Space-saving Enrichment Ideas

Danielle Smith

Danielle Smith

Teenage Guinea Pig
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Whitehaven, Cumbria
Today I took on a couple of boars from my local rescue as fosters -- we have an agreement where I'll "swap" the pigs with the rescue every few months, so I can give them some one-on-one time but the people visiting the rescue actually get to see and handle the pigs. Increasing tameness and chance at getting rehomed!

The rescue houses all their piggy pairs in a Ferplast 120 or equivalent. Since they'll be going back to the rescue cages, I don't want to set up a 2x6 C&C; I'm worried they'll enjoy the space while they're here, and then go back to the smaller cage and end up falling out or worse.

As the rescue has limited funds, space, and time, the pigs cages are typically very spartan (sometimes only a single hidey and a small pile of hay). They do a good job with what they have, but I'd like to spoil my charges here a bit.

So, I'm looking for space-saving enrichment ideas! Current ideas:
  • Fleece forest hung from top of cage
  • Loose hay piled in a corner
  • Using cuddle-cups so they can run over the top of them (rather than over a tunnel which has a pig inside)
  • Maybe making a little mezzanine with a ramp?
I'd be very keen to hear from those of you with 120-sized cages -- what do you do to keep things fresh?

At the minute we have a hay corner, a log bridge bent in a "U", and a cardboard tube. I'll be making big changes (hopefully) on Sunday.
 
All your ideas sound really good.
I moved things around each time I cleaned them out, they used to get really excited and shove things around to where they wanted them which entertained them for a while. I had a little wooden ledge in my 120 it was suspended through the bars, they jumped up a log tunnel to access it. I set it up so that it sloped down on one side like little steps, this gave them a hidey as well. I also used to take out any hidey's etc and replace with a paper bag or box filled with hay for an hour or two sometimes. Spike and Peanut are really stimulated by change and have a good bond, of course chopping and changing will set some pairs off into dominance issues.
S&P are now in a 160, I think you are right not to put Rescue piggy's into a bigger cage if they are going to be swaped back in the Rescue.
 
I agree about changes setting off dominance issues sometimes. As Buddy and Peanut used to start a shouting match at each other after their cage had been re arranged. I had to mostly keep everything where is normally is. Luckily they’re a bit more settled now Buddy is 3 and Peanut is over 2.

Your ideas sound good. My boys love the cardboard “chubes” you get in pet shops for them to run through. Wilkos have them for £2 Ish. They love chewing on them.
 
my foster piggies are in a 120cm feraplast.i use a fleece liner.put hay in a bob martin tray,both have fleece cuddlecups.ive a fleece forest that runs the length of the cage,they love this.i usually give them 4 hours aday in a 6 feet indoor run,put alsorts of cardboard boxes,mazes,tunnels in to give them exercise and more space ! :)
 
Upgraded the foster boys today from the Zoozone they came with (100x50; could only fit a bendy bridge and a chew tube) to a Ferplast (120x60; mezzanine with fleece forest underneath, chew tube, and cuddle cup). I plan to make a new ramp which takes up less space!

The increase in size appears to have made Rolo quite grumpy with poor Blackjack. I'll need to keep an eye on them.

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Danielle Smith said:
Upgraded the foster boys today from the Zoozone they came with (100x50; could only fit a bendy bridge and a chew tube) to a Ferplast (120x60; mezzanine with fleece forest underneath, chew tube, and cuddle cup). I plan to make a new ramp which takes up less space!

The increase in size appears to have made Rolo quite grumpy with poor Blackjack. I'll need to keep an eye on them.

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Can I ask how you made a ramp for that cage? My boys are in a feeplast 160 and I’ve love for them to have a loft area x
 
if you have a correx grid and bend it,attach cable ties ,place fleece or carpet on the grid for grip,this should give you a ramp .maybe old piece of guttering may work as well.
 
As @eileen said! If you go for guttering, use the square stuff, easier to stick carpet on. Alternatively you could use a small length of wood with hooks or hinges screwed in.

The mezzanine is made from two C&C grids overlapped and zip tied to the cage bars. You could just use a bit of wood, either fit it through the cage bars or put some screws in and rest those of the cage bars.
 
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