Care recommendations for guinea pigs
Here are our care and feeding recommendations based on 19+ years of experience taking in hundreds of guineas. We hope it helps you!
Table of content
Cages and Bedding
Cage Size Standards
- 1 pig: 7.5 square feet (~ 30”x 36”) is the bare minimum recommended
- 2 pigs: 7.5 square feet (minimum), but at least 10.5 square feet (~30” x 50”) is recommended
- 3 pigs: 10.5 square feet (minimum) but at least 13 square feet (~30” x 62”) is recommended
- 4 pigs: 13 square feet (minimum) but at least 30” x 76” is recommended
Most cubes (“grids”) are 14” square; the dimensions quoted above also allow for the connectors between the grids, so one grid is wider than one foot. DO NOT use grids with inner square spaces greater than 1.5” (such as the ones sold by Target). Some brands are a different size (15”) and will require different measurements, or you may need to overlap some grids using cable ties rather than connectors.
You can make your own coroblast base. Various sign, graphics shops, or home improvement stores sell coroplast. Here are instructions to create a base (remember: measure twice, cut once). You can also purchase premade coroplast bases from various online stores.
Warning: Babies, very young, very small guinea pigs, and pregnant mothers require some additional height on the sides of the cage (it's easy to do). In addition, wire hay racks should be used with caution with very small guinea pigs.
Sources for cages and cage components
- www.guineapigcagesstore.com
- https://kaveecage.net/
- Midwest Habitat Plus cage (non-C&C cage, we recommend 2+ cages for a pair or more)
- Amazon Basics jumbo cage (non-C&C cage, recommended for 1-2 guineas only)
If purchasing a premade (non-C&C cage), we strongly recommend that your guinea pigs get 30+ minutes of floor time each day. Finally, do not place cages in direct sunlight; too much sun can be lethal.
Bedding
Line the bottom of the cage with a good quality, soft-and-absorbent bedding that keeps your guineas warm and dry but keeps odors under control. It should be easy to clean up and biodegradable for easy disposal. There are several types of bedding available for guinea pig cages: paper, fleece, wood, and hay. We recommend paper and fleece bedding.
Natural paper bedding is the softest, most absorbent bedding, and it offers the best odor control. It also has very little dust, which keeps your pet healthy and cleaning easier. It’s made from sustainable sources, and it’s biodegradable and compostable. Urine is absorbed and poop settles to the bottom, under the bedding.
- Pros: You can spot-clean (replace) bedding where your guinea pig sits most often and then do a full cage-clean/replacement once a week.
- Cons: Ongoing cost of buying the bedding, and you may find that it spreads throughout the room/house.
Fleece bedding is very soft and reusable, making it good for the environment and cost effective. You can buy a large pad/piece to cover the entire cage and then smaller “pee pads” to place in spots where your guinea sits most frequently. If purchasing fleece from the fabric store, buy for 100% polyester anti-pill fleece (avoid wool blends and glacier fleece). And be sure to line the cage with at least 3 layers; bedding must be soft under foot or else guinea pigs can develop bumblefoot. Finally, we recommend buying/making two sets of bedding so you can put a clean set down while laundering the dirty set. Here’s a full guide to fleece bedding.
- Pros: No ongoing costs and doesn’t spread.
- Cons: Takes more day-to-day maintenance. We recommend sweeping the cage at least once a day and switching out pee pads at least every other day, if not everyday. Full cage launder once a week.
If you’re unsure of which bedding is right for you, start with paper bedding and then decide.
Toys and cage accessories
A number of toys require a cage size big enough for the toys and the guinea pig -- another reason to make sure you have a big enough cage for your cavy! The following items are more important than toys. Once you have these items covered to the best of your ability or situation, then be creative with simple and safe toys.
#1. ANOTHER GUINEA PIG (of the same sex)Guinea pigs are social, herd animals and are generally happier and healthier with another guinea pig. You see new behavior and a higher level of activity with two or more guinea pigs. If you get a friend for your guinea pig. Make sure it is of the same sex or one in the pair is neutered or spayed. Do not rely on a pet store to determine the sex of a guinea pig. For sexing information, see the Sexing page.
