Cleaning Parents hate floor time?

How big of a cage do they have?

A 2x3 with a 2x2 loft area. If my sis wanted, we could turn it into a 2x5

Hi Maddy! Welcome aboard the site! A 2x5 would be waaay better than a 2x3, even with a loft.
You could always put fleece or a dog bed on the floor when they come out.

Well, have you considered putting an old towel/blanket whatever down for them to run round on and putting pillows/boxes etc round the edge as a makeshift playpen? That way, you just shake the poop off outside/in to a bin when they're done, and throw it in the washer. Hand wash it if your parents don't want it in the washing machine.

Show them this thread if need be - it'll show them that everyone knows it, piggies need fun time!

Could you put something down tosensure that poo or pee couldn't touch your floor? I had to do this for the longest time!

I put towels down, and they hate the towels because they think I don't wash them even though I do. Is there any page on cavy cages or guinea pig cages that tells more about floor time? Also, my parents think @CavySpirit only designed the cages to market them. I told them they are USDA regulated and vets are talking about them. They think it is only one person's opinion, but it really is hundreds! Ugh!

The reason we all use these cages is because for the money they are much cheaper than store bought cages for their size.

How about if you put down a waterproof shower curtain and then put a blanket on top? Then it will be water proof and protect your floor.

For floor time with Charlemagne I used to use a shower curtain. Rinsed off like a dream after usage, and very, VERY cheap! Just block the pig(s) in so they don't get off and make a mess!

I also have a half-sister named Maddie! This is weird welcome! Enjoy your stay!

I put down a uhaul pad and then fleece. Just like in their cage. When floor time is over, I shake everything down outside then throw it in the wash. They have never peed through the uhaul pad and my floor has never gotten dirty because of floor time.

If you look at Petco, they have pig pens that are spacious and come with a mat that you don't have to wash, only wipe with some clorox anywhere spray (its safe to use around piggies) I use old sheets for my pigs floor time in their pen and they love it!

I transformed the cage into a 2x5. Hoping G won't be too mad. I know how small her apartment is. I asked my parents about the shower curtain, and now the pigs can't have any floor time at all, and they say if they find the pigs on the floor again they will give them away, even though they are G's pigs. So they can't have floor time for a month until they go back to G.

Gforcepiggies said:

Also, my parents think @CavySpirit only designed the cages to market them. I told them they are USDA regulated and vets are talking about them. They think it is only one person's opinion, but it really is hundreds! Ugh!

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Yeah.. That's silly.. There are pages about making the cages yourself...

C&C Cages were designed so that anyone could make one on their own. They are easy to put together, and if you do it yourself they are very inexpensive. I've made cages before that only cost $15 (I found the grids on Craigslist and used old political signs for the coroplast tray).

Didn't your sister discuss all this with your folks before she left? It just seems strange to me the number of posts in general I see here about parents being upset and unreasonable about the pigs. It surprises me because most of the parent I know are very reasonable. I wonder if there is not a communication problem going on. That doesn't help you right now though so...
I think they will just fine till your sister gets home. And while I don't suggest you disrespect your folks, maybe you'll get a couple chances to get them out for a run here or there. I would suggest you not make this your fight though. It really should have been your sisters responsibility to work all these details out with your folks before she left. Perhaps she could call them and discuss it with them from where she is?

Good luck!

I agree with @barbaramudge, so many parents seem to have issues with pigs I'm wondering if they're just making assumptions and not doing their research. Either way, if they're your sisters pigs, they're really her responsibility, so ask her to discuss it with your parents.

It's great that you're taking caring for them so seriously though. Perhaps ask your parents why the pigs where allowed in the first place, if they didn't want the mess etc that comes with pigs? Point out that they raised you to be responsible and see your commitments through, and that if you didn't care for the pigs properly, you'd be going against what they've always taught you to do. If they still don't believe the pigs should have floor time, then back down, because you don't wanna end up having the poor things sent away...

I wouldn't worry too much about floor time with that nice big cage. I'll be honest, my piggies never get floor time and they are fine.

Field-of-Dreams said:

I wouldn't worry too much about floor time with that nice big cage. I'll be honest, my piggies never get floor time and they are fine.

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Even when they live in large cages, and even a 2x5 isn't really *that* big, most guinea pigs still benefit from floor time. Have you tried showing your parents how clean the floor is after floor time? If you have a waterproof layer and an absorbent layer, the floor won't get touched.

My sister talked thoroughly with our parents on guinea pig care. She and the pigs spend the summers with us. As soon as she left, though, everyone was against floor time. @Princess_Piggie I thought your idea was quite good. Thanks! Quetzel will be home on the 23rd, stay with us for Christmas and New Years, then head back to CSU. I hope while she is here the pigs may have a chance of floor time. I got up last night and set everything up in the dark, and since the pigs were running around, I put them out. It was the first time I could actually enjoy watching them without my parents sighing at me. I made sure to clean up really well, and since I wasn't lying because I didn't tell them about it, I'm not being disrespectful. Everyone has secrets.

I'm sorry to hear that. Maybe it's the stress of the holidays? Too much going on for your folks? Not that that would make it ok but sometimes it's just a lot. Even parents bite off more than they can handle. Having 3 daughters myself, I can assure you that sometimes it's hard to say no to sweet girls. Even when you know you're not really up for it. Try not to think to harshly of them and just do the best you can. It'll be ok.

I'm proud of you. You care and you're being very responsible. Good Job! Your sister will understand.