Floor time is very important to a guinea pig’s health. Many piggy parents have asked me through DMs many questions about guinea pig’s having floor time. The truth is, it’s a lot more important than you think. Imagine being in a closed space for a long period of time. This can be very detrimental to your guinea pig’s health for many reasons.
Ideally, guinea pigs should have floor time everyday for at least 1 hour if your guinea pig is not a free-roaming guinea pig like my Tofu and Dumpling.
Having floor time will not only be great for your guinea pig’s physical health, but it will keep them stimulated. When setting up, it is a good idea to make sure your piggies are on a soft surface and prevent your floors with GuineaDad Liners.
What fun is it if it's just floor? To spruce up some fun, be sure to refer to this article to make the experience fun for both you and the guinea pigs. The article illustrates some fun activities that you can do with your piggies.
I let my guinea pigs (Tofu and Dumpling) free roam between two rooms. I do this so they feel free and exercise through out the day. Many guinea pig owners ask me, “how do you prevent guinea pigs from peeing on the floor?”
Below are the infographics of heatmap are three tips to prevent guinea pigs from peeing or pooping on the carpet and floor during floor time.
First tip is to remove legs from couches, sofa, cabinets, or any furniture, if you can. This will prevent your guinea pigs from crawling under them. While you are at it, try to remove any electrical wires (yes, your iPhone chargers too).
Second, push furniture tightly against the wall so that there are no dark or narrow places.
Lastly, place GuineaDad Liners under the furniture in the floor time space to protect your floor and carpet.
Once you set up their floor time with the above tips in mind, it should be fun and comfortable for your piggies to play in and also easier for you to clean up!
Frequently asked questions:
Can guinea pigs walk on tiles and wood floors?
- They can, but tiles and wooden floors can be too hard and slippery for guinea pigs. It could be especially dangerous when guinea pigs try to run after getting spooked (which happens rather often). It is always recommended to place a non-slippery, soft and waterproof material to protect your guinea pigs and floor such as fleece liners for guinea pigs.
Why does my guinea pig not like floor time?
- Guinea pigs are prey animals and they may feel uncomfortable in unfamiliar and open area. You can help them by placing multiple hiding places (suggestions) through out the floor time space. You could also help them forget about all the worries by providing veggies during the floor time. Here are some tasty treats that could also help your guinea pigs become more comfortable with floor time.
13 comments
@Lynne, Thank you for your support! I am sure your piggies will enjoy em :)
@Linda, anything soft will do but here is what I did in my previous apartment with hardfloor. I went to home depot to get long carpet strips. You pay for these by feet and it’s actually pretty cheap and not that ugly on the floor. Then I would connect that to the cage door to some corner of the room where I would also set up another “resting area” with the liner for the floor, hay and water as well. They will use the carpet to travel from back and forth. The key is to have two islands of safehouses for them!
Hi Maddie, You are correct on both (generally speaking). However, they will give you more trust and let you touch them more as you spend more time with them. I honestly don’t mind the poop so much because I can just pick them up, but when it comes to pee, I try to put them on the liner if they are going to stay somewhere for more than 1 minute.
This comment is for Maddie. I have a guinea pig who loves to be held. Hangs out with me on a towel on the couch. Guinea pigs poop non stop. When I pick her up just put a towel under her.
I have two male Guinea pigs who were separated but still get floor time but with a diving fence. Play time is not as easy as it once was before they were separated from
Fighting. Have you ever had that experience with male pigs or any of your pigs that they didn’t get along well?