Why Lots Of Room?

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flm1977

OK I know we shouldn't coop them up in tiny spaces, but why is it recommended that guinea pigs have lots of room for exercising? Or do I just have lazy piggies :D Or will it change once we have them together and they'll start having racing round the run or something? ;D

John Anderson is just over a year old. Put him in his cage, he comes out for food and spends the rest of his time in his house...right now he even has his fleece blanket right across the door so no one can see him :D Put him in the run, he doesn't move more than a foot away from his cardboard box, again eats a bit then plonks himself down, stretches himself out and stays there chilling out. He is happy because he's all stretched out looking comfy and brrs loudly when I go to put him back in his cage!

Bob I understand is still very young, he's just about 8 weeks old, so I can understand that big spaces are going to freak him out. Even the hallway is too big for him just now. I have him in the run outside just now and he's nibbled at little bits of grass and now sitting in his cardoard box. He does run about more than John Anderson does though.

I'm beginning to wonder why I bother taking them out LOL (i know they need out nad it's cruel to keep them cooped up all day though) but thinking do my two really need lots and lots of space.
Just musing really
 
Maybe Mr Anderson is just a lazier piggie, Cobweb's quite like that. Pigpig loves running around now he's getting used to us, and he's a lot more energetic than Cobweb.

If we put them out on the grass they just stuff themselves and collapse!

We've taken to sometimes putting them on the patio in their run and they have no choice but to sort of run around - I always put toys and tubes out for them. The patio has the added bonus of naturally wearing their little claws down a bit too.
 
Well it sounds to me that they could just be sort of not bothered going some where when they feel safe where they are. If they have a house all the time where they can hide like a pigloo or a cardboard box then it will be something they know and they will feel safe. Next time you let them out try not putting something for them to shelter in that way it will all be new and it will encourage them to explore more.
 
CobwebandPigpig said:
If we put them out on the grass they just stuff themselves and collapse!
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ROFL that is too funny!

I never thought of just taking the cardboard box out..I think I'll try that with John Anderson, I'll leave Bob with his just now since he's still little and I'd rather he felt safe.
 
mine do the same most of the time they go in their run, they eat grass and snooze in their box, occasionally they may feel like a run around but not very often.
 
Try picking them up that'll make them run lol! Only joking, it does make them run though! Mine are the same as yours, as soon as they get outside they stay in the 1 spot for ages just eating, even when i've taken the pigloo out they just sit in the corner eating lol! They will run indoors though especially if i let them loose in the living room, its so funny they run like a little herd, literally nose to bum and whoever is behind copies exactly what the other does right down to the leg movements ;D ! I've always assumed this is because they are exploring new territory and feel safer with the leader at the front? They dont do it in the run, just when they're completely free! Do anyone elses do this?x
 
Merlin runs as fast as he can round and round sometimes :D

he is bonkers

othertimes he just sleeps
 
LOL jnenbnb at your piggies running in a line...that's so cute :)

I'vejust put John Anderson in the hall for some floor time, with no cardboard box but he still has his tube and food, just added some newspaper, a newspaper ball and an empty box that's too small for him to sit in.. He certainly is exploring a bit more than before.
 
He's probably looking for his cardboard box! :)
Mine are the same - if I put a hidey house in their run one piggie sits in it and eats while the other does a bit of sitting in it and a bit of exploring. If I want them to stretch their legs I don't put the hidey house in the run.
 
LOL probably is looking for his box!
He's really not sure of the newspaper..has sniffed it and sniffed it, put a paw on it but mainly just walked round it ;D
 
If youve got an indoor playpen for him put some newspaper down, like you would as bedding but sort of lift a bit up and he'll think he can hide there, mine do this and cause havvoc in the run lol they make loads of little tunnels out of the overlapping paper and pop up in different places looking confused lol! It's funny to watch and they definatley strech their legs! Might be more funny once you've got both of them together because they look for eachother then! however dont do this if you don't want poop on the carpet lol because none goes on the newspaper! x
 
LOL think he has had enough now, he has plonked himself down on the floor just sitting there quite the thing
 
jnenbnb said:
They will run indoors though especially if i let them loose in the living room, its so funny they run like a little herd, literally nose to bum and whoever is behind copies exactly what the other does right down to the leg movements ;D ! I've always assumed this is because they are exploring new territory and feel safer with the leader at the front? They dont do it in the run, just when they're completely free! Do anyone elses do this?x
Click to expand...

My 5 do this, we call it the piggie train, they look so funny ;D If the one at the back falls behind she scrabbles like mad to keep up lol
 
I put my big pigs in the conservatory and they do laps round and round, its so funny! They have a towel under the sofa to flop on, but they do seem to stretch their legs and like exploring.
We got an outdoor run for them this weekend and I put them in it thinking they would like to scamper up and down on the grass but no - like Cobweb they just flopped and started hoovering up grass!

I think if they are familiar with a space they will feel happy running round in it - if they are unsure then they will stay somewhere safe and hide..
 
It's funny when they do the 'piggy train!' they actually look like pigs not guinea pigs if u no what i mean? with their fatty bums n little legs ;D x
 
My piggies hate big open spaces, when putting them into a run they would only sit in a corner, huddled together.

you have to make sure there are plenty of things where they could take cover from potential enemies from the sky (explaining to them that there are no birds of prey in my front room doesnt work, tried it). So, plenty of cardboard houses with two or more entries, drainpipes, willow bridges, etc... if they can get from one side of the run to the other without having to cross an open and unprotected area, they will. They just want to be able to dash from one house to the next, make sure the coast is clear, then to the next...

Mine run around alot if they have houses in.

Mind you, its not just the fact that they feel more secure though - its also very boring having one big open space, because who on earth just wants to run around, if there is nothing to explore? "Great, I am in my run outside, and there is grass over here. Hm. *looks left* Grass over there aswell. *turns around* And behind me. Do you know what, if its all the same anyway, I might aswell not bother walking, and just continue eating here."
 
Abnoba...great points there. I'll see what I can find to make a trail of some sort.

I'll be getting some more big tube things ocne I have money in the bank LOL

I'm wodnering if John Anderson was trying the piggy train with us yesterday, my daughter was sitting in front of me and then John was sitting behind me LOL
 
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