Floor Time Troubles

[Butterscotch2]

My guinea pig Butterscotch just sits and eats at floor time. So is it really exercise for her? I give her my whole bedroom floor, exept where furniture is, so it isn't like she dosen't have any place to wonder and go. Does any one have any advice to make floor time more active?

[LadyBelle]

Do you have any kind of toys down for her? Balled up newspaper, card bored tubes, a ball, or something else that's interesting?

[Butterscotch2]

During play time I always have her hidey house, a cardboard tube, Timothy hay, pellets, and two pieces of carrots. Would it be okay if she ate the ink on the newspaper? And what kind of ball? Any other toys anybody else can think of? Thank you for the suggestions LadyBelle. I might get a ball depending on how safe it is and what kind it is.

[clotho]

http://www.guineapigcages.com/forum/accessories/

Check here for toy ideas. You can also search the forum for different keywords, so a search on "toys" would give you some good info I'm sure.

Have fun!

[Butterscotch2]

Clotho, when I went on the website it had so many ideas! Thank you . I plan on getting Butterscotch a tennis ball, a hammock, a doll couch off of ebay, and cuddle cup (are cuddle cups washable?). Also, tonight I am going to see what she does when she sees herself in the mirror. I will post as soon as floor time is done.

[Butterscotch2]

Bad news, Butterscotch didn't do anything at floor time again. I put down the mirror and she looked at it and then went for the plastic. So of course I took that away. She stayed in her hidey house, and didn't come out to eat her hay or pellets like she always does. She was absolutley terrified and only came out to snatch her two carrot slices. Finally, I took the box away and she stayed by my legs and started licking them. She always licks my hand, but never my legs. That was about the only thing I found cute. I did everything like I always do. So as I checked her to see if anything was wrong I found one striped and one blob of hair missing. To add to all of this I found hair that looked like it was shinged or she had chewed about an inch off. Does anyone know what this is or means? Should I also make this on a different thread since it isn't really about floor time? If so where?

[LadyBelle]

Make a thread in the general cavy chat about the hair issue.

How long have you had the pig? It sounds like floor time is still scary for her, in which case it may just take time. Do you have something she can chew on that is wooden? If you give her something acceptable to chew on instead of the plastic she may go for that.

Is Butter your only piggy? Some companionship could help her and give her a playmate. Make sure what ever issue with her hair is solved first of course, just in case it is something that can be passed on to another piggy.

If it is just a matter of time, then keep trying. Sit on the floor with a book and give her time to explore. She might start becoming more bold when she is comfortable that floor time is safe and there is nothing that is going to get her. With you sitting very still and more on floor level it could help from startling her into the hide instinct to where she sniffs the toys and checks out the surroundings more.

[Butterscotch2]

Usually she moves to eat her food and take a sniff at the cardboard box. It was unusual for her just to sit in her hidey house and only eat her carrots.
Unforutunely, she is an only pig. As soon as possible I will get her a companion, and a bigger cage. I still have to find room. My baby-sitting kids have lots of toys that they don't use and I am going to get rid of them (hopefully). I rescued Butterscotch when she was 6 months old because for some mean reason the owner didn't like her. (I think it had something to do with breeding, ugh!) She came pre-named and I kept her name. Anyway, I have had her for two years and she has only last night been scared (except for when I first got her).
She is not afriad of me becasue I look at her all the time and she looks back just like I am a guinea pig too. And as I have said before she licks to lick my hand and now legs.
I will make a new thread about her hair loss right when I am done with this post.

[Newpiggiemom]

I bought a couple of things that my pigs love for floor time. I got a tube that was really a kitty tunnel that has holes in the side that they jump in and out of and they run through the length of the tunnel. I also found this toy at Wal-Mart and it is called a kitty crinkle cave. It's a small house with a little tunnel coming out of the end. I try to alternate these on floor time so they don't get so bored.

[Jenni_Feathers]

Does she have a friend or is she an only pig? If she is you should really get her a friend, Guinea Pigs are herd animals and are ushally lonely by them selves. http://www.cavyspirit.com/sociallife.htm

[Butterscotch2]

Yes, she is an only pig. I really really want to get her a buddy, but my cage is even way to small for her. Also, I think she has mites. I have a thread that questioned what is was and now I see scabs all over her. I am a bad mommy to Butterscotch.

[LadyBelle]

You are not a bad mommy. The fact you love her enough to be concerned about her, that you come here to learn how to best take care of her, and are willing to get her medical attention makes you a good mom. No one is perfect, especially when starting out with any pet, or child for that matter. You learn along with them, and they give back love and a lifetime of guilt. A parent who doesn't worry or have some things they feel a touch of guilt over is probably a parent that doesn't care.

Treat the mites first. Then consider ways that you could possibly work on giving her more cage space, or more floor time. There was someone on here who discussed having a cage that was actually half under the bed to make more room. Maybe with a little creativity and some advice from the experienced piggy parents on here, you can find the room she needs and maybe even enough for a partner.

I'm a first time piggy parent and am learning so much I never knew or even suspected. The fact your little one loves you as much as she does instead of running and hiding shows that you are doing some things right and you do show her love.

[Butterscotch2]

Thanks LadyBelle. I think, no wait, I know you are right. How do you treat lice anyhow? I would like to do so as soon as possible so that I can treat her and help utterscotch get better.