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Ramps New owner looking for advice

Lawmonkey

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Hi everyone, I have just joined and looking for some advice. My guinea pigs have been with us for nearly 3 weeks. They are hand feeding and now doing so being held in a cuddle sack. They seem happy as far as I can tell. I worry about them all the time. They are mainly indoor piggies and have a cage and run in the house. However they do have an outdoor cage and run for nice days. Both have ramps and I know not all like or use them. One goes up but not down. When I have her out for playtime or feeding I always put her back in the lower floor with her buddy. Time and time again she goes back up and hangs out alone. This worries me as they are spending more time apart and I am wondering if I should shut the top floor off. They snuggle a lot together so I don’t want one feeling sad and lonely. If the one that went up came down by themselves I wouldn’t mind but until she does I worry that she is ‘stuck’ and if she misses her buddy she can’t get back.

Sorry for the ramble, I just want them to be happy!
 

teambenji543

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My guinea pigs do the exact same thing! Have you tried lining the bottom of the ramps with fleece or a towel to give them better traction? Also you could try getting them used to walking up and down the ramps by leading them up and down using treats. This teaches them that it’s okay to go down the ramp as well.
 

Lawmonkey

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My guinea pigs do the exact same thing! Have you tried lining the bottom of the ramps with fleece or a towel to give them better traction? Also you could try getting them used to walking up and down the ramps by leading them up and down using treats. This teaches them that it’s okay to go down the ramp as well.

Thanks so much for your reply and I’m glad urs do this too! I cut a carpet tread to size and added sides to the ramps but maybe a towel would be better. What can I use to stick the towel? I placed treats up the ramp which was how one started to use it but if I do the same she still doesn’t come back down lol. I suppose I just need to keep trying. I figure she doesn't mind too much as she keeps doing it but I still worry! They can still be a bit skittish so when I tried guiding down holding treats they would run and hide! It took the whole first week to get them to come slightly out of their buddy to hand feed, now they will sit out in the open and do it. Sometimes I worry they won’t be tame enough for handling but I suppose it’s still early days!
 

teambenji543

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A towel is good because it sucks up the pee, to stick it on you could use clips or maybe you could place it over the carpet that you have now? How steep is your ramp? If its too steep them maybe she can go up, but not come down.
 

Smileandnod

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Make sure your ramps are not angled too steeply. You want a nice gradual incline/decline with sides to prevent injury.

As far as taming a guinea pig... guinea pigs are prey animals and therefore naturally skittish and will run away to avoid being caught. Remember, guinea pigs are not like cats & dogs. So it's nothing you are doing wrong. Just continue to be patient with them and go slowly & gently.

I have only had four out of twelve guinea pigs that will come over to have their heads pet and stand still to be picked up, but even they would run away at times and avoid the dreaded pickup depending on their mood.
 

Soecara

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Check out this thread for some good ideas for adding traction to the ramp https://www.guineapigcages.com/forum/threads/121857-Pigs-chewing-on-Midwest-ramp-cover

Also you can try to "teach" her how to go back down the ramp once you are sure it has enough traction and isn't too steep. Get her favourite vegetable and hold it just out of reach at the top of the ramp, as she reaches out for it the idea is she will start to go down the ramp, so you can keep having it just out of her reach until she is down on the ground floor. Then as she gets a little bit more confident you can even give her the treat as she is only like halfway down the ramp.
 
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