Floortime Help Please!

[alex_23]

My Kiwi lives by herself and hates floor time because I have wood floors. I am getting a rug to help with that problem...should I also lay newspaper down?
Since I have wood floors, I think the echo or something scares her when her little feet make the tapping noise when she runs. Hopefully the rug will help out with that problem.
Also, what toys do your guinea pigs love to play with the most? She loves her litter box filled with a mixture of healthy hays, those super pet ferret tunnels, this cat tunnel that is like 45 inches long, and this cat tent to hide in.
Oh, one more question, sorry, but I have to ask you guys if your guinea pigs play with those cat jungle balls? You know, the ones that are plastic and have a bell inside?

Well, thank you for reading, sorry I have so many questions, but I only want the best for Kiwi since she lives alone.

[envisionary333]

First of all, definitely cover your wood floors or they will get ruined!!! I lay down a plastic tarp first so that no liquid can reach the wood. Next, I lay down some mattress pads (towels work too) and some fleece on top to keep things dry. You can also use vinyl shower curtains as a protective waterproof layer.

My piggies enjoy anything that they can fit in and is dark inside, like cardboard boxes with holes in them or PVC pipes. They use the toys that they can hide in and feel safe in the most. I've given my piggies jingle bells and they don't seem to notice them at all, although I know other people's piggies like them. I put some lettuce inside of them and then the piggies had fun trying to get it out.

Also, you should really get Kiwi a friend! She will have so much more fun, she will be more talkative and active, and you will enjoy her more as well. Try checking Craigslist or Petfinder to seek out a new piggy who needs a home. You'll be glad you did!

[alex_23]

Originally Posted by envisionary333

Also, you should really get Kiwi a friend! She will have so much more fun, she will be more talkative and active, and you will enjoy her more as well. Try checking Craigslist or Petfinder to seek out a new piggy who needs a home. You'll be glad you did!

Well, I am trying to convine my parents but we do have a lot of pets and vet care is expensive but I know it would really be best for Kiwi. There is this rabbit that I have fallen in love with at the animal shelter(I am a rabbit/guinea pig volunteer there)and her name is Plum and she is super sweet but I wish I could get her-too bad rabbits and piggies cant live together

Kiwi does get lots of attention and cuddle time with me daily, but I know its nothing like living with another piggy. My little sheltie Lily loves Kiwi and I will let Lily come in on a leash and have her sit and Kiwi will cuddle with Lily...its so cute.

[envisionary333]

That's great that you volunteer at a shelter, although I don't know how you do it. I would bring home every animal in the place! Anyway, you should print out some information for your parents to read about how guinea pigs are herd animals and need to have a buddy. This is a good link about it: http://www.cavyspirit.com/sociallife.htm. You can also explain that having two guinea pigs does not mean that it's twice as expensive. You can buy more food and veggies at once and save money by doing so rather than wasting it. Since the cage supplies and bedding are already there, it's not a huge cost increase. But the rewards are huge- your piggy will be more vocal and playful, and your piggy will be healthier too. The healthier your piggy is, the less vet visits she will need, so that saves money as well.

I know your doggy enjoys time with Kiwi, but it's just not the same as having another piggy friend. My dog loves my piggies too, and if I hold them in front of her she bathes them with her tongue. She thinks they are puppies. But the piggies don't feel quite the same about her!

[alex_23]

Thank you for the input and link.
I keep telling my parents but until the numbers of the animals in our house decreases I cannot get Kiwi a friend.
Also, they are scared of getting another friend because the friend would have to be a nuetered male since last time I got a female rat to be a friend for my lonely rat Sweetie I rescued, she was pregnant and the day after I got her had 7 babies...of course I kept them all. So that part is also not good because my parents are very wary about adopting again from a petstore.

But volunteering with the rabits/piggies is fun because I give them veggies or when they are in their pens outside i brush them and hold them and talk to them...during the weekdaysi am the only rabbit volunteer that comes. But I want to take them all home but I know I cant and if I did they wouldn't have a very good life because I couldn't give 30 rabbits the time and attention they need...so its not that hard I just remind myself I need to go home and give kisses to kiwi and let her have freetime and cuddle time.

