[Gpdd] CARE: re: Cheap Hiding Places; Litterbox Training

[BunsnPigs at aol.com]

Since I am home with a virus, I thought I would post a few answers... don't 
usually have time!

Cheap hiding places - yes, those Rubbermaid or any brand stacking vegetable 
bins upside down are wonderful. I get the solids and the grid kind so you can 
see through some and not others. Makes for varying degrees of privacy for them 
and you. I also get regular Rubbermaid and cheap brand stepstools. AND for 
even more fun, Target sells the kids' stepstools in red and blue. They are all 
great and you don't have to cut a thing. 

Litterbox training. Ahhh... years ago I had a rescue piggy named Kenny. He 
was adopted and returned for not being 'smart enough'. Yet Kenny would run from 
one end of my house to another end (a good 30 feet) to jump into his cage 
bottom to pee and poop. Yep. He wasn't 'smart enough', though. What a stupid 
woman! Anyway, its been a long time since I've seen any 'Kenny's', but here is what 
I do if I have the time and energy:

I like making giant pens out of those cubes we use for making cubes and 
coroplast cages - use cable ties to tie them together and get hooks or clamps to 
clamp the ends. They fold flat for storage! Yeah! Anyway, put out a nice big pen 
in the kitchen or on a floor with vinyl or plastic bags covering the floor. 
Then cover with newspaper. 

For some reason, piggies love to pee on newspaper (usually). For me, peeing 
in a box is more important than pooping in a litterbox. I hate stepping and 
sliding on pee. 

Now, EVERY SINGLE TIME that pig pees or poops, tear off that newspaper piece 
that is wet with pee and put it in a litterbox with bedding. A little 
litterbox for kittens. Put poops in there, too. And then take Mr. or Ms. Pig and plunk 
him in there. Give a treat. A grape or something healthy but special. Pat on 
the head. Keep an eye out - this is a full time job. Next time you see pee or 
poo come out, immediately repeat this step, and do it over and over. After a 
few days of this, I guarantee the pig will use the litterbox at least 
sometimes. heh heh. 

Even better than the above method is putting the pen up in the kitchen or on 
vinyl flooring without newspaper. Then every time they pee or poop, use 
bedding to soak it up and put that in the litterbox with the pig. They then have the 
idea of using wet litter, which is a bit better than newspaper. 

Now I mean this.. you HAVE TO DO IT EVERY SINGLE TIME THEY PEE OR POOP ON THE 
FLOOR. There is no room for allowing for mistakes, because they just will NOT 
'get it'. 

If any of you have the time or wherewithall to try this, please let us know 
if it works. Oh, and if you SEE your piggy hop into the litterbox to pee and 
poop, by all means, give a treat. 

Please don't use yogurt drops or those sweet sugary things. By 'treat', I 
mean a raisin or cranberry or grape or a piece of apple (small small piece so you 
can do it again and again). Something special they love, even if its a sprig 
of parsley.

Judi Lainer
Metropolitan Guinea Pig Rescue
Springfield, VA
http://www.mgpr.org

Educator-in-Training, House Rabbit Society
MD/DC/NoVA Chapter
http://www.rabbitsinthehouse.org