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<blockquote data-quote="Marguerite" data-source="post: 381307" data-attributes="member: 1991"><p>We have friends with guinea pigs and they bring the spent straw to us (they change it far too readily, in my opinion) and we put it in our compost bins. </p><p></p><p>We have budgies, though, plus I just got back from a visit to the zoo. What you need to keep animals happy, is to make them work for their food a little. Change things around, make toys and use those to get to know what they like and don't like.</p><p></p><p>For example, today I watched the meerkats being fed. The keeper was tossing meal worms to the meerkats, but then she tossed a small hard plastic ball with holes. You now the sort, you find them in kiddie golf sets for example. And in the holes the keeper had put more meal worms (live food for meerkats). Their behaviour changed - they went for the balls and worked at them, trying to get the meal worms out. </p><p></p><p>Now, I have a couple of things for the budgies that you could adapt for the guinea pig to make her work at her food a little. One is a variation on the ball stuffed with meal worms - it's a rubbery egg shape with holes, a sort of parrot kong. I often stuff it with thistle for the budgies. This egg thing is weighted so it springs back up if they push it over. </p><p>Or we have a kebob - it's a stainless steel spike with a clip on one end. You can spike fruit on it, or other food, and then hang it up on the side of the cage for them to work at.</p><p></p><p>I'm thinking you could make a guinea pig kong out of a plastic drink bottle, by cutting holes and then stuffing in some lettuce, thistle or chickweed for the GP. I bought a cute budgie bath, but they don't use it. I made one for them that they love, out of a takeaway plastic container which I put marbles in the bottom of, to stop them tipping it out.</p><p></p><p>Also for GPs (and budgies) is safe wood to chew on. You can colour it if you want to make it look good, using food colouring.</p><p></p><p>Pet toys needn't be expensive. And if you have a lot, then change them around, it keeps them mentally stimulated and happy. It also helps the animal feel safer and more confident, making them a more enjoyable companion.</p><p></p><p>Marg</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="Marguerite, post: 381307, member: 1991"] We have friends with guinea pigs and they bring the spent straw to us (they change it far too readily, in my opinion) and we put it in our compost bins. We have budgies, though, plus I just got back from a visit to the zoo. What you need to keep animals happy, is to make them work for their food a little. Change things around, make toys and use those to get to know what they like and don't like. For example, today I watched the meerkats being fed. The keeper was tossing meal worms to the meerkats, but then she tossed a small hard plastic ball with holes. You now the sort, you find them in kiddie golf sets for example. And in the holes the keeper had put more meal worms (live food for meerkats). Their behaviour changed - they went for the balls and worked at them, trying to get the meal worms out. Now, I have a couple of things for the budgies that you could adapt for the guinea pig to make her work at her food a little. One is a variation on the ball stuffed with meal worms - it's a rubbery egg shape with holes, a sort of parrot kong. I often stuff it with thistle for the budgies. This egg thing is weighted so it springs back up if they push it over. Or we have a kebob - it's a stainless steel spike with a clip on one end. You can spike fruit on it, or other food, and then hang it up on the side of the cage for them to work at. I'm thinking you could make a guinea pig kong out of a plastic drink bottle, by cutting holes and then stuffing in some lettuce, thistle or chickweed for the GP. I bought a cute budgie bath, but they don't use it. I made one for them that they love, out of a takeaway plastic container which I put marbles in the bottom of, to stop them tipping it out. Also for GPs (and budgies) is safe wood to chew on. You can colour it if you want to make it look good, using food colouring. Pet toys needn't be expensive. And if you have a lot, then change them around, it keeps them mentally stimulated and happy. It also helps the animal feel safer and more confident, making them a more enjoyable companion. Marg [/QUOTE]
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