Guinea pigs and ramps?

[Skrifa]

My guinea pigs haven't figured out how to go down a ramp. Or up, for that matter. We have placed enticing treats down the ramp, and so on and so on, but no.

So what do we do? They have loads of exercise, petting and they have a roomy top bit, with a lot of space for tunnels, toys and so on. They also go out in the run often, but not recently due to terrible weather and no run cover. I'm thinking pulling up the ramp so there's no danger of them going down, if they work out how to (!) that is, and not coming up to their warm bedroom and food, until we find them hours later. Although it won't hurt them, I am definitely PFGPs (is perfect first guinea pigs a thing?) so

Is this normal? Both of the lads don't seem to be the brightest. Their wheeking and furryness has won me over to guinea pigs already.

When I was a teenager we had 4 sows (2 mums + their female piglets) . My dad made a huge pighouse with four 'rooms' (2 upper, 2 lower) divided into two seperate houses (they didn't get on with the other pair).

My dad made a ramp with a high side and shallow slope , with a carpet for grip. They all managed perfectly well -even the oldest one who IIRC was about 7yo) to get up and down the ramp.

So when my DD got her two adult boars, I designed the Pighouse (in their wooden playhouse) with a haybox, carpeted lid and a shallow wide carpeted ramp.
Did they use it? - no.

They'd walk down the ramp if we put them on the lid. (to food).
When our Piglet got big enough we let him try the ramp. No joy

I took the ramp out to free up the corner space.

Maybe they need the security of sides to the ramp? Alot of the shop cages have narrow steep ramps and they aren't that athletic.
I reckon if they're scared or have a fall off the ramp, it'll put them off.

You could try enclosing the ramp and making sure the surface isn't slippery.
(They aren't the brightest animals IRL but that's part of their charm) .
(My DD is very PFG with her boars bless her )

I'm afraid none of my GPs ever figured out a ramp. They could, however, if they felt like it, jump onto a box twice their height. Not helping your situation, I know!

You could try stapling a flexible tunnel onto the ramp and putting all their food at the opposite end from them

There's a guinea in the Book of Records (Truffles) who holds the long jump record.

My boars were " Whhhhhhaaaaaaaaatt That's un-natural "

Jumping? Wow. They popcorn, but that's about it for the jumping stuff.

I think I will put a tunnel down it, thanks! It's quite shallow already imo, but I can see how being enclosed might make them feel safer.

I would pay good money to see video of the GP world jumping record......

One of mine can happily jump off the sofa and out of a planter which is about ten inches tall - have to put the little bugger in his carrier when i clean him out now, unless I fancy chasing him round the living room furniture for half an hour!

My sows got a wooden play tunnel with ramp to platform for Christmas. They love the tunnel, won't try the ramp. They still prefer to jump in and out of their hutch.

I had Old Boy who could climb up stairs but of course guinea pigs aren't built for climbing down so that was a worry. He was trying to get to my 'guinea pig' coat that smelled of the sows

Also keep an eye out for what the DC friends do with guineas. One friend took Old Boy on the trampoline. He was a very intelligent guinea and jumped out of her armed into a huge Hosta plant I saw it from the kitchen window but couldn't get there in time. Luckily he was completely unharmed.

I like your acronym, I'm on my precious 4th, 5th and 6th guinea pig

Guineas can jump quite well. Dh and I made a course of jumps for our dearly departed Rory and he loved it!

They'll do pretty much anything for a nibble of coriander

We've tried them with coriander- one loved it and did that kind of gulping down thing, the other kind of peered at it, had a nibble, a tiny one, and moved on. I don't think he's a fan Now, parsley, tomato and watermelon, that's their thing.

Clever guinea pig climbing the stairs! We don't have stairs unfortunately. I can't see how they do it.

I've seen some guonea pig advent calendars and stockings at Pets at Home, on sale due to after Christmas. I can't wait until next year, I didn't spot them before, when they can get those.

We had a little sow (she was a surprise, her mum was very young and already pregnant) who was a tiny single piglet, never grew big. But she could run upstairs. We put her on the half landing and she legged it up to my DSis room. She could easily skip up 13 steps. Couldn't get downstairs though.

Evil Edna (one of my pigs as a child) could climb downstairs and into the veg holder rack.

My DD boar sits on laminate flooring like bambi on ice , all googly eyed and "What's The Game here"? judgey like.

Oh yes. Laminated floors.

They look at me with these big eyes, looking so sorrowful and dejected, so I have to pick them up and cuddle them to make them feel better, obviously. And then I end up getting guinea pig fur on my clothes...

yes definitely depends on pig. some jump and go up stairs. one used to push door open and race around.

they are masters at looking pathetic and dejected

Never tried mine with a ramp but they do like to jump. I set up a course for them using the rolls from wrapping paper as the jumps. They had hours of jumping fun and then ate the rolls

They won't climb out of their own cage if I leave the door open but if they are allowed to run near Current Bun's cage will happily climb in to get to his rabbit nuggets which according to my boys are far tastier than the GP variety.