With Guinea Pigs Cages Size Does Matter
One of the most important things that you can do to ensure your guinea pig’s health and happiness is to make sure your cavy has a nice clean home to live in, and that he has plenty of room to run around!
It isn’t difficult to please and house your pet cavy. They will be very content in one of the wide variety of guinea pig cages that you can find at your neighborhood pet store. They don’t require much to be happy in their home but they do have a few simple requirements: a secure cage so they can’t escape or another family pet can’t get in, a solid floor, the right kind of bedding material, a hideaway for privacy, and protection from extreme heat and cold.
As you will learn, or may have read in some of my other articles, cavies are very social creatures. They enjoy, and actually need, the company of other guinea pigs. If you are reluctant to keep two guinea pigs then you will need to plan on spending plenty of time with your pet to keep him from getting lonely and bored. If they get lonely or bored they will get depressed and may develop behavioral problems like chewing on itself. If you think you might be willing to raise two cavies then be sure to include that in your plans to choose and appropriate cage.
Size Does Matter
Where your cavy is concerned, the bigger the cage the better. Your pets need lots of room to romp around and get exercise, and the more exercise a cavy gets, the happier he’s going to be. Your cage also need to be large enough to accommodate space for their hideaways, their toys, their food bowl, and their drinking bottle.
Minimum cage area recommendations are as follows: somewhere between seven and eight square feet for a single cavy; somewhere between ten and eleven square feet when you’ve got two cavies; for every extra guinea pig in your cage you ought to have somewhere between two and three additional square feet of living space. This amount of room will give your cavies plenty of space for romping. Without adequate exercise your furry friend will get fat, and overweight cavies are more likely to develop health problems.
Given ample space your guinea pigs will be really playful, running laps around the cage running after each other, leaping and hopping!
Guinea pig cages mustn’t be a glass enclosure of any sort, such as a fish tank. These type of glass enclosures will not supply sufficient ventilation or clean air, two things your guinea pig requires. Additional fresh air also means that the cage will always be dryer, and this is a more healthy habitat for your pet. Cavies can tolerate the cold better than they can tolerate heat, and a well ventilated cage will allow heat to dissipate easier. However, you must be cautious not to locate the guinea pig cage in an area which is subjected to cold drafts. Cavies are susceptible to respiratory system difficulties, and when subjected to chilly, drafty, and damp conditions they could quickly develop pneumonia and die. Lastly, avoid guinea pig cages with wire bottoms because your pet can get their toes and feet caught in the wire mesh.
A little hideaway house of some kind is an essential element of your guinea pig’s home. Occasionally guinea pigs need somewhere to hide out and enjoy a little “alone time”. Something as simple as a bit of cheap pipe will certainly perform the job beyond adequately. Have a bit of fun assembling this hiding spot – your guinea pig is going to be happy!
It’s important to select the correct bedding material for your guinea pig cages. There are many type of bedding material available at pet stores. Just be sure you only buy products which are labeled as being bedding materials for caged animals, otherwise you could be getting something that looks similar, but may actually be harmful to your pet. I’ve found that the ideal bedding material is a mix of shredded paper product and cut hay. It is advisable to line the bottom of the cavy cage by using newspaper, after which you can arrange in a covering of the mixed bedding materials. The paper will absorb urine and the hay will stay dry, and give your cavy something to nibble on!
