Leash and harness for a guinea pig, how to choose or do it yourself

Walking outdoors is beneficial to all living beings. But rodents are very shy. They may get scared and run away, hide in such a way that it will be difficult to find them. Therefore, during the walk, guinea pig leashes and a carrier are used to deliver the pet to the place of the walk. You can buy them at the pet store or make your own.

Types of leashes

A collar for a guinea pig, like a dog, is absolutely impossible to use. In these animals, the neck differs little in volume from the head and torso. Therefore, if the collars are made loose, the rodents either slip in front of it or pull their head out of it. Pulling them tight can suffocate the animal.

For walking a pet, you should use special harnesses. They exist in three types:

• with a jumper on the back;
• “eight”;
• harness-vest.

Important! Before using the device, you should accustom the animal to it. To do this, you need to briefly put on a leash at home, gradually increasing the time the animal is in it.

Leashes are used to be able to use it to find an animal in the grass. In no case should you pull the animal along with force. In guinea pigs, the spine is not as mobile as in cats, dogs, or rats. If you use force, pulling the animal towards you, you can easily injure your pet. A fracture of the spine threatens the animal with death.

How to make your own guinea pig leash

It is not difficult to make such a device from strips or belts yourself. You just need to decide which option is most suitable for the animal.

Harness for a guinea pig with a jumper on the back of the straps

Before starting work, measurements of the volume of the neck and chest of the animal are taken.

Then materials are prepared:

• strips of thick fabric, straps or material for making bag handles (you can use the shoulders of old school bags);
• belt buckle with volume fixing pin;
  

  

• metal half ring;
• carbine;
• leash;
• thick sewing needle;
• strong threads.

The buckle can be replaced with a fastex clasp. These are used in jackets.

Then the volume will be fixed – it cannot be reduced or added. But putting on a harness will be easier and faster.

Now proceed directly to manufacturing. The step by step process looks like this:

1. Cut off strips of fabric or belt in length, making allowances for seams and fastenings of 4-5 cm.
2. First, the front part of the device is made in the form of a regular collar, sewing a buckle to one edge of the smaller strap.
3. Holes are made at the second end of the belt, with the help of which you can reduce or increase the volume of the collar.
4. Using the described algorithm, the second part of the device is made from a longer strip – it is put on near the armpits.
5. Both parts are connected by a piece of a belt or dense fabric on the back.
6. A half ring is fixed at the junction of the front part and the jumper.
7. They put a carbine on him.
8. Sew the leash for the guinea pig to the carabiner.

Harness with a jumper with a wide second stripe

The manufacturing algorithm for such a device is identical to that described. The only difference is that a wide strip of fabric is pulled through the armpits. The fastener is decorated with buttons or using a “zipper”.

Such a device is more convenient to use, less traumatic. But it is impossible to regulate the volume here. Therefore, as the pet grows, it will need to be changed to a larger one.

Do-it-yourself harness for a guinea pig in the form of an “eight”

Since in this device the straps cross on the chest and are fixed on the back, the animals cannot slip their front legs under them or slip out.

Important! Proper adjustment of the volume will save the pet from trouble. It is necessary to make straps of such length that they do not squeeze the neck, but also do not allow the animal to jump out.

Before work, take measurements in this way:

1. Apply a centimeter tape to the chest at the level of the front paws of the animal strictly in the middle.
2. Pass it through the armpit.
3. Bring the tape to the middle of the back.
4. Throw it over the same shoulder.
5. Bring the measuring tape to the starting point.

The number of centimeters will be equal to half the measurements needed for cutting.

Materials and tools will be required the same as in the previous master class.

Instructions:

1. Measure the strip with an allowance for fastening 4-5 cm.
2. A buckle is attached to one end, holes are made on the other.
3. Fasten the strap.
4. Twist it so that the center of the “eight” with the clasp is on the stomach.
   

   

5. After trying on, a jumper with a half ring is made on the back, or a half ring is immediately sewn on.
   

   

How to make a harness-vest at home

This is the most convenient and safest option. But here the master will need a tailor’s skill.

1. First you need to sew a pet vest made of thick fabric. A half ring for a carabiner with a leash is sewn to it.
   

2. Cut out a piece of dense fabric with seam allowances.
   

   

3. The edges are treated with oblique trim.
4. Fasteners are fastened in pairs to the ends of the protrusions. You can use belt buckles, fastex fasteners, buttons.
5. The leash is attached away from the neck, since the spine at the transition to the cervical region in guinea pigs is most vulnerable to injury. It is best to have a carabiner in the lower half of the vest.

When assembled, the vest looks like this.

Vest from an old sleeve

You can use the sleeve of an old sweater as a vest. It is enough to cut off a piece of the length you need (measured from the neck and just below the middle of the body), cut holes for the front paws, process the edges so as not to fray. Owning a hook, you can tie them with half-columns.

To begin with, we measure the girth of the neck and chest of the animal. We add a few centimeters to the resulting number – we need a margin for seams. Sew the fastener to one edge of the fabric. Then we attach limiters to each tape of material, which will allow us to control the tension force. After that, sew on the second trident.

What we got should be connected with a “jumper”. Next, you need to bend and sew the edges around the matter, having previously put a half ring on it. In size, the jumper should be equal to the length from the pet’s neck to its chest.

Now it’s time to make your own guinea pig leash: again, there’s no need to buy one. On one side of the fabric, an impromptu loop will be made for fixing in the hand. On the reverse – carefully sew on the carabiner, passing its edge through the loop. Then we fix the carabiner to the half ring and you’re done.

In order for the first walk to be successful, we recommend that you familiarize yourself with the rules of walking from our article “How to walk a guinea pig on the street”.

Video: what a guinea pig needs for a walk