[Gpdd] [CARE] <guinea pig exercise>

[Susan Eastin]

We have a lot of fun with boxes and coffee cans, too.  I took a square box
with a divider in it, turned it upside down and cut a window in one side,
then a door in the next, and so on, so that each 'room' has a door and
window.  One door has a flap where it is attached at the top, and they push
it open to go through.  The other door has a 'half door', same principle.
This is probably their favorite thing for floor time.  Snowy likes to lounge
just inside the doorway, so she can see out.  CocoPuff likes to give it a
shove or two til he gets it just where he wants it - I tell him it's not
supposed to be a mobile home!
(but I am thinking about making one . . .) A quick and easy 'tent' that they
love is a long, narrow pizza box from Mazzio's flatbread pizza, but any flat
box would do. Just stand it on edge, slightly open, forming a tent.
Sometimes they prefer it nearly flat, then they crawl under it and walk
around like a very large, square turtle.
I was able to cut both ends smoothly out of a large coffee can (I just
wouldn't use it if there were any rough edges to hurt little paws), and just
set it on the floor.  Sometimes I hide a bit of parsley or other treat in
it.  They love to go through it as they race around, often nosing it over
first to suit them. (they are both very picky about such things, but don't
always agree!)
They aren't interested much in conventional toys, but also love to play in
and on towels, throw rugs, any piece of fabric.  They now have their own
little blankies (a bit of favorite fabric) and pillows (soft socks turned
inside out, so that the foot part is completely inside the top. Very cushy,
and easy to wash.
Another part of their daily routine is when they first get out for floor
time, we have a log cabin that is always backed up to the fence, with a
section of 2x6 the length of the cabin between it and the fence.
They always find parsley and other treats on the roof (and they let me know
when there should be more!).  This gives them some good stretching exercise.
They don't run as much as they used to, at least not until I laugh at
something they're doing, then they act startled and run and hide.

Susi and the Okie Piggies
  ~Snowy & CocoPuff