All you need for a guinea pig – accessories list

In modern pet stores you can find everything for guinea pigs – various companies present a wide variety of accessories and toys. Many of them are necessary items, without which it is impossible to create the right conditions for a pet. Others can be dispensed with, but they help make keeping a guinea pig really comfortable. From our article you will find out what you need for a guinea pig, a list of all accessories is presented below.

What do you need for a guinea pig

These furry rodents are known for their unpretentiousness, but they still require certain conditions. First of all, a guinea pig needs a properly equipped habitat. This is a cage or aviary, as well as the most necessary accessories for eating and sleeping.

Cage or rack

Keeping a pig requires a fairly spacious cage with a plastic tray that will be easy to clean. To save space, you can buy a two-story shelving cage for your pet.

If the store does not have a suitable option, you can make a cage with your own hands, and old furniture can be easily screwed into a rack yourself.

Voliary

If possible, it is better to equip a spacious aviary cage for the pigs, where there will be enough space for movement. To walk the animal on the street in the warm season, light plastic or wire aviaries are also used.

House

In the cage, there must be a reliable shelter where the pet will rest and hide. If you choose a house with a flat roof, the pig will climb on it to observe others from the dais.

Filler

To make it easier to maintain cleanliness and comfortable conditions for the pet, it is important to choose the right filler. Sawdust or corn pellets are best, as they absorb liquids well and are also safe for rodents. Do not use cat litter to keep pigs.

Drinker

Pigs may drink more or less water, depending on the amount of succulent food. But it is important that there is always a drinking bowl in the cage filled with fresh boiled or filtered water. For these rodents, only hanging models with a metal ball are suitable.

Feeding trough

The diet of rodents includes dry and juicy food, so there should be two feeders in the cage. One for grain and granular mixtures, the second for pieces of vegetables, fruits, berries. Each bowl must be stable so that the animal does not knock it over. It is better not to use plastic that can be chewed, but to choose heavy ceramic bowls. The metal guinea pig feeder is conveniently attached to the bars of the cage.

IMPORTANT: If you keep several animals, it is recommended to purchase wide cat bowls with low sides. It will be convenient for pigs to eat together from such a feeder, without interfering with each other.

hay holder

The basis of the diet of guinea pigs is hay, so it should always be available in sufficient quantities. To prevent animals from trampling and soiling the hay, hanging metal or plastic holders are used. You can also make a sennik for guinea pigs with your own hands:

1. A square bag is sewn from dense fabric, in the lower part of which cuts are made through which the rodent will take out the hay. Attachments are sewn to the corners of the bag.
2. Elongated holes are cut into a plastic container of a suitable size. Hooks are attached to one of the edges to hang the sennik from the rods.
3. If you have experience, you can make a sennik out of wood, you will need planks of small thickness and a hacksaw.

Fresh hay can be prepared on your own, ready-made in bags purchased at pet stores. Before laying in the holder, it is recommended to sort it out.

Carrying

The carrier will be needed in order to deliver the animal home from the store or from the breeder. Guinea pigs are very shy, so they have a hard time with the road – reliable shelter will help reduce stress levels. Pet stores may offer you a disposable cardboard carrier with holes already cut for breathing, or you can bring a simple box from home. But it’s better to immediately buy a reliable plastic carrier – it will be much more convenient when traveling out of town or to the veterinarian.

Additional accessories for guinea pigs

Some products for guinea pigs will help make the life of pets brighter and more comfortable. These are various toys, beds, hammocks and other convenient devices.

Toys

Pigs love to entertain themselves with toys – in pet stores you can find various balls, coils that ring softly or rustle when rolling. It is better if the toy is made of natural materials, then the pet will be able to gnaw it without danger to itself.

Guinea pig tunnel

To fill the pet’s need for movement, fabric or plastic tunnels can be installed in the aviary or in the walking area. If you connect several parts together, you get a labyrinth through which the pig will travel with great pleasure.

Pet stores sell many types of tunnels, you can also make such a toy yourself:

1. Several rings are made of metal wire, the diameter should be such that the pig cannot get stuck.
2. Each ring is sheathed, fleece or other dense fabric is well suited for work.
3. The rings are interconnected with the help of pieces of fabric, at a distance of 10-15 cm.
4. Hooks are sewn to the edges to secure or hang the device by the bars of the cage.

As tunnels, you can use parts and pieces of pipes for plumbing. Usually they are made of durable plastic, which the pig will not be able to chew through. An interesting design will turn out if you sheathe pieces of pipes with a dense fabric of pretty colors.

You can also make a labyrinth with your own hands from cardboard boxes and thick paper. Cut holes in the walls of the boxes, connect them with paper tunnels, install barriers and shelters – the pig will explore the new toy with great interest.

Bed for guinea pig

Pets most often prefer to sleep in a house, but do not ignore soft beds and mattresses. These products can be selected at the pet store or sewn with your own hands. The guinea pig sleeping bag is especially popular:

1. Squares are cut out of the fabric, the dimensions depend on the size of the pet – about 10 cm is added to the length of the body of the pig.
2. An inner bag is sewn – a lining made of soft fabric.
3. The finished bag-wrong side is wrapped in a thin padding polyester, you need to leave 10 cm from the side of the hole.
4. The outer bag is sewn from a more durable fabric, an inner bag is laid into it along with a padding polyester.
5. The left 10 cm of the wrong side are turned outward and hemmed.

In such a sleeping bag, pigs feel protected, as in a shelter, so it is sometimes used instead of a house.

For the product, you can choose bright colors, but it is better to take fabrics that tolerate frequent washing well.

Hammock

Pigs are very fond of relaxing in a soft hammock, which is convenient to hang in a cage or aviary. You need to hang a hammock at a low height, no more than 10-15 cm from the floor surface, otherwise the pet may fall and hurt itself.

Clothes for guinea pigs

Unlike dogs, clothes for pigs are not sewn for walking – suits, dresses and other things serve only to decorate and create an image. Various costumes can be bought or made to order, you can also try to make clothes for guinea pigs with your own hands. The simplest outfit will come from a regular sock in bright colors:

1. The upper part is cut off to the heel, holes for the legs are cut out.
2. The edges are rolled up and neatly hemmed.
3. The fabric is decorated to the taste of the owner – beads, buttons, ribbons are suitable.

To make more complex, original outfits, you will need projects and patterns. You can find them online or make your own.

Leash and harness

To walk a rodent, a harness is sometimes used – it is best to choose models in the form of a T-shirt that tightly covers the body of the animal. The most convenient leash is a tape measure with a lock, but a regular leather or fabric cord will do.

Diapers

When free-range at home, the owners often want to protect the coatings in the apartment from puddles. For this purpose, you can purchase or sew fabric diapers, which are fixed on the body of the animal with Velcro locks. But the effectiveness of this method is doubtful – the pig will try to get rid of the diaper, and it will have to be changed too often. It is best to use a fenced area for walking a pet, which can be covered with a puppy diaper.

Do you need a wheel for a guinea pig

Some accessories are not suitable for these pets, and may even be dangerous. These items include a wheel and a walking ball for a guinea pig. These rodents do not have the same need for movement as hamsters or chinchillas, so you are unlikely to see guinea pigs running around on a wheel. Most often, it remains unclaimed, taking up a lot of free space in the cage. If the pet shows interest in the wheel or ball, he can easily get injured due to his clumsiness and insufficiently flexible spine.

Video: top 10 most dangerous things for a guinea pig