[alex_23]

Oh, this is the piggy I have been wanting to adopt:

Zoe - Female - Baby

Zoe is tiny, fast and loud! She likes to demonstrate this by wheeking at the top of her lungs and run laps around her cage. She'll be available for adoption after July 28th.(cavyhaven.org)

[envisionary333]

If you adopt a new piggy instead of buying from a pet store, you are far less likely to end up with a pregnant pig. As you probably realize, adoption centers have far more interest in controlling the overpopulation problem than a pet store, so they are more likely to be accurate about sexing the pigs and keeping them separate.

By the way, we don't consider buying a piggy from a pet store "adopting." Here is a link to help explain why: http://www.guineapigcages.com/forum/...-adopting.html.

I hope your mom will come around and realize that little Kiwi needs a friend. Zoe looks absolutely gorgeous, I love how her ears and different colors. Maybe you will get to bring her home eventually!

[Jenni_Feathers]

I have wood floors too and my pigs are afraid of them too becasue when ever they try to walk on them their legs splay out are there any carpet spaces the she could use for floortime? If not you could spread out a big king sized comforter on the floor so she can walk/run on it easily. Good luck on getting another piggy!!

[envisionary333]

I really don't recommend letting your piggy run directly on the carpet or wood floor. It will get ruined! I recently bought some waterproof flannel sheets that are absorbent on both sides, but have a waterproof layer in the middle that prevents moisture from seeping through. You could get something like that, or anything that has rubber backing, and then you only have to lay down one of those instead of several layers of beddings like a tarp, sheets, and then fleece. I have tested out the flannel sheets and they work quite well. Try looking around for baby crib liners and things like that, many times they are absorbent on one side and waterproof on the other.

[alex_23]

Originally Posted by envisionary333

If you adopt a new piggy instead of buying from a pet store, you are far less likely to end up with a pregnant pig. As you probably realize, adoption centers have far more interest in controlling the overpopulation problem than a pet store, so they are more likely to be accurate about sexing the pigs and keeping them separate.

By the way, we don't consider buying a piggy from a pet store "adopting." Here is a link to help explain why: http://www.guineapigcages.com/forum/...-adopting.html.

I hope your mom will come around and realize that little Kiwi needs a friend. Zoe looks absolutely gorgeous, I love how her ears and different colors. Maybe you will get to bring her home eventually!

Thank you...but I adopted Kiwi from a friend who housed her in a 10gal aquarium with super dirty bedding, food, and water with no playtime or cuddles(so she was very nippy)and no toys or hosue to hide in.

[alex_23]

Originally Posted by envisionary333

I really don't recommend letting your piggy run directly on the carpet or wood floor. It will get ruined! I recently bought some waterproof flannel sheets that are absorbent on both sides, but have a waterproof layer in the middle that prevents moisture from seeping through. You could get something like that, or anything that has rubber backing, and then you only have to lay down one of those instead of several layers of beddings like a tarp, sheets, and then fleece. I have tested out the flannel sheets and they work quite well. Try looking around for baby crib liners and things like that, many times they are absorbent on one side and waterproof on the other.

kiwi uses her litter box. she has never peed on the floors or rug.

[envisionary333]

Originally Posted by alex_23

kiwi uses her litter box. she has never peed on the floors or rug.

LUCKY YOU!!! Wow, that's truly impressive. I guess I'm just paranoid since I have 11 piggies, and they sure do make a mess!

[alex_23]

Originally Posted by envisionary333

LUCKY YOU!!! Wow, that's truly impressive. I guess I'm just paranoid since I have 11 piggies, and they sure do make a mess!

Well, its easy with just one...she basically uses her box a lot in her cage except on the certain spots where she pees.(in the opposite corner by the exit/enterance of her SP Ferret tunnel.

[ortal]

It’s awesome of you that you volunteer =-) I couldn’t do it. I get too depressed going into those places.

And I have 2 jingle balls for my 2 cavies and they do push them around once in a while
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