Teaching Guinea pigs to use a ramp?

[Chocolatepiggy]

My piggies are only babies I got them on Friday but I have extended their cage out to give them constant floor space. They just don't know how to use the ramp?
I have covered it in veggies and they seem to stretch their bodies up and grab the veggies from the top then scoot back down.
Has anyone got any tips on what I could do? (Attached photo of cage' floor space and ramp)

 

[anyar.dris]

I think what usually worries a guinea pig is going down. I have my piggy Prince (the ginger) who can get up but is always hesitant going down. What I did was put bricks down the hutch so it isn't too steep in his view when he goes down. Look at the photo below where my bricks are. You can probably lean your ramp going down to a brick and see what your piggies do.

 

[Chocolatepiggy]

Thank you! I'll try that I have some spare bricks in the garden

 

[Betsy]

That ramp looks a bit steep, narrow and there are no sides to it either to keep the piggies from falling off. @Merab's Slave uses a playstix hidey as a ramp for her piggies to get in and out of the hutch. Why don't you try using yours and see if it works? It is wider than your ramp and it won't be so steep either so your piggies won't be so scared of using it. It will also smell of them too so won't be so much of a "threat". Don't forget that if you are a piggy everything new could eat you until you are brave enough to discover it won't!

 

[Guineautopia]

With @Betsy great idea to try the stick hidy as a ramp. I also put a fleece tunnel on my ramp and that really helped them, now they are quite happy running up and down.

 

[Betsy]

Good idea @Guineautopia to pop a bit of fleece on the ramp. Like it!

 

[Chocolatepiggy]

Thanks guys I'll try that. I'm going to make a fleece tunnel for them later! I'm a keen sewer so have lots of things to make for them!

 

[Jamston]

Some great advice above. Tunnels, less steep ramps and lots of veggie treats as bribes worked well for my girls.

 

[Piggies&buns]

Up until this week my two wouldn’t use a ramp but they have now suddenly decided that they can. I watched them very closely for quite a long time and it was as soon as my dominant pig (dex) figured it out the other one (pops) could do it too. (I think pops knew how to do it all along, he just didn’t want to show dexy up!)

 

[Chocolatepiggy]

I have their hidey bridge over to act like a ramp. Buttons was intrigued and climbed and sat up the top to eat some kale, the other two haven't tried to go up yet, I might put a brick on the other side too to make it less steep?

 

[Chocolatepiggy]

So close! This is rolo and ripple

 

[Jamston]

They will be over in no time. Perhaps only put a a couple of pieces of veg to n the top and more on the other side to encourage them over. Works every time with my hungry piggies!

 

[Jamston]

On the floor perhaps?

 

[Chocolatepiggy]

Ah yes! I'll try that thanks

 

[Louise's Zoo]

Looks like they'll soon have the hang of it.

On a side note, do they not wee all over your carpet?

 

[Julie M]

I know someone who puts rolled up towels along the edge of the base outside so they can jump in and out easier. If the pens a permanent addition you may want to cover the floor or it will be peed on.

 

[Merab]

Here’s my arrangement for floor time using a wooden hidey as a bridge

 

[Chocolatepiggy]

Floor will be covered! Just waiting for it to arrive. They haven't really been out yet so don't need to worry about carpet too much just yet. Should be arriving tomorrow then the carpet will be fully protected

 

[Merab]

Should have added welcome to the forum @Chocolatepiggy

 

[Chocolatepiggy]

Should have added welcome to the forum @Chocolatepiggy

Thank you! Everyone's replies have been so helpful. I am looking forward to my joinery with my piggies knowing I have somewhere to come with more experienced owners!