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Play Can I put my piggies on my bed?

audrey.e

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Hello all!

My favorite thing to do is put my guinea pigs on my bed and play with them, cuddle, or do homework. I simply spread out some towels and a big fleece blanket and they love hanging out. But recently I've been reading about problems when It comes to putting them on the bed. My bed is really high, and the pigs are too scared to jump off, but should I stop altogether and instead put them in their (way)smaller playpen? I have a queen sized bed, so they have much more room to play, but am I risking too much?

Thanks!
Audrey, Chamomile, and Chai.
 

PiggieWigglies

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I wouldn't at all. One member had a pig on his bed, the pig fell and paralyzed its back or legs (I forgot) and had to be euthanized.
 

bpatters

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It's not a good idea. Pigs' eyes are on the sides of their heads, which means they don't have any depth perception. They can't tell how far off the floor your bed is. Also, they startle really easily, and one of them could get scared (of nothing at all, really) and bolt off the bed before you could catch it.
 

audrey.e

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Okay. I do have my bed on a box spring, and I'm considering taking it off because the bed is even too high for me! If I got rid of it, the bed would be considerably lower. How far down can they jump without hurting anything?
 

Lizzieball12

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It's not so much about height as it is falling pattern. Less height would help, but the pigs can still get spooked and fall wrong off a low ledge. This is the reason it isn't recommended the guinea pigs have a wheel or a big hamster ball. If they run in or on those too fast and fall it's enough to paralyze them.

And you don't have to keep the pigs in their play pen. I let my boys out to run around the house (tiny apartment) when I do homework or watch tv. Just close off any areas that you don't want them in (like my bedroom) and make sure they're not chewing on anything they're not suppose to.
 

audrey.e

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And you don't have to keep the pigs in their play pen. I let my boys out to run around the house (tiny apartment) when I do homework or watch tv. Just close off any areas that you don't want them in (like my bedroom) and make sure they're not chewing on anything they're not suppose to.

That's helpful, thank you! Also, I live in a larger house (at least to a guinea pig!) And I have a dog and a cat. Taegan, my dog, is so timid and adores/is afraid of my girls. My cat, Mittens, watches them continually, but being the lazy ball of blubber he is, every time they come near him, he fluffs up and hides from them. I don't want to risk anything, though. I do close off my kitchen and let them run around when I cook though. :) But thank you!
 

maddy harper

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i wouldn't put m y guinea ppig on my bed in case it fell off and broke its back if it landed wrongly.
 

Lizzieball12

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With bigger pets it does make it hard to let them roam free. Pending on what kind of playpen you have though, you may be able to use a corner as a play area. If you can get the play pen to stand up on it's own or with minimal help and have an open corner or wall spot, place the play pen up against there. Then you'll have more room then if the playpen was connected to itself. Or, go with the grids. I bought some from target to use as a big play pen and the boys have a decent bit of space in there.
 

bpatters

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@Lizzieball12 said:

Less height would help, but the pigs can still get spooked and fall wrong off a low ledge. This is the reason it isn't recommended the guinea pigs have a wheel or a big hamster ball. If they run in or on those too fast and fall it's enough to paralyze them.

Actually, that's not true. There's nothing in a ball for them to fall off of. The reason they're not supposed to have wheels or balls is because their backs are not flexible. It doesn't take much of bending a pig's back in the wrong direction to cause serious problems, up to and including a broken back. That's why falling off even a low object is dangerous for them -- if they hit so that their backs flip in the wrong direction, they could be paralyzed.
 

Amalee

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The risk is just too high. I wouldn't put a guinea pig on a surface higher than 2-4'' and maybe not even that. If they can jump at all, or topple over, don't do it. I'm glad that you're so responsive to advice. There's been quite a few times where the community has warned people and they didn't listen and ended up losing their pigs. :sad:
 

Starthecavy123

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My first pig was a jumper. Whenever we would put him back in his cage he would try to jump in our arms. There was one time he jumped and missed an landed on the floor. It was so scary and cute all at the same time. Luckily he landed on his feet like a cat. And afterwards I picked him up and checked him out. He was fine so we put him in his cage.
 

Princess_Piggie

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My bed's just a mattress on the floor, so I let my girls run round on it, but with my previous boars (and a raised bed) I never let them run free on it. The most 'freedom' they had on the bed was me making a sort of play pen with my legs as the walls and letting them just potter around in there.
 

Izuro

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I don't put my pigs on the bed anymore unless I am holding them while reading. One of them is a jumper and is always stirring up mischief during floor time trying to get into the covered areas. There is nothing like seeing two piggies run around in the floor. I wish I had a whole room for them.
 

sallyvh

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I never let my girls have running time on my bed. I do sit or lay down with them in the bed though! I love to read and just have one of them sitting on my lap or laying on my chest. I wouldn't let mine have free range on the bed though.
 

PiggieWigglies

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I was blessed that my pig was okay when he took his dramatic jump onetime. I was putting him back in his cage and he was 1 foot away from the cage ground and he jumped from my hands and he landed directly on his back. He acted like a turtle and wiggled his legs and I had to turn him over but he was okay (this was a long long time ago, 2+ years) but that is my point that guinea pigs do get spooked and do jump from high places. Thats when I started turning them around when I put them in their cage so they dont get excited and jump. It was honestly a miracle. He acted like it never hurt him. If he was hurt I would have taken him to the vet, but it hasnt slowed his mobility down and he was energetic the next day and wasn't in pain, dont worry.
 

gatorgirl

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*If* you are watching them and engaging in play with them, yes. If not, no.
 

chewyguineapig

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Since your bed is quite high I wouldn't recommend it. I let mine because my bed is 6 inches off the floor.
 

MrWhistles

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Unless you are right beside them and can make a wall with your pillows, then I wouldn't do it. Mr. Whistles was very much a cuddly pig and he never waddled away from me while on the bed.
 
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