how do you?

[Mad Farm Pig]

I have a quick question.

how do you train a pig to use a ramp


i need more than 1 one way please.





-mad

[cavyinhawaii]

Put food on the ramp, I put little bits of greens all the way up. Then I put a big salad in the loft so they associate the loft with food. In pig language Food=Good
Sometimes if the angle is too steep,or if the material its made out of is too slick they won't use it.

[TheSnufflenoses]

I think the ramp stability and ramp material is KEY to them using it. Originally we were dumb and made a ramp out of coroplast with popsicle sticks spaced up the ramp for traction. This didn't work AT ALL. We had to coax them up the ramp with veggies and even then they seemed scared of it and never went without veggie bribery. In over a month they NEVER voluntarily used the ramp

So one day we were given a thin 100% white cotton bath mat (no rubber backing or anything) and we went to home depot and bought a very thin plank of wood that was just the right size. We sanded the wood down and all the edges so they were rounded, then cut the rug to size and attached it to the plank with double sided velcro on the top, middle, and bottom. We drilled 2 holes at one end of the plank and used zipties through the holes to attach it to the 2nd level floor (the plank also rests a bit on the 2nd level floor for support). The zipties are strategically placed so the piggles can't get to them.

Guess what? As soon as the last ziptie had been fastened they began running up and down the ramp, including it in their laps around the cage, sleeping upstairs, etc. Like the ramp was the most natural thing on earth.

So therefore I'm thoroughly convinced that the stability should be similar to walking on the ground and the ramp needs to have a nice soft, bedding-like feel to it and voila. If they aren't using the ramp you can try coaxing a few times with veggies but if that doesn't work, I think most people's issue is they just need a better/different ramp. However, if you JUST got the pigs and they are still adjusting they MAY not use the ramp until they settle in more. Personally, I think even when we first got them if that 2nd ramp had been in and a got hidey spot had been on the second floor they would have still gone up it without fear. Good luck!

Let us know what you wind up using and how it goes!

[Mad Farm Pig]

I've gotten him to go up but not even for food he will not go down.

[gpigluver14]

I didn't need veggies when I first put in a ramp- they went right up it, eager to explore the unknown areas of the new addition to their cage. I used shelve liner on top of it which works well. You can use carpeting, fleece, or rubber mats too.

[TheSnufflenoses]

What is your ramp made of entirely?

When they go up it do they need to be coaxed? How relaxed do they look going up? On our first ramp the pig would take one very nervous step at a time and only when coaxed with something. On our second ramp they fly up it like it was the ground/use it in laps.

Also, how steep is it? Our ramp goes UP 1 grid (to the second story) and spans the length of a little less than 1 1/2 grids. You can see what I mean if you click on the camera icon to view my picture.

[gpigluver14]

Originally Posted by TheSnufflenoses

What is your ramp made of entirely?

When they go up it do they need to be coaxed? How relaxed do they look going up? On our first ramp the pig would take one very nervous step at a time and only when coaxed with something. On our second ramp they fly up it like it was the ground/use it in laps.

Also, how steep is it? Our ramp goes UP 1 grid (to the second story) and spans the length of a little less than 1 1/2 grids. You can see what I mean if you click on the camera icon to view my picture.

My pigs don't need any coaxing, they go right up it; but my one pig does a strange slow waddle/walk whenever she goes down the one ramp. I have actually three ramps in my cage, but they go up/down all of them fine. The biggest one is like yours- it goes up to the second level, the height of one full grid. It's a little more than 2 1/2 grids long. Hmmm...Perhaps yours is too steep for them?? The only other thing I would suggest is maybe covering it. If it was covered they may think it's like a hidy and would go up it. Just cover it with coardboard, fleece, or a towel, whatever.

Good luck! I hope this helps.

[TheSnufflenoses]

Originally Posted by gpigluver14

My pigs don't need any coaxing, they go right up it; but my one pig does a strange slow waddle/walk whenever she goes down the one ramp. I have actually three ramps in my cage, but they go up/down all of them fine. The biggest one is like yours- it goes up to the second level, the height of one full grid. It's a little more than 2 1/2 grids long. Hmmm...Perhaps yours is too steep for them?? The only other thing I would suggest is maybe covering it. If it was covered they may think it's like a hidy and would go up it. Just cover it with coardboard, fleece, or a towel, whatever.

Good luck! I hope this helps.

LOL! I think you got confused, gpigluver14. I was trying to advise Mad Farm Pig how to get her pigs to use the ramps. My ramp is actually just perfect for them and they have no hesitation about running up and down it and using it in laps, as I said in the post you quoted. Maybe you didn't catch that part and thought I was the one needing help. I was asking Mad Farm Pig what her ramp was like in order to advise her why her pigs might have trouble using it

Good luck, Mad Farm Pig!

[Patch the Pig]

Well let us know what works for you! I guess I need to find another covering for my ramp because right now it is fleece and the pigs look like they are on a slide. Fresh veggies won't even lure them onto it. It's 2 grids steep.

[Josie's Mom]

Peer pressure works pretty good too. Lucy was up and down our ramp right away. Josie wouldn't use it at all. I'd coax her up to the second level and she'd stay there. I'd put her back on the first level and she'd stay there. Eventually she saw all the fun Lucy was having freely traveling up and down and she got the picture. Now we catch them zooming down the ramp into their happy laps or jumping off the side when they're three-quarters of the way down. Our ramp is one of those white wire shelving units that we cut in half width-wise. It takes a big bolt cutter to cut through the wire and then a file to smooth down the edges. We put the shelf in upside-down so the lip of the shelf makes a nice little railing. It goes up one grid in a little more than two grid lengths. I zip-tied coroplast to it and then velcro'd fleece onto it.
Once your piggies get the hang of it, they'll love it. We had to take our ramp out once to redo the upstairs, and they were lost without it.

[HowietheGreat]

I cut a rectangular piece of fleece (cut to fit my ramp) and sewed it down one side. On the top two corners I sewed ribbon loops and then placed keychain clips on the loops and attach it to the ramp. It is soft, yet the pigs can grip it coming up or down. Once a week it gets washed with the other fleece. If he isn't coming down the ramp, I would say he may be afraid of slipping-he may not get a good enough grip. Can you post a picture? Make sure your ramp isn't too steep too.

[gpigluver14]

LOL! I think you got confused, gpigluver14. I was trying to advise Mad Farm Pig how to get her pigs to use the ramps. My ramp is actually just perfect for them and they have no hesitation about running up and down it and using it in laps, as I said in the post you quoted. Maybe you didn't catch that part and thought I was the one needing help. I was asking Mad Farm Pig what her ramp was like in order to advise her why her pigs might have trouble using it

He he yeah, for some reason I thought you were asking me. Sorry about that. LOL! I was tired when I wrote that.

But to Mad Farm Pig, you should try that- covering the ramp I mean. It will be like a hidy then so they should go up it.

[TX_2_Pigs]

Originally Posted by Patch the Pig

Well let us know what works for you! I guess I need to find another covering for my ramp because right now it is fleece and the pigs look like they are on a slide. Fresh veggies won't even lure them onto it. It's 2 grids steep.

Maybe you could add treads like I did to mine. My boys slid down my ramp to and I added the treads for traction. Just take a piece of coroplast the width of your ramp and about 1 to 2 inches high, wrap them in fleece and then wrap them around your ramp and tape them.