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Getting pigs to use 2nd floor

jewels1273

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Any ideas other than putting lettuce or other veggies down on the ramp to get them to use the second floor of the cage? Their food and houses are on the first floor. Should I put the food on the second floor?
 

sam_n_chass

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We just added a small second level to our cage too and we put the girls food bowls and one of their water bottles up there. We also put a hay rack and a log hidey and we feed them their veggies up there. Our piggys don't like being picked up so we also kinda chase them to the ramp and they run up the rest of the way.
 

steve_and_pigs

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I find that my piggies don't use the loft unless there is some hay up there.
I have water, a hay rack, and pellets on both floors.

Some of my pigs used the ramp right away, and others took weeks. They were all very cautious at first, but after a few weeks, they started sprinting up and down the ramp.
 

SerpentineSylph

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I made my second floor the kitchen, so all the hay, food and water's up there, but I think I'm going to put the water back on the first floor so that when my second pig goes in (if introductions go well) they can eat and drink without being right up each other's bums.

Anywho, getting back to the point! When I first made the ramp, I made the How-To ramp they show in the gallery with the hidey (free up more space, it looked neat, great idea!), but my pig would never go up. I could put him up, he'd run around, enjoy it, and then eventually come back down, but he never did went back up on his own. I thought perhaps he can't get up, so I switched it to a normal sloped ramp with a brick underneath to make it not so steep. Within minutes of putting it in there, with no encouragements, he was zooming up and down on his own!

So, yes, it could be that they are too timid right now and just need some coaxing, or it perhaps your ramp is too steep for the pigs or they're just not able to climb it. Putting perhaps their hay rack up there (if they know it's there) would give them the desired incentive to venture up there more often, if the problem's just some timid piggies that is.
 

wickedrodent

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I have had loads and loads of ramps. I finally got to the point where 3/4 pigs will use it. The biggest problem is when people make the ramps too steep (which I see a lot).. I didn't think my ramp was too steep but only 1 pig would use it.. I extended the length and now all the girls will go up and down with no problem. :)
 

sam_n_chass

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Our ramp is two grids long and drops down one grid length and both our piggies have no problem with it.
 

luvsgiraffes

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the ramp might also be too slippery. i tried using a plasticy like matt and it took me puting them at the top a few times and bribing them with food to get them to use it.
 

luvsgiraffes

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The ramp might be too slippery. I have mine with some plasticy stuff and they didn't like it. I had to bribe them with veggies and put them up there the first few days.

Good luck!
 

naturegal592

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You can try putting them on the top level and then put hay/veggies on the ramp. When I think it is less scary for them to come down into a known territory.
 

ali's_pigs123

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Maybe sort of "bribe" them using a treat like a carrot or something and show them that there is nothing there but food and hay, and what pig would not want that!
 

newpiggiemommy

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My ramp is 1 1/2 grids long and I covered it with cardboard and then safety pinned a hand towel on it so they would have traction! Make sure they can't get to the safety pins though (put them only at the top).

I put my piggies food, water, hay, and two hidey houses on the second level. I put the dominant piggie half way up the ramp and bribed her with some lettuce to finish coming up the ramp. Once she went up and started eating, all of the other piggies came up.

Now, they love the ramp! They spend most of the day running up and down the ramp! It is actually quite annoying! LOL
 
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