#2. A BIGGER CAGE Guinea pigs love to run around, chase each other and play little games between themselves. If your cage is not big enough, then a larger cage should be your top priority! Most of us start out making the same mistake of getting our first guinea pig at a pet store and usually buying the biggest pet store cage we can find thinking we are doing the best for our new pet. Now that you have found this site, hopefully you realize that even the biggest commercially available cages are just too small. Upgrading a too small cage should be a top priority.
#3. FLOOR TIME Even if you have a big cage, it is very important to the health and happiness of your guinea pig to get daily exercise. Floor time is more than lap time. It is providing a safe environment large enough for your guinea pig in which to run around and explore. Safe means protecting areas that your guinea may get into that he can't get out of, like behind refrigerators, inside chairs or sofas, behind immovable shelving, in walls, etc. It also means making sure wires are inaccessible, not just unplugged. Guinea pigs have been known to eat telephone cords and cause themselves major internal damage. Electrocution and fires from biting plugged in wires have also been known to happen.
#4. HIDEY HOUSES Guinea pigs need to feel safe. Every guinea pig should have at least one wooden structure in their cage, either a wooden hidey house or a wooden tunnel. These are used for chewing (good for the incisors -- the molars need lots of hay) much more often than most "chew" toys. With more than one pig and a large enough cage, you should have one extra hidey house for the number of pigs in a cage. For example, 3 pigs should have 4 hidey houses. That allows for a neutral 'place' and more peace in the group. Once you have at least one wooden house, you can get more creative with additional places to hide, like towel tents.
#5. FRESH HAY and LOTS of it! Hay is the most important element in their diet! If you just keep your hay in a hay manger or hay rack, try putting a big clump of hay in the cage, especially if it is fresh, green, great smelling hay! Nothing perks up a piggie more than a lot of fresh hay to run and play through and munch. It never fails to get them excited. Timothy hay or orchard hay is the best; alfalfa hay is high in calcium and should be given in limited quantities unless your guinea is very young or old. Make sure it is high quality soft hay as straw-like hay can cause eye injuries. Remove any soiled hay daily and replace with fresh as it can stay damp and cause health problems. If you have provided your guinea pigs with the items listed above, then consider adding a little toy variety to their life. Just be aware that most guinea pigs will pretty much ignore most 'toys.' That's why the above list is so important. Those are the items they REALLY care about! Now, on to toys…
Many commercial toys (cat balls with bells inside, for example) can come apart leaving dangerous small pieces in the cage. Some have caused serious damage with vet care required. Be creative but think safety first. Some pigs love one type of toy, others will ignore them. Some guinea pigs get bored or frustrated after a while. It's good to experiment and give them variety. Keep in mind that most guinea pigs will ignore most 'toys' -- usually the simpler the better. Regardless, change out the toys, houses, and locations of toys and houses frequently.
Keep toys, houses, and food dishes AWAY from the walls and corners of the cage. Always make sure the perimeter of the cage is free and clear for maximum run and exercise space.
FREE Toys (or almost)
- Crumpled-up pieces of paper Very simple, but the piggies love them. Plain paper is better. They will probably chew on it and eat it. Occasional paper eating is okay.
What NOT to use
- Large exercise balls Very bad for guinea pigs and can cause crippling injuries to backs, feet, and toes
Diet
Recommended feeding:
- 1 cup of mixed veggies per pig per day
- For guineas over 6 months: Unlimited timothy hay (if someone in your house is allergic to timothy hay, you can substitute orchard hay)
- For baby guineas: Unlimited alfalfa hay
- ⅛ - ¼ cup pellets (we recommend Oxbow)
- ½ - 1 Oxbow vitamin C tablet
Do not feed rabbit pellets or pellets designed to be fed to other animals, which may contain deadly antibiotics, choking hazards, or animal products.
Note: Vitamin C must be provided in a daily vegetable intake and through supplementation. We do not recommend vitamin C drops in the water, this not only deteriorates but tastes nasty. Do not rely on pellets being the sole source of vitamin C, the vitamin C in pellets deteriorates after time. Any food over 6 months from date of manufacture should be considered devoid of vitamin C.
