Materials/Supplies Need

Posted on March 01, 2010 by Xaffect

When getting a Guinea Pig there are some items that are a one time purchase and other that will need to be purchased weekly, biweekly, or monthly (all depending on how many Guinea Pigs you have and how much of the item you buy.) Here is a quick overview of everything you will need. Please note that every item listed we will go more into detail as time goes on and I will update this with links.


What you need before you adopt
You will need a cage! Please view our cage section to see exactly what you need. Cages rang from $60 to $300! You will also need a water bottle, a food dish, a hidey house (or something for them to hide in and sleep in), and some toys! Check out our toys section for more info. All of those are one time purchases. However you will need to buy other supplies before you adopt that are not one time purchases. These are;

Bedding; Bedding can rang from $6 to $25 all depending on the quantity and type of bedding you purchase. (I will write more on bedding later and I will update this with the link when I do) Bedding will need to be changed on average once a week, however the bigger the cage the less it needs to be cleaned but the more bedding is needed. Types of bedding include: Soft wood shavings[IMPORTANT: DO NOT USE CEDAR! CEDAR IS TOXIC TO GUINEA PIGS!!!] , Hay, News paper, and Cell-Sorb (or others like it) are the most common.

Food! You need Guinea Pig food! Your Guinea Pig is mainly going to eat Pellets. Rabbit, hamster, mouse, rat, or another type of pellets OTHER then Guinea Pig pellets will NOT work! All small animals need different types of vitamins and proteins to survive, for example Guinea Pigs do not produce vitamin C on their own so it need to be supplemented in their food! Food ranges from $5.99 to $25.00. Your Guinea Pig will also need a constant supply of Hay! Guinea pigs should always have hay accessible at all time! There are all kinds of hay that you can purchase for your Guinea Pig. (we will go more into detail at a later time) Hay can range from $6 to $25 again depending on the amount and the type. Also your Guinea Pig will need fresh vegetables and fruit! Prices for fruits and vegetables vary greatly so check your local market or grow your own! Lastly you should get some treats for your piggie. Everyone likes a treat now and then, so why not a Guinea Pig too?

Finally you will need a scale. This is to weigh your Guinea Pig regularly so you can tell if he/she is getting sick. If there are drastic changes in weight then you should visit your vet ASAP.
A quick overview:




  • A Cage

  • Food Dish

  • Water Bottle

  • Hidey House

  • Toys

  • Bedding

  • Guinea Pig Pellets (food)

  • Hay

  • Fresh Vegetables and Fruit

  • Treats

  • A scale





Lastly do not forget about a Guinea Pig first aid kit. I decided not to include this as materials need because you can substitute this with a quick visit to the vet, however you should still purchase some simple Guinea Pig first aid supplies, because you never know when your piggie might get sick! This will be covered in a later article.

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Cages/Housing

Posted on February 28, 2010 by Xaffect

Our Guinea Pigs live inside our apartment with us. We have a total of three cages, and a total of 9 Guinea Pigs. Our Guinea pigs are kept in our most used areas such as our office and our living room, this way they get the most attention from us and we can constantly monitor them for any change in behavior that may indicate they are ill. I highly recommend keeping your Guinea Pigs indoors with you, the benefits are just to great to even think about keeping them outside. When they are outside they are exposed to the weather (and most of the U.S.A. is NOT their climate zone!) plus they are exposed to predators such as birds, cats, dogs, and even snakes.

So you are keeping your Guinea Pig(s) inside! Great! Now you need a cage. You can buy a pet store cage or build your own, it doesn't sound like many choices but it really is. Before we get into the pros and cons of pet store cages and self built cages, you need to know what every cage needs. First off, the most important thing, ROOM! Your cages need enough room for your Guinea Pigs! Guinea Pigs require a lot of room, as they actually get kind of large. Here is a simple guide to what size cage you should have:









1 Guinea Pig 7.5 Square Ft.
2 Guinea Pigs 7.5 Square Ft.
3 Guinea Pigs 10.5 Square Ft.
4 Guinea Pigs 13 Square Ft.


Remember with Guinea Pigs MORE IS ALWAYS BETTER! The table above is only a general rule. If you do not have the room the accommodate a large cage then you need to make sure your Guinea Pigs get more floor time. They need the exercise and mental stimulation. Our cage is 9.4 square feet, and this is plenty of room for our 4 Guinea Pigs that we keep in it. We do let them out of the cage a lot but they have plenty of room inside the cage to run around and play.
Okay now you know your cage needs to be large, the second thing your cage needs is to breath. Your cage needs to allow air in. Another words; glass and Plexiglas cages are generally a bad idea. Guinea Pigs like and need fresh air. However you can have a glass and Plexiglas cage so long as the opening on the top is large enough to allow air in.

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Thinking of adopting a Guinea Pig?

Posted on February 27, 2010 by Xaffect

If you are thinking of adopting a guinea pig here is what you need to know before you adopt one. Before you can adopt a guinea pig there is a lot you need to know and need to consider. Guinea Pigs are a big responsibility, they require a lot of care and attention. However they are also great pets to have!



1.) Guinea Pigs; as pets.

Guinea Pigs make great pets! They are intelligent, curious, and funny animals. Guinea pigs rarely bite, they may nibble on you every now and then but that is just instinct, they love to chew on things! However some Guinea Pigs that are not used to being handle or are handled improperly can bite, and bite hard. Each Guinea Pig has his/her own personality. Some Guinea Pigs are very comical, some love to cuddle, some love to run, and others are very shy. Your Guinea Pig will develop its own personality that is unique to him/her. Guinea Pigs can also live from 5-7 years (or even longer if kept very healthy), so your Guinea Pig will have many happy years with you.


2.)Housing.

Guinea Pigs, as pets, are indoor animals. Why? Well simply because Guinea Pigs are animals of prey. If they are kept outside you are exposing them to possible threats from animals such as birds, snakes, cats, and even dogs. That's not the only reason though, you are also exposing them to the weather such as cold and rain. Guinea Pigs need to be kept inside, they will enjoy it more plus if one gets sick you will notice faster, or if they want something they can sequel to get your attention. Not only that but they will get more attention from you over all. Okay so now that's settled what do you keep the Guinea Pig in? Well obviously it needs to be a cage. Please be sure the cage is big enough for your guinea pig, remember the bigger the cage the happier the Guinea Pig(s)... Also big cages are A LOT easier to clean. More on cages in a later posting.


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