Upper Level problem....

[RustBottum]

I just fixed the top level of my gp cage. He went up there and I thought he like it. Then like a week later he just stopped going up. I put him up there and he seemed kinda scared. I don't know what the problem is. I like the top level but if he doesn't go upt here then i am just going to make it a reagular 2x3 cage. Anyone have any idea as to why he won't go up there? Any was to make him like it again and go up there.

 

[dagwellismypigy]

My boys did that too, I just took it down. They are happy and have more room to run.

 

[RustBottum]

ok but I am just worried that now my guinea pig will not have as much room. I only have a 2x3 and really have no way of making it bigger.

 

[pennick]

I just posted my picture of the 3rd level of my cage. The 3rd level is 2x3, pretty big. I at first just put 2 hidey houses up there. They didnt seem to care for it. I switched it around with other items. I then put a large doll bed up there alone. They went up there ran around it a few times and that was it. I was determined. I kept staring at it wondering what they didnt like about it. Then it hit me. It was too exposed. Not enough things up there. They felt vulnerable. Its hard to explain, but I took an extra grid and made a small divide and added a third hidey house, I also put in a hammock with a sheet coming down to give it some privacy. Now that it looks more congested they love it. They feel safer. You have to experiment and know what your piggie likes. Mine love hidey houses and dont need much room to run. They love running around things. Dont give up. I have had my cage now for 2 months and I am still experimenting.

 

[Poohbear]

yes don't give up. I have remodled my cage 12 times and I am still remodling.

 

[Ly&Pigs]

What do you have on the top level? Food or is it more like a lounging area. I found that if I keep the hay upstairs the girls will go up there, they don't go up as much if there is no hay or food up there. Also what kind of ramp do you have and does it have sides. Some pigs are more scared of the ramps than the loft. Also if the ramp is too steep they don't like to go up or down.

I redid my loft today because I didn't like the way it was. It's now a 1x5 L shaped loft. The hay is on one end then they have 3 grids extra space. There is a cozy on the opposite end from the hay box and then I put their little shelving stool up there too. Downstairs they have 1 large and 1 small hooded cozy pillows, their salad bowl pigloo, their bin pigloo, litter box and 2 lengths of pvc piping. Also downstairs is 2 food bowls and 2 water bottles. And they still have lots of room to just run around in.

 

[CaliGirl]

what is the ramp and top story like. When I first set up my cage with a top story, the ramp and floor was just coroplast. Rocky couldnt get a good enough grip on it so he never used it. So I put fleese on the ramp and floor. Now he loves it.

 

[puzzle]

I've had the same problem. I just remodled the cage, I put the top level on the other side of the cage. Whenever I remodel the cage my pigs get so excited!! Try filling the top level with hay, or (if you haven't already done so) try putting a side on the ramp, that really helped mine!

 

[RustBottum]

On the top level i have a couch (bent grid) and come cozies and pillows. I covered 1x1 grid space of it with a towel so it is covered. my ramp is a grid cut in half and I connected the two peices and put coroplast on them. That is covered with fleece but he couldn't grip it so i cut strips of carpet i had and put 4-5 on the ramp a few inches apart.

I use to have his food up there but then he would never go down. He would jsut sleep up there and come down occasionally.

 

[Ly&Pigs]

I would try this, put his hay upstairs and leave his pellets downstairs, or vise versa. That way he has to go up to eat one thing and back down to eat the other. Also I would completely cover the ramp with carpet and not leave spaces between, he may feel a little leary of the spaces in between the carpet strips.

 

[RustBottum]

Ok thank you. I will try putting the pellets on the upper level but I don't think he will go up becasue last time i tried putting his veggies up thereand he still woouldn't go up and he jsut kept sqeaking and finally i just brought them down becasue i wanted him to eat them. I might try it anyway and see what happens.

 

[LiciaMommycott]

When I made my lofts, I kept putting the pigs up there with their food and they would eat some and then find their way down. Eventually they started going up on their own. Now they are funny because half the time they don't use the ramps. Instead, they just run across the cage and do a flying leap into the lofts. I think they think they are chinchillas.

 

[RustBottum]

i tried putting is pellets on the second floor and he didn't even know they were up there. I finally brought them down before i went to bed so he could eat.

 

[Ly&Pigs]

Did you put him up there so he would know they were there? Sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn't but anything is worth a try. Maybe put his hay up there instead and put him up there too so he knows it is there. Did you fix the carpeting on the ramp, I still think that may be part of the problem as well. It needs to be solid across the whole ramp so he won't feel that he will fall off. Your ramp may need sides too depending on how wide it is.

 

[RustBottum]

i fixed the ramp today and put sides on it. I didn't fix the carpet yet. I put his veggies up there and then i put him up there and he ate some veggies then came down to eat some hay and pellets. He hasn't gone back up yet so i am not sure. I am going to take a picture of his cage in a minute so you can all see what it looks like.

 

[RustBottum]

Here is a pic of my cage.....
https://www.guineapigcages.com/gallery/2090/

 

[CaliGirl]

Has he been able to get up the ramp himself? or have you always been putting him up there and let he go down on his own. That what I did with my pig, he could get down it ok, but going up it he had a problem. Try luring(sp?) him up the ramp with his favorite veggie. Do it over and over again if thats what it takes. Eventualy he will get the hang of it.

 

[muffin_401]

My piggy used to go down the ramp fine but she never went up it, so what I did was take advantage of the times she didn't want to be picked up, I would kind of keep my hand behine her like I was going to pick her up and sort of herd her up the ramp. I did this a few times and now she goes up and down like a pro, well now on the down she like to jump off half way down or vice versa!

 

[RustBottum]

Well i put the veggies up there and his hidey house and now he goes up and down all the time!!! Thank you all for your help!!!