Floor Time: Biscuit's floor time

[Mhera]

I've started working on a little play area for my guinea pig, but I'm not sure what exactly to do. My parents don't trust her on the carpet, so I've made a cardboard version of the bottom of a C&C cage. It's bigger than her cage, which is one of the "glorified litter boxes" sold at pet stores. I kinda want to put a maze or something in there (the play area), so she can explore it and not be afraid of "predators". I've got cardboard boxes of all shapes and sizes waiting for creativity. Advice?

[starshine123102]

Once she pees, the cardboard won't be good for reuse. What I do since I ren and can't afford to mess up the carpet is put down a vinyl tablecloth then I made a pen out of extra cubes and zip tied them together. When she pees, the pee stays on top and you can mop it up with paper towels. Then, when I put her back I spray it down with 50/50 solution of water and vinegar (same as to clean the cage). Fold up pen, fold up tablecloth and your carpet is spared.

Not the greatest picture, but you get the idea.
http://www.guineapigcages.com/photos/showphoto.php/photo/12867/ppuser/10402

This is a 60"x60" round vinyl tablecloth I got at walmart for about $7. The pen was 13 grids zip tied together bought at bed, bath and beyond.

[hueyeats]

Mine are pretty well potty trained & they only do their business under the sofa & not out anywhere. I use puppy pads as my bottom layers, top with beach towels, boho rugs & also a very shallow plastic trays.

So far... they are all good in peeing in those $1 plastic trays and pooping unto the towel & rug which I just handpick them up real quick when I clean under the sofa.

In my house... my GPs are kings as they do never have to fear another predator.

[hueyeats]

Shower curtains if you like works real well in containing any mess... and they only cost $1 from the DollarTree or any Dollar stores.

[fieryone]

Our area is similar to Starshine's. We use grids zip tied together and I put down a shower curtain with an old comforter over it for their pen. We use the vinyl-like grids with the little holes for the pen area so they don't need a side since my pigs were small when we first got them. I used to use the regular grids and one of mine escaped through it! They're big enough for regular ones now, though.

We leave the pen out all the time in the dining room, but it folds up very easily when needed and I just shake out and wash the comforter every couple of days and wipe down the shower curtain with vinegar and water.

[TDGuinea]

I think I got lucky cuz my girl peanut has never pee'd or pooped in my lap and has only pooped during floor time.

Some how she got trained to only pee in her cage...dont know how! haha

[BubuCandyBlue]

I agree with using a shower curtain, especially if you have a carpet.
I don't use it because I have tiles, I just use fleece straight on it (not your case, the carpet will soak the pee and you don't want that). Then I get rid of the poos by shaking the fleece in the back yard, let it dry for the next day, and I mop the floor really quickly.

[guineapigluver1]

You could put down a shower curtain (which you can get from the Dollar Tree) and put a blanket down over that.

[Mhera]

Are towels an alternative to blankets on top of the shower curtain/vinyl table cloth? I think my mom would be apalled even if I used one of the old and holy blankets.

[newpiggiemommy]

I went to Menards about a month ago and found the remnants of a indoor/outdoor carpeting. It has a plastic coated foam on the back side so messes won't leak through. And, I can hand vac up the poops each day after they get put back into the cage at night. Once a week I take the carpet shampooer to the play area rug and let it dry really good before they use it again!

The rug I use for the play area is 6 foot x 4 foot. I use 20 cage grids and zipties to corral them inside the area! They play in there all day long and they go to their cage at night!

This method, using the carpet remnants, cost a bit more in the beginning, but you don't have to clean up as much and you don't have to stick it in your washer machine and get hair and hay in your machine! And I just roll the carpet up at night and put a big rubberband around it and stand it in the corner!

[guineapigluver1]

Towels would be fine.

[starshine123102]

Originally Posted by Mhera

Are towels an alternative to blankets on top of the shower curtain/vinyl table cloth? I think my mom would be apalled even if I used one of the old and holy blankets.

If you use towels you will ned to use multiple. My pig likes to burrow so she would get under something like that. Also, their nails might get caught in the terry cloth.