Floor Time Means Bore Time

[dann3195]

I Try To Give My Three Guys Flor Time, And Everytime I Take Them Out, They Just Sit And Cuddle Together. They Dont Explore, Play, Eat, Or Hardley even Move. They Just Group Up Into One Mass Pig And Lay There. Why? Do They Not Like Floor Time? How Can I Try To Get Them To be More Active? They Just Dont Seem To EEnjoy Themselves.

[FoolOnTheHill]

Have you only just got them? If so, they're probably still a bit nervous. Leave them out anyway and see if they become a little more adventurous. You can encourage them to explore by giving them interesting things to do such as placing pigloos and cardboard boxes with holes in for them to run to and from, veggies to eat, tubes to run through, a big pile of hay...use your imagination. Hope this helps.

[piggy-lover]

This might sound stupid, but what kind of floor do you have them on? Because mine love floor time on the carpet in our living room, but if I put them in the hallway or kitchen or wherever it's just wood floors they don't move and just huddle together. I guess it's because it's kinda slippery.

[CavySpirit]

Please don't post in all caps. That's the way the system forces your text when you do that. All caps is shouting and considered impolite in internet land.

[oscar]

Mine won't move on tiles but go crazy on carpet. Have you tried hiding veggies? Oscar would run a mile for a tomato!

[cavyinhawaii]

Mine sit in the corner and see who can make the biggest pee pee puddle.
On occasion they walk around. Mine are just big chickens too.

[Naomi]

I have no carpet in my house only lino and real hardwood (they are not allowed on the hardwood) all mine do it see how many poops they can do in the shortest amount of time under the houses that are on a little pad I have.

[tattooyu]

My cavies occassionally walk around the playpen, but they don't run like they used to. We place them on the carpet with a bedspread, then fleece blanket layer on top.

HOWEVER...

They do run laps in their cage almost every morning. I'm confounded as to why they don't during floor time. We've tried a big pile of hay (which the burrow into, so cute), hiding veggies in the corners, tubes, etc.

I'm stumped!

[zippysmom]

my guinea pig used to do that, but now I made him a lot of houses and he explores all the time. Try making some interesting toys for your pigs. I also so noticed when I put newspaper everywhere, he explores more. Don't worry, maybe they need to get used to it.

[JBarton]

My three girls are the same... they just sit there. I modified their cage so they can come out anytime they want and still no dice. They have a special purple carpet to play on but no matter what enticements I use they won't explore. Even their evening salad plate cannot make them come out of their pen. Newspaper? HA! Mine are afraid of it. If I bring their pigloos out to the play area they hide in them and do not come out even for veggies or hay. They live in a five foot diameter wading pool. Could it be they are content with that and don't feel the need to come out? They are familiar with the territory because we have been using the same rug and fencing as a playground-in-waiting for the entire time we have had them, almost a year.

[RyanR]

My boys aren't much explorers either, Murphy and Glaze were. Even when I put them in the floor cage or fence off an area in the apartment they are more interested in finding a spot and lying down or who can chase who around until they just get tired and take a nap.

[ljm0104]

I put my piggie's favorite food in his play pen and I also put new treats in when I get them. I also usually sit in the play pen with my piggie.

[Coopdog]

Some pigs run around, others don't. You could try putting them on opposite sides of the floor with chopped veggies scattered in between. That might encourage them to seek out each other and explore more areas in the process of discovering the food. If the floor is slipery, lay down some towels or something so they don't slide around.

[mommy2rosie]

I keep baby blankets. My three don't do much during run time, until I started hiding veggies and hay. The other day Rosie laid down in the middle of a pile of hay and ate. That's where she stayed. It was so cute!

[Jenah]

Did we ever hear back as far as what kind of flooring he put his boys on? I didn't see it. I've noticed that they will move around more confidently on a surface like blankets, towels, drawer liner, carpet/rugs, etc - they don't slip and slide all over the place helplessly.

Perhaps you can open one side of their cage with a big interesting tunnel leading out to a larger area filled with boxes and other things like the folks suggested and treats leading the way. But on a surer surface. There were some great suggestions here!!!

My Pilot loves big paper bags. [She uses them as a litter box too saving the flooring and what not.]

[guineapigfan9000]

Mine do that during their run time as well - when they aren't fighting (separate runs now - beginning tomorrow).
It helps a little to:
- Put a pipe for them to run through.
- Scatter some veggie or fruit treats or hay around. Cut a cucumber or carrot into tiny little bits - if they are small pieces then the pigs will only be eating for a little while before setting off to seek out the next piece! Hay will keep them occupied munching, but inside may be messy and also they stay pretty still while eating it.

[Terekins]

It sounds odd, but I think boundaries make them feel safe and encourage them to explore. I think they get a bit overwhelmed at a large amount of space. Even newspapers will give them the feeling of a "home base".

My guys did this too, and in new spots they continue to do it. Although they still surprise me; the other day I took Sherman out of the cage and put him on the floor with me, and before I even had time to get comfortable he was cruising at full speed across the room. Because they're usually so cautious when out of the cage I was so surprised.