How...

[RRadoy]

... in the world do I get my piggies to go up the ramp in their brand new C&C cage? I built their cage yesterday and so far all they do is sleep under the ramp, and occasionally step on the very bottom of it, they don't seem to realize that it is for going UP! Is this something they will learn over time? Or should I help them along? Thanks in advance!

Robin

 

[VoodooJoint]

Try putting them on the top floor and coax them down the ramp with veggies. Most likely once they figure out they can go down the ramp then they may realize they can go up too.

Also put a hidey house and loads of fresh hay up top. Give them a reason to be up there.

Totally unrelated I lived in Batavia IL for a year. I grew up in Downers Grove.

 

[RRadoy]

Thanks Voodoo, I have TONS of hay upstairs and loads of soft comfy fleece, I thought the smell of the hay alone would do it, but I guess not, I will try your suggestion. Edited to say it sure is a small world! I have lived in Batavia for about 7 years now, I am from Chicago, I love it here!

Thanks again!
Robin

 

[Wheekwheek]

I once had a cage with ramps in it, Squishy eventually got the idea. It took her a few days but she got it. Just occasionally put your guineas up there and from going down they will learn its not such a bad place to go .

Wheekwheek

 

[RRadoy]

Thanks Wheekwheek, I suspected it would just take some time, but I'm impatient, I want them to see how nice and cozy it is NOW! In the meantime, I'm going to use an extra grid to make a hayrack for the bottom, after all, piggies got to have their hay!

Robin

 

[guineapiglvr14]

Maybe like stick them in the middle of the ramp so the have to go up or down!

 

[dagwellismypigy]

Give them their veggies on the top level, or put their pellets up there. My pigs do anything to get to their food.

 

[fudgybananas]

At first I put her on the ramp so she knows how it feels like. The first time or two she just didn't move at all, so I put her down. Then I'd put her upstairs for 20-30 min, with food and water, to let her get accustomed to the second floor, then put her downstairs. After, I put her hidey house right at the top of the ramp, with treats, and sooner or later, she was going up and down... I guess it depends on each piggie how long it takes them to get used to it...

 

[My Baby Mu]

I would put my pigs in the middle then coax them up with veggies. Once they were up I would put the in the middle-top and coax them down.

 

[RubyPiggie2]

... I just put all of mine up on top! XD I kept them there... -_- With hay/water of course.. Two of my girls went down that day, the other two didn't go down for 2 days. But I have a loft almost the size of a 2x3, if you have a smaller loft I wouldn't do that. It seemed to work. I WAS going to take them down, but I wasn't home that entire night and the proceeding day, so when I came home they still were up there- I gave it another hour and then they all were going up and down.

 

[Zeander]

I had to put my piggies on the top level. After a few minutes, they got curious enough to go down. It's odd too because I had to remove the ramp for about a week and during that time it's like they forgot how to use the ramp. I had to "train" them again.