Play Define Floor Time

[ChristieB]

Is this just time outside of the cage in a different enviroment? Right now we put our piggies in a gigantic pool with some towels and fresh veggies and hay and they run around or crawl in our laps (we can fit in the pool). I see a lot of people actually let them run around the house. Is this in a small room? Our entire top floor is an open floor plan so they could get into way much trouble or get lost. We also have cats were are still getting to know them. There also enlies my other issue. PEE. Poos, fine, I can vacuum those up...but pee? Doesn't floor time equal pee in the carpet? I have already found my cats jumping in the pool if I don't put it away and peeing were the guinea pigs went and they NEVER go outside of their littler box. They must smell that smell and think it's okay for them to go there too. I don't need cat pee (or guinea pig pee)in my new house. What is your floor time like? Also, the guinea pigs only use their litter box for pee in their cage. Would they do the same outside of the cage?

 

[Catahoula]

Floor time is just an opportunity for your pigs to get out, explore, and exercise. In all honesty, my floor time area is actually smaller then their 3x5 cage. You just want to provide a safe place for them with stimuluses they don't normally get.

Some people like to set up hideys and tunnels to make mazes their pigs can run through. While others bring out special toys or treats.

 

[Duffinvt]

You'd never want them to run loose where there are dangers like electric cords. And you will want to keep them safe from the cats. Some people use a bathroom or make a pen out of the grids you use for C&C cages. It is basically to let the pigs exercise and get a different view from the same 'ol in the cage.

 

[zaylea]

For floor time, I lay out a vinyl table cloth and put a (broken link removed) on top, and then put toys and things inside. Some people build playpens out of grids by loosely zip tying grids together, so that it can be folded up like an accordion when they're done. If I'm feeling industrious, I'll sometimes build a maze out of (broken link removed).

 

[ChristieB]

oh I like the idea of the table cloth. Okay, so I just wanted to see and make sure we were okay with how floor time was done (ours get about 4 hours a day or so out of their cage but not free roaming). I had bunnies growing up and they were litter trained but yeah, wires were chewed all the time. Good to know we are okay with what we are doing. Thanks for the hints and tips!