Floor time/ exercise

	No matter how large your Guinea pigs accommodation is (though the smaller it is the more important exercise outside it is) you need to provide your guinea pig(s) with the opportunity to run free at EVERY day. We like to give our pigs at least 30mins per pair free exercise. This, like exercise for us humans helps keep them fit & healthy and prevents greedy guineas piling on the pounds! Exercise is especially important with boars to keep the muscles in good condition & reduce the risk of them developing impaction. What is more your pigs will enjoy it!
Floor time should take place in a 'pig proof' room where wires and plants are out of reach of curious little teeth, with no cats or dogs and no small spaces a guinea pig could get into where he would be difficult to retrieve. Make it as interesting for your pigs as possible by providing obstacles & toys. A brown paper bag and screwed up bits of news paper provide plenty of entertainment for my little ones! As do dandylion leaves hidden in different places!
	(Above: Prince & Spam enjoy hiding in their makeshift tent- under a blanket & a chair)Many owners are put off when their pigs are reluctant explorers at first. Please persevere as your boars will soon become familiar with their floor time surroundings & feel comfortable enough to explore, play run & popcorn to their hearts content! Entice them with a little parsley strategically placed.
Above and right: The lovely Basil & Mutley take over the conservatory for floor time! As you can see they are getting plenty of exercise& enjoyment out of the space owner Janet has setup for them. Perfect for colder days when outside is a no-no. Look they even have grass! Nothing encourages pigs to become active like the smell of food. If your boars are in pairs you may find this a little easier since pigs are braver & more playful with a friend to help them along. Provide your boars with plenty of hiding places
On nice days & with supervision piggy's love to get their exercise (& fill of grass) in an outside run. You must provide shade for them within the run though & introduce them slowly to grass to avoid the developing bloat.
	THE PERFECT RUN : Folds flat for storage. Has a lift off lid for ease of catching pigs. Has a solid wood lid for shade or rain. Has one solid side again for shade. Is high enough to have tunnels, houses or boxes to play Good catches for cats and prevent escapees Large but not massive Light weight so you can move it easy to better grass

Lap time:

Lap time is a time for you to get to know your guinea pigs. For you to enjoy each others company, build trust & bond. Unlike most small pets guinea pigs do not just tolerate handling. They like it. They need it! Here is how we like to enjoy our lap time: Cover the couch with a blanket so your little boy can climb down from you if he wants to. Have a pet blanket for your lap too if you like. If your pigs are in pairs you can cuddle them together or separately. Its up to you. Get your pig(s) from his quarters & place him on your lap. Gently stroke him. Let him explore you. Climb on you if he so wishes. If you feel comfortable lay down on your back on the couch & let your piggy run over you. He will no doubt come & sniff your face & probably end up nuzzled in the gaps between your & the couch!
The Moves (ways to pamper your piggy & win his heart)
The chin rub. Gently run your index finger along underneath your piggy's chin, top to bottom. Take off & repeat from top. They love this! Don't be surprised if your cheeky little fellow holds his chin high for more!
Above: The lovely REX Alfie (Belonging to my friend Kate) was the first piggy I ever saw flip over for a belly rub! What a sight & what a lovely laid back man! I have one of my own in the making. The lovely Hugo (Pictured at top of Lap time section) who also enjoys a belly tickle!	The belly stoke Some laid back pigs (particularly REX pigs) will lay put full stretch on you & flip over onto their tummy. This is a message: stoke my tummy! If you have a piggy like this you are very lucky so make sure you pander to his whims & indulge his belly tickling antics! You can rub the belly of a piggy who is stood on his feet by running your fingers underneath him. Please don't flip over your piggy & force him to get belly rubs... not all pigs like this position so its very much a voluntary thing on their behalf.

 

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Floor time Tips

Pens: When it is not possible to pig proof a room or you when you are too busy to supervise piggy floor time a large pen can be the solution. You can buy mesh pens intended for puppy's& rabbits for around £4 & your piggy's will run around in there provided you provide plenty to explore & the space is large enough. Making your own from Cube grids used to make c&c cages is another option.

For piggy's who get the full run of a room there are a few ways to help to make the room safe to play. If in doubt your pen can double up as a barrier to block of a dangerous feature.

Wires: Lift wires out of piggy's reach where possible. Covering it with plastic tubing or a cable tidy tube such as the JML one available at Woolworth's& Pound stretcher will help prevent nasty & fatal accidents.

Gaps: It is only when your piggy's are running about the room you really realise how pig proof it is. Even the fattest little porky guinea can fit into unbelievably small gaps. WE use cardboard boxes, pet carriers& blankets to block of every nook & cranny they could disappear down.

Mess! Providing plenty of newspaper particularly in the darkest hiding spots such as under desks & tables will help keep your room clean. My piggy's do most of their business on here as it must remind them of the cage. Plus they spend most time hiding in the dark corners where I have out the paper. There are often a few stray poop though from the lazy messy pig (do you have one too?) put they are easily picked up & thrown away.

Feet! Watch out for low to the ground piggy's as if you step on them they will be seriously, if not fatally injured. Therefore a room with young children in it is not usually a suitable free play area for a piggy.