Floor Time: Floor Time

[aquaflyingfox]

Hi, I adopted 2 guinea pigs about a 2 weeks ago. They are...sort of warming up to me. When I come in the room with a napkin they run to me because they no it means food, but they are still a little timid. (They have a 2x4 c and c cage.)I want to give them floor time, but after I finally catch them (they run away from my hand when they get a notion that I want to pick them up) and put them in the area, they just sit there. They do not play or anything. I sat there very still for about a half an hour waiting for them to start running around, but they do not. The room I have floor time in has tile, so I cover it with a sheet. I put their food dish and lots of hay, but they just eat and sit there.It doesn't seem them like exercise to me!How do I make them realize that floor time is for running around and exploring?If you can't tell already, I am a first time guinea pig owner.

[pigsmakemesmile]

It takes a routine to develop...that is they need to get use to getting out of one environment into another on a daily basis. It's not uncommon that is, what your describing. Once they get accustomed to going out on the floor for floor-time, they should become a little more active. In the summer time, I put my pigs outdoors onto the grass in a huge pen under a shade tree my husband built. They spend equal time out on the grass and equal time in their hideys when in the outdoors. This occurs the whole time that they're out. When indoors for floor time, they do spend time in their hideys and also out and about. they may not be active 100% of the time. Even when they're in their pen inside...they spend a bit of time in their hideys, and equal time out and about in their pen. You can try placing things that'd interest them such as tube to crawl through, crumbled paper bag..things that might help spark some interest.

[Africa]

In the beginning (when they are getting used to the idea of floor time) it helps to have lots of boxes, tunnels and hideys for them to run to (spaced not too far apart). I have found that if I place the boys in the floor time area without these things they dont want to run around as much. With all those things though they like to create a racing circuit where they sprint at break neck speed through each of the little hideys, tunnels etc. I think they just feel more secure that way, especially since its not an environment they are used to

So now I place each item in such a way that allows them to easily create a race track without anything inhibiting the flow of their sprinting (if you get what Im trying to say)

[aquaflyingfox]

Thank you for your help
I will continue to let them out everyday for a good amount of time, and I will give them new things to do.
Thanks again!

[Richjess]

You said you have only had them two weeks, give them time - I spent the first month or so worrying mine were unhappy, they weren't interested in exploring the floor or being anywhere but their cage, but they soon got used to life and now they're quite happy running around on the lounge floor or on the lawn - just keep putting them there and they'll get used to it

Funnily enough they always seem to recognise food noises first - mine can now hear when I get an apple from the fruit bowl...