Peruvian Guinea Pig

Housing

Guinea pigs need at least eight square feet of floor space in their cages. They must have solid flooring as wire flooring can injure paws and break legs. Since guinea pigs are “prey” animals, they have two responses to a threat: Freeze in place or run away. This is why it’s very important that your guinea pig be able to move quickly without fear of being caught up on a wire. Your guinea pig will chew, so avoid cardboard boxes and be sure to inspect cage periodically.

Paper or pine bedding should be provided to allow your guinea pig plenty of comfortable nesting. Clean the cage at least once a week (twice a week is better) to remove any soiled bedding, food, or droppings. Each week, you’ll need to remove the old bedding, scrub the cage with warm water and rinsing thoroughly. This will help reduce odor and eliminate possible health problems.

[bt_taglinebox style=”top” width=”500″ font_size=”12″ text_color=”#5b5b5b” title=”Bedding” title_color=”#259b9a” align_center=”no” bgr_color=”#f6f6f6″]AVOID cedar shavings as they contain phenols which can be toxic to your guinea pig.[/bt_taglinebox]