ramp my guinea pigs cant stop going down and running up now however i do have one problem well two actually one of my piggies wont go down at all what so ever even though she knows how to she wont also i have the roof that lifts up and gosh its the best thing that has ever happened to my piggy experience it cost me £150 though for the hutch but it was 100000000% worth it you can also move the bottom part that makes it a run even though i'm not going to do that and just buy a bigger and separate run i think its a good idea but the problem is when i lift the roof up my piggy Pebbles makes a dash to the ramp hides down stairs even though i haven't even put my hand in the hutch it makes it difficult to get her to take her medicine any advice?
 
We had the same when we brought our outdoor hutch, we managed to find some spare cheap flimsy wood and had to put it down the sides of the highest half of the ramp and they started using it. Over time we have removed the inside one and left the other side on so they have some more protection from the wind and elements while running up and down it
 
Squeak Dreams said:
i had the same problem i know this sounds cruel but it worked you get a piece of hay and GENTLY prod them in the back if they are stuck down the middle of the ramp my guinea pigs cant stop going down and running up now however i do have one problem well two actually one of my piggies wont go down at all what so ever even though she knows how to she wont also i have the roof that lifts up and gosh its the best thing that has ever happened to my piggy experience it cost me £150 though for the hutch but it was 100000000% worth it you can also move the bottom part that makes it a run even though i'm not going to do that and just buy a bigger and separate run i think its a good idea but the problem is when i lift the roof up my piggy Pebbles makes a dash to the ramp hides down stairs even though i haven't even put my hand in the hutch it makes it difficult to get her to take her medicine any advice?
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Hello,
my two girls did make a dash for it at first, (they are not very old and not sisters), but then I thought about letting them know what I was intending to do, such as picking them up by snapping my fingers. It seems to work, so give that a try before they start to run. When replacing them the finger snapping is done as well.
The other thing that appealled to me was to block the ramp to they can not run down before I go to pick them up and snap my fingers. Good luck and let us know how you get one. Byeee
 
aussiecavies said:
Hello,
my two girls did make a dash for it at first, (they are not very old and not sisters), but then I thought about letting them know what I was intending to do, such as picking them up by snapping my fingers. It seems to work, so give that a try before they start to run. When replacing them the finger snapping is done as well.
The other thing that appealled to me was to block the ramp to they can not run down before I go to pick them up and snap my fingers. Good luck and let us know how you get one. Byeee
Click to expand...
Thanks the problem is as soon as I lift the roof up she's already on the ramp dashing down it and I can't go down and open the hutch because it has a cover on it
 
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