They Have Stopped Going Upstairs

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justinmartin79

justinmartin79

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Hi all

I have two fantastic piggies called Fernando and Myles. 4 years old, brothers. They have a massive double decker hutch and go up to the top via a ramp.

Only this last week I have noticed they have suddenly stopped going upstairs. It wasn't a gradual thing, like trying to go up the ramp and failing...they have both just stopped going up there.

Is this possibly a domination/ territory thing? Fernando has always nipped at his bro from time to time, and the last piggie upstairs was Fernando - Myles seemed reluctant to go upstairs when usually they follow each other.

Just a bit weird, given if they want to be apart, usually one would go and lie around upstairs :-).

Any ideas/ insights?

Cheers
 
I am not sure, but at 4 years old your piggies are middle aged. Maybe the ramp has just become too much trouble for them?
If their food and water are on the bottom and they have somewhere to shelter there, then there is not much reason for them to go upstairs.
As piggies get older, they get less energetic and don't exercise as much, so the top floor is not needed. I assume that they have somewhere else to exercise outside the hutch? They can't really run about properly in a hutch.
 
Cheers for the reply :-). Fernando was using the ramp just a few days ago, and since then they have just stopped abruptly. Weird. Food and water upstairs and down - only the best treatment :-). I pop them into a playpen every month, for running around in and jumping in and out of tunnels etc - usually when I disinfect their hutch. I'll keep an eye on them anyway. They are both eating and drinking so no other obvious concerns etc. Cheers
 
It sounds like due to their age they don't have the energy to tackle a ramp. Most ramps in hutches are far too steep anyway.
 
As I say, they were both going upstairs literally just a week ago, Fernando just a few days ago. My intuition is telling me they arent getting on as usual. Fernando is almost dominating/ blocking Myles from coming out of the shelter on the bottom level. They havent been like this for ages, but I guess they go through phases of being annoyed with each other. He just took a big nip at him for eating from the bowl next to him. Brothers hey!
 
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