So, you’ve decided a guinea pig is the next pet for you. Or maybe you’re still wondering if you should dip your toes in or not. I mean, what is this going to take? What guinea pig supplies are you committing to buying when you decide to get a guinea pig?
We’re going to take you by the hand and walk you through the basics. No need to get lost as you’re making this change in your life, and a lucky guinea pig’s life. So leave your worry at the door and let’s go get some guinea pig supplies!
The Shopping List For Guinea Pig Supplies
You’ve probably already considered what you’re going to be putting your new guinea pig in. Try and get the biggest cage possible! You can also consider building a cage to fit your space with storage panels like these.
Just be sure to include a private space where they feel like they can get away from the commotion of the house. This can be anything from a cardboard box to a fun castle hideaway.
If you’re going to be a guinea pig owner then here are the five guinea pig supplies that you’re going to be buying fairly regularly! The staples of the shopping list.
Wondering how often you need to clean your guinea pig cage? Check out Saskia's video about it on YouTube!
Hay
Hay is the king of all guinea pig supplies. Consider this the gas that keeps the piggies running. It’s important that guinea pigs eat hay. Which means it’s your job to get high-quality hay so that they’ll want to eat it.
Guinea pigs need the fiber and nutrients found in hay. They also need hay to keep their teeth from overgrowing. Guinea pigs need lots to chew! 2nd cutting Timothy hay is the most popular choice!
Bedding
Guinea pig bedding is what keeps your piggy’s house smelling great. As well as your house! Your pig needs absorbent bedding that is also safe to be breathing in all day.
You can read about all of the options for guinea pig bedding here, but soft paper bedding is the most popular choice for guinea pig supplies! This is super soft for your guinea pig’s sensitive feet and does a great job of keeping odors under control.
Some people fill their entire guinea pig cage with bedding, but if you’re using a large cage you’ll want a litter box. Guinea pigs can pick up on using a litter box fairly quickly!
Then you only need to use guinea pig bedding in the litter box as long as you have a soft surface for them to run around in the rest of their cage.
Food/Pellets
While guinea pigs spend most of their time eating at the hay pile, they also need some pellet food. This helps round out their nutrition.
Guinea pigs can’t make their own vitamin C so it’s important to look at the food you’re giving them to make sure they’re getting vitamin C from that.
If you’re giving your guinea pig plenty of other foods and hay, guinea pig food in the form of pellets may not be needed.
But for a beginner, we definitely recommend high-quality pellet food as you're shopping for guinea pig supplies.
Ashley H. | Review of Guinea Pig Food Pellets
My Boys Oreo and Smokey Look Forward to These
My boys Oreo & Smokey looks forward to these pellets. We ran out before another shipment came and they were not happy boys. It was for 2 days of the longest days until it came in. But all is well in our home now!! Thank you for the quality of your products.
Treats
You may not consider treats to be essential guinea pig supplies but our guinea pig friends told us otherwise. Guinea pig treats are a great way to bond. Especially if they’re healthy treats!
Hay cubes are nothing but hay so with this treat you don’t have to worry about upsetting your piggies stomach.
Healthy snackers are hay with a touch of fruit to make it a sweet treat.
These treats are leaps and bounds ahead of what you find in many pet stores. When shopping for guinea pig treats leave out the dyes and fillers. These can cause digestive upset and then you have a load of problems to add to your beginner plate.
Choose treats with simple ingredients.
Toys Are Essential Guinea Pig Supplies
Toys are much more necessary than you would initially think. When it comes to setting up a habitat for your guinea pig, it’s important to keep their mental and physical health in mind.
That means they need things to do! They need space to explore and move around. And they need a reason to get up and explore.
Using treats and toys to set up a space to explore keeps your guinea pig foraging for food.
And it keeps them curious about their space! If you take curiosity away then there wouldn’t be a reason to get out of bed in the guinea pig world.
Guinea pigs need to tug, pull, and push. Just like they would in the wild. They need natural objects to chew and nibble on. They need places to hide and places for things to be hidden! Don't leave these out when shopping for guinea pig supplies.
