Do they like having their stuff moved?

[Raine59]

Like many of you, I periodically change things around in the cage, moving or switching out their hideys (I have lots of them but they don't all fit at once) and when they get back in their cage after a cleaning/change around, they carefully inspect everything and seem to notice every change. Many of you say they like change and new things but I wonder if they sometimes mind having their stuff moved around. My daughter suggested that they are thinking "hey, who moved my favorite hidey...I liked it where it was" and asked how I'd feel if I left the house and came back to find someone had moved all my furniture. (I wouldn't like it!) So I wonder if they like things being moved around or if maybe it annoys them. What do you all think?

 

[schavarry]

This is just me, but whenever I put something somewhere and my piggies don't like where it is - they move it themselves, either by pushing it with their nose or dragging it with their teeth. The only thing they don't move is the fleece forest, it's attached to the cage and stays in the same spot....

 

[Crystalkate]

Same with mine. They move their toys and hideys wherever they want them to be.

 

[ellisa]

Everytime I do a cage cleaning I swap out hideys and rearrange things. My pigs seem to enjoy it. They always do zoomies when I put them in a clean, rearranged cage.

 

[MissJean]

I do switch where their pigloo is in the cage myself. Since it has poor ventilation, I want to make sure it airs out. They pee in there.

Two of my pigs so far seem to like when I switch things around, especially after I change their fleece. They popcorn like crazy.

 

[LaurenB16]

Yeah I move mine around. If they don't like it, they'll headbutt it to wherever they want it

 

[boofp]

UM, If it does we are all screwed. I always get lots of wheeks and popcorns. So my answer is NO they do not get annoyed.

 

[CritterLuvva]

Here's a good question. How experienced is your daughter with guinea pigs?

I don't have any experience with my own piggies to draw from- yet!- but all the accounts I've read (and I've read several) say guinea pigs love having their stuff moved around. it's like having a whole new cage to them, I would think.

One more point of interest- we're not guinea pigs. We're two different species, which of course means we have different feelings, preferences, etc. I wouldn't try to apply humanistic feelings to your pets. Pay attention to how they respond after a cleaning/reorganizing. How do they respond to the changes?

I know I'm the newbie and experience is superior to "book learning," but I hope my words have brought you some comfort. Do what you feel is right for your pets and don't worry about the word of those who don't know your pets as well as you do. Trust your instincts.

(To be honest, I haven't found a lot of valuable advice in books so far. The advice I've found on this site alone has been far superior. I mean book learning the metaphor more than actually getting facts from books. )

 

[BlueButterfly]

My girls don't seem to care one way or another. I most around their stuff weekly, and adjust things daily. They couldn't care less.

 

[Paula]

My pigs don't seem to mind having their stuff moved in different locations. Certainly not like my bunnies, who actually physically attack when they don't like what you're doing with their space.

 

[schavarry]

My pigs don't seem to mind having their stuff moved in different locations. Certainly not like my bunnies, who actually physically attack when they don't like what you're doing with their space.

lol - that made me laugh! The visual is HILARIOUS!

 

[CritterLuvva]

;D @Paula. schavarry's right. The visual of you moving things around in bunny and getting attacked is just too funny! How do you ever manage to keep their home clean if you can't move any thing?

;D @ThePigAlchemist blocking off his water bottle- what's the point of the water bottle again? LOL. Here's a random thought, I don't know if it would work or not, but could you make the sipper so it slips into his home in that area? That way he could get a drink while he's just laying there.

 

[CritterLuvva]

@ThePigAlchemist I can imagine it. Do you have any video footage of your babies? They sound so funny!

 

[Kieri]

My pigs seem to enjoy when their cage is switched up a bit. They explore it like it's brand new territory. One of my pigs loves to rearrange things as well as pulling fleece off of the tunnels and wrapping herself up like a pig burrito. My other pig is indifferent to cage changes once she has thoroughly explored the area.

 

[mufasa]

I switch things up regularly, and both Mufasa and Amy move them around just as regularly. They rearrange their cages, as well as the toys in their play pens during floor time. I like to switch up their toys, too, and I've noticed they have definite favorites. Their current fave is cereal boxes arranged as A-frame hideys. I stuff a bag or toilet paper roll with hay for each of them, and they drag it into their boxes to munch.

 

[schavarry]

. One of my pigs loves to rearrange things as well as pulling fleece off of the tunnels and wrapping herself up like a pig burrito.

The burrito pig pics are adorable! I love it! I might have to try putting some loose fleece in my piggies cage to see if they'll do this. My little girl will curl up in her fleece liner when I'm trying to roll it up to get it out of her cage and change it...

 

[charliespet]

Yeah Charlie likes it when I change her cage, but she definatly has preferences to hideys and where she uses the bathroom and even bedding. When I switched to fleece she was sort of aprehensive, and then when I use shreddings she purrs. Right now her hideys are limited because I'm afraid of her giving birth in a small space. Also I noticed she will move things too, like her hay catch I use with the fleece, she doesn't like it! LOL

 

[Kieri]

@schavarry Yes, definitely! Piggies love loose fleece.