So my piggies have two hay racks in their two kitchens (one at each end of the cage). Both hay racks have lots of hay in them, I filled them with fresh hay when I changed their cage today. But my piggies are a bit spoiled - while they will nibble at their hay racks, they don't really eat much from them. Instead, they hold out for the fresh hay that I have been giving them twice a day, directly on the "floor" of their kitchens. As soon as I put down the hay, they are all over it, as if they are totally famished, and they devour it.
The thing is, I really don't like putting hay directly onto the floor of their kitchens, because it gets peed on and tracks into the rest of their cage. I only do it because I worry that they wouldn't be eating enough hay otherwise, since they mostly ignore their hay racks.
So: how do I get them to eat more from their hay racks? I guess the answer is obvious - stop giving them hay on the floor. But is there a chance that they would stop eating and develop problems from that? Also, how long can they hay stay in the hay racks if they don't eat it? Do I HAVE to give the fresh hay each day, or should I just wait until they finish most of the hay in the hay racks (even if it takes a couple of days or more), and then finally refill?
The thing is, I really don't like putting hay directly onto the floor of their kitchens, because it gets peed on and tracks into the rest of their cage. I only do it because I worry that they wouldn't be eating enough hay otherwise, since they mostly ignore their hay racks.
So: how do I get them to eat more from their hay racks? I guess the answer is obvious - stop giving them hay on the floor. But is there a chance that they would stop eating and develop problems from that? Also, how long can they hay stay in the hay racks if they don't eat it? Do I HAVE to give the fresh hay each day, or should I just wait until they finish most of the hay in the hay racks (even if it takes a couple of days or more), and then finally refill?