Setting up your guinea pig habitat is so much fun. You may not have enough money to remodel your house, but remodeling your guinea pig’s enclosure is much more affordable, and it gives you all of the fresh vibes you get from a new space.
It makes a huge difference in your guinea pig’s well-being too. There are always new ideas to incorporate or toys to rotate through. If you can give your guinea pig more space, that’s the most exciting change of all! More space means more room for movement and more room for toys and other fun inside their enclosure.
Saskia is talking all about toys for guinea pigs on YouTube!
The Structure Of Your Guinea Pig Habitat
As you probably know, a pet store isn’t going to have a cage the size your guinea pig needs for their enclosure. The best way to set up your guinea pig’s space is by building it yourself.
There are kits you can buy marketed specifically for guinea pigs where you put together panels in the shape and size that works for you and your home. The bigger the better! Using multiple layers helps get more ground space without taking up too much room in your house.
You’ll need solid flooring that is easy to wipe down and a litter box full of bedding for the bathroom.
Filling Your Guinea Pig Habitat
Once you have the framework, you can start to arrange your guinea pig habitat and make it a space they can interact with. A happy guinea pig has room for hideaways, enrichment, and space to run.
Hideaways
As prey animals, guinea pigs need a space to go to when they sense danger or feel stressed by their environment. A Hideaway is a safe place to wind down and take a nap. It’s an excellent place to go when the TV is suddenly loud or the human’s dinner smells weird. The security that a hideaway brings lowers your cavy’s overall stress.
If you have multiple guinea pigs living together, it’s a good idea to give them each their own hideaway. They may want to all huddle together in one, but sometimes they need their own space and it’s nice to give them some privacy if they want it.
Hideaways also give them a landmark and a place to hide toys or search around as they explore their guinea pig habitat. Small Pet Select has hideaways that can be connected with a Bridge.
Foraging Areas
Wild cavies spend their days foraging for roughage. This keeps their teeth healthy but it also gives them problems to solve and materials to explore. Foraging keeps their body and mind healthy! Set up areas in their enclosure where the goal is to explore. Embrace the mess!
Their hay pile can be a foraging area. Mixing in different types of hay makes the pile more exciting! Herbal Blends also give them something to search for. Just make sure you don’t add foods to their hay pile that you aren’t sure if they like yet. You don’t want to discourage them from eating their hay!
An engaging space is one that isn’t the same every day. Adding new leafy greens to the daily spread keeps their taste buds busy and their mind curious.
A surprise for them to find in their hideaway is a fun way to treat them as well. Imagine waking up and having no idea what you’ll find that day - you’d feel like a kid, am I right? Keep your fur baby engaged in their daily life.
Hay Cubes are perfect surprises to add to their space. They’re simply hay pressed into cubes so your cavy’s digestive system is happy and they get a new texture to chew on.
Toys and Chews
Toys and Chews add to the foraging life! They bring more roughage and more problems to solve.
“Why is this stick stuck in the corner?”
“Does this fidget stick have a new flavor?”
“How do I taste this ball without it rolling away from me?”
“When did this log get here?”
“How many guinea pigs does it take to unravel this?”
A guinea pig habitat is not complete without toys and chews. The best toys are the ones that double as a snack. Those are also the safest toys because you know your guinea pig likes to make everything a snack anyways!
The simplest toys like sticks, logs, and hay balls are all you really need but sometimes you might be looking for something more.
Some other engaging toys and items you can add to their space are:
a mobile (or two)
a Dig Mat or Seagrass Mat
Drawer Puzzles
Play Table
tunnel
Time Outside Of Their Guinea Pig Habitat
A guinea pig needs time outside of their enclosure every day. This can be their most engaging time of the day! This is usually when they get most of their interaction with you as well.
Create a space in your home that is guinea pig-proof so your cavy is free to explore in a safe environment. Cord Covers are a great idea to make a room safe for some roaming.
You can also arrange a space where your cavy can go under and over tunnels or ramps. Watching your cavy enjoy the fun space you created makes the effort worth it! This is what we pet parents love.
We are not veterinarians, and none of our information should be construed as veterinary advice.
Before adding any new product, please consult your exotic veterinarian. If your pet is acting unwell and you have concerns for their well being, please contact your vet immediately.