Fresh food
Refer to our Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Guide
Vegetables: Romaine or Green Leaf Lettuce, Green Bell Peppers, Cucumber, Dandelion Greens, Alfalfa Sprouts, Asparagus, Carrots, Celery, Cilantro, Collards, Endive, Green Beans, Mustard Greens, Parsley, Parsnips, Pumpkin, Red Peppers, Squash, Swiss Chard, Tomato, Turnip Greens
Fruits (in very limited quantities):Apple, Peach, Pear, Blackberry, Blueberry, Cantaloupe, Cranberry, Seedless Grapes, Honeydew Melon, Kiwi, Orange, Papaya, Pineapple, Raspberry, Strawberry, Watermelon
Grooming
Guinea pigs typically need minimal grooming and are fairly simple to care for. Grooming guinea pigs includes nail trimming, coat brushing, and occasional bathing.
Nail trimming
Trim guinea pigs’ nails using nail trimmers meant for cats — either scissor-style clippers or guillotine-style ones. If two people are available for the task, one person can gently hold the animal close to his/her body, supporting it with a hand under its chest and abdomen so that its legs aren’t dangling, while the other person does the clipping. If only one person is available, the guinea pig can be gently burrito-wrapped in a towel and held “football-style” under one arm, leaving both of the owner’s hands free for clipping. Here are instructions.
Coat brushing
Typically, guinea pigs need to be brushed only once or twice a week to minimize shedding. Brushing also gives an owner a chance to monitor their pet’s skin for parasites (such as mites or lice), lumps, or crustiness — all of which warrant a trip to the veterinarian. Short-haired breeds typically do not need to be brushed more than once a week. Long-haired breeds should be brushed several times a week to prevent their long, flowing hair from becoming matted.Narrow-toothed pet combs are best to use on guinea pigs, as their hair is fine; wide-tooth combs may be ineffective, as they may not catch such fine hair between the teeth. Hair combs designed for guinea pig or rabbit hair are commercially available in pet stores, and fine-toothed combs designed for cats can be used as well.
Bathing
In general, guinea pigs do not need to be bathed unless their skin or hair becomes soiled with urine or feces. A simple “butt bath,” in which the pet’s hind end is shampooed and rinsed in the sink, with a towel in the basin to prevent slipping, is all that is needed. Long-haired breeds may need more frequent bathing, as their hair may become matted and dirty more easily.Guinea pigs do not typically like to be immersed in water, so just 1-2” of warm water in the sink, with a sink sprayer to rinse off the shampoo, works great. Non-medicated soap, such as liquid Dawn or Ivory, or any mild pet shampoo, is fine. Be sure to rinse off thoroughly. Towel-drying is all that’s needed after a bath, though if it’s very cold, a warm hairdryer set on low can help dry long-haired breeds quickly.
Dental care
Guinea pig's teeth are "open rooted" and grow continuously throughout their lives. They wear down the surfaces of their teeth by chewing on high fiber hay every day. They also need daily vitamin C supplementation to keep their teeth and gums healthy. Guinea pigs’ teeth don’t need to be brushed or cleaned by a veterinarian. However, guinea pigs that do not eat hay and simply eat crumbly, dry pellets do not wear down their teeth properly and frequently develop tooth root impaction (like wisdom tooth impaction in people) which leads to pain on chewing, drooling, and/or decreased appetite. If you see these signs, the guinea pig needs to see a vet.
Handling
- Placing one hand under or around their chest area.
- Lifting and supporting their hind legs with your other hand.
- Holding them close to your body for security.
It’s better for children to stroke and feed treats to your guinea pigs rather than pick them up. Ask your child to sit in a secure area where your guinea pigs can run free around them. Guinea pigs will then usually come up to take treats and, once they’re used to each other, a child might be able to gently stroke them.
Veterinarians
- Westgate Pet and Bird Hospital Austin, 512-892-4463
- Dr. Miller at Agave Veterinary CareLeander, 512-559-6300
- Everhart Animal Hospital Corpus Christi, 361-854-1439
- ABC Animal & Bird Clinic Sugarland, 281-495-9445
- Gulf Coast Veterinary Specialists Houston, 713-693-1111
- Dr. Gates at Universal City Animal Hospital Universal City, 210-658-6326
- Dr. Ariana Finkelstein, Mission Pet Emergency San Antonio, 210-737-7373
- Town and Country Veterinary CenterKilleen, 254-634-0391
Recommendations and links
Health and emergency info- www.guinealynx.info/emergency.html
Bedding:
- Fleece bedding—GuineaDad, Amazon (verify cage size before buying), pads
- Paper litter—Aspen, CareFresh
Hideys, chew things:
Hay and guinea pig food (pellets):
Cage accessories:
