Your guinea pig should feel at home in your home. your cavy will spend a great deal of time in his cage, and its important that the cage and furnishing provide your guinea pig with everything he needs to live a happy, healthy life.
A guinea pig can be housed in accommodations produced for rabbits and other small mammals. visit the number of pet stores to see the widest range of cage options possible. The major requirements of good housing are that it is spacious, sturdy, secure, and easy to keep clean.
The cage
Unfortunately, most pet animal, such as rabbit, hamster, gerbils, mice and guinea pig are kept in housing that is far too small to be regarded as adequate, the rule for guinea pig housing in that it should be as large as your finances will permit, and the larger the batter. the minimum size should be about 24*15 inches (62*38cm). such a cage will provide only enough room to serve as a sleeping and feeding facility. you must give your pet ample time outside of his cage in an outdoor exercise area or allow your guinea pig to roam freely in one room of your house .if two guinea pigs are to share the housing the cage size should increase by about 20 percent.
The cage should be ventilated on each of the four sides and the top and it should have a smooth, waterproof floor ,most cages have a top lid that latches securely although this is only necessary to protect the pet from other animals,a guinea pig cannot leap out of cage ,nor is he physically capable of climbing up the sides.
Bedding for guinea pig cage
It's important to use sensible quality bedding for your guinea pig’s hutch or cage so that they area unit snug and to stop sickness or injury. Your pets ought to be heated enough and therefore the bedding ought to be soft to shield their delicate feet. Guinea pigs, in contrast to another little pet, ought to ne'er be placed in cages or hutches that have a wire bottom. It must always be lined with a flat swish surface on that the bedding is often ordered.
Types of cage
The most common type of
guinea pig cage has sides made of wire bars that are fastened by clips to a plastic-type .the plastic-type tray is easy to clean and has high sides that help to prevent the bedding from being scattered by your pet.rnNever house pigs on a wireless floor. guinea pig have bare feet with no padding and walking on the wire is extremely uncomfortable, walking on open-wire bottoms is also dangerous to your pet.the guinea pigs small legs and toes can easily slip through the mesh, resulting in injury and permanent damage.
rnAnother method of making things more comfortable is to feature wire mesh in one area. which hopefully the pet will use as a toilet, with the rest of the floor is solid ,the guinea pig has small feet ,and therefore, it is important that if mash floors are a feature, there must be no danger of the guinea pigs nail getting tangled on the wire,solid floor cages are most comfortable ,allow a generous layer of bedding to be used, and are a more natural surface on which to walk.
Where in the house
After you purchase your guinea pigs cage, your next consideration should be where to place the cage in your home. your guinea pigs cage should be located in a place appropriate for the pet's needs and yours. Remember that guinea pigs want to be where the action is.
They are naturally curious and social animals, therefore you should place the cage in a location that is active and where you will spend most of your time. this way you can interact with your pet throughout the day.
The guinea pigs cage may sit on the floor or on a table whatever is most convenient but keep in mind that children must be able to reach the per easily so that he may be lifted safely from the cage. special consideration is needed if you have cats or dogs or other pets in the house .make sure these pets cannot get into the cage or knock it off the table.
A room that has natural light is a must, but never place a cage where it will receive direct sunlight, such as on a windowsill. the cage should not be facing doors where it could easily receive a draft during the colder months. another poor location for the cage is over a radiator.there will be a temperature fluctuation as the appliances go on and off and this could easily induce chills. the best choice for cage placement is a light and airy location, where the temperature will be the most stable, yet can easily attend routine chores and observe your pet without inconvenience.
The room temperature where you keep your guinea pig should be between 68sc and 74 scrnAnd should not fluctuate. Avoid exposing guinea pig cigarette smoke because .it will irritate their delicate respiratory systems.
The nest box
Cavies are very creatures .in the wild. they keep a low profile by retreating behind rocks, in bushes, or under leaves when resting or sleeping. if this need to retreat is not met, it will greatly increase their stress level, making them more susceptible to illness.
You can easily overcome their risk by providing a small nest box or similar hiding place. a nest box is a like a little house inside the cage. most guinea pigs also love to hop up on top of the nest box to perch and get a good view of their surroundings.` you can purchase nest boxes from pet stores. when shopping, look for one that is at least 12 inches long,9 inches wide, and 7inches high .it should be much larger than the pig himself. the box should have a door on one side and preferably a small window on each of the other three sides for ventilation and viewing. nest boxes can either be made of wood or crew resistant plastic.
Ideally, a nest box should not have a floor.there are two reasons for this, the first is for easy access to you pet.when you want to handle your guinea pig.you can just lift the house up. the second reason is for easy cleaning, all you need to do is remove the house and clean the floor underneath as you would the rest of the cage.
Plastic nest boxes have an advantage in that they can be washed with soap and water. wooden nest boxes should have the bottom edges covered with waterproof tape to prevent urine from siaking into the wood. a small cardboard box makes a good temporary nest box. Cardboard is literally temporary because guinea pigs love to chew cardboard is literally temporary because guinea pigs love to view cardboard and will eat themselves out of house and home in a few days.