Ramps...

[beautifulcat83]

Just got a new hutch (I keep it indoors), and its a double decker one with a ramp. Anyone have any good tips on how to enocourage the use of the ramp, as the piggies either stay up, or down, I know they probably don't get it yet, do you think they'll get used to it? Anyone had any experience with this?
Cat x

 

[Angeladeedah]

What about putting some of their favourite veg on it? Piggies can never resist food!

 

[justjumpit08]

I just put all their food and water up there...they figured it out pretty quick.

 

[Abnoba]

They usually get used to it fairly quickly, of course it also depends on the pig as they vary in cleverness and braveness ;-)

For a start I used to put a real treat on the ramps, like parsley, and that would encourage them to go up. Be aware though to put it some completely out of reach - they stretch and stretch and stretch to try and get to it without using the ramp. Then of course have something really interesting or tasty on the upper level - if its boring up there then they will just stay down.

For the pigs that still cant be persuaded, I just picked them up and placed them halfway up the ramp, after a while they would waddle up it. Do that a few times and they realise that they can do this on their own.

Only ever had ONE piggy who never accepted a ramp - well no that is not true, she would walk UP a ramp, but never downwards. So she would walk up to the fifth floor of the cage over night, and in the morning I would have to put her back on the ground floor. She would then be all the way up again by the afternoon, and I would place her on the groundfloor again... lol fun and games!