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COMPLETE Guinea Pig Cage and Care Guide

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This list is full of everything you will need to properly house guinea pigs! Guinea pigs MUST be kept in (at least) groups of two, housing guinea pigs by themselves is illegal in other countries and most shelters won't let you adopt just one! Remembe...
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Cage and Bedding

Minimum cage size for guinea pigs is 2 feet by 4 feet, anything less is actually illegal in some countries! Rodents = SPACE

 
Madison L Knopf profile picture
This cage is super easy to set up, but it is the SMALLEST you can go, bigger is always better. When setting it up, do not use the divider, let your guinea pigs live communally without separation.
Midwest Guinea Habitat Guinea Pig Cage, 47" L X 24" W X 14" H | Petco
 
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These grids are my favorite for a DIY setup. There are lots of tutorials on youtube on how to make your own cage!
SONGMICS Pet Playpen, Fence Cage with Bottom for Small Animals, White
 
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Paper bedding makes spot cleaning easy (which must be done once a day)! You can use paper bedding, but it isn't very cost effective. It's best to use reusable liners and wash them weekly!
Premium Unbleached Small Pet Select Bedding - Chewy
 
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These are amazing, they come in so many colors, are water resistant, and easy to machine wash. Highly recommend a resuable liner like these!
Mooydee 2 Pack Guinea Pig Cage Liners 57x28
 
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This company is awesome when it comes to DIY cage set ups! You can order the base for your cage to a custom size and color
Coroplast® Bases | C&C Guinea Pig Cage Liners | Guinea Pig Habitat

Hides, toys, and more

One hide per pig, plus an extra, is recommended. So 2 pigs = 3 hides.

 
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Snuffle mats are great enrichment for hiding treats and forage in!
Bunny Rabbit Snuffle Mat: Foraging Enrichment Toy
 
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These cozy cups are so cute and washable!
Stay Open Guinea Pig And Small Animals Fleece Cuddle Sack
 
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I've never met a guinea pig or bunny that didn't LOVE these chew sticks!
Tiny Paws Apple Chew Sticks
 
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Adding a tunnel is a fun way to encourage play and enrichment!
Full Cheeks™ Small Pet Crinkle & Hide Tunnel
 
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These are super cute and add a nice pop of color or pattern to your setup!
Mygeromon Guinea Pig Bed Warm Rabbit Hideout Washable Winter Fleece Sleeping House for Chinchilla/Bunny/Ferret
 
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I love these wooden hides, but they can be tough to clean. They are great chew toys too, chewing is inevitable!!
EveryYay Chewable Woodland Hideaway for Small Animals, Large | Petco
 
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These bridges are a beautiful natural hide and another great chew toy!
EveryYay Bend-A-Bridge Chew Toy for Small Animals
 
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I love this tunnel, I buy them all the time! These are so so much better than the ones made of shredded hay and glued together with unnatural, inedible glues.
Oxbow Timothy Club Small Animal Timothy Tunnel
 
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I have so many of these for my pigs, they add great texture to the cage and my girls love to snuggle on them. Also great for sprinkling treats in to encourage foraging!
17"x24" Everyday Chenille Bath Rug Pink - Room Essentials™

Diet

Hay = 80%, Veggies = 25%, Pellets = 5%. Water and hay should be unlimited and come from multiple sources. 

 
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Forages can be mixed into hay or sprinkled throught the cage to promote natural foraging behaviors. This one is affordable and has whole ingredients!
Kaytee Food from the Wild Medley Rabbit/Guinea Pig Treat, 1 oz. | Petco
 
Madison L Knopf profile picture
In my experience, this waterbottle works great! No leaks, affordable, and looks simplistic.
Kaytee Chew Proof 12 oz. Water Bottle
 
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Vitamin C supplements are NOT NEGOTIABLE! Guinea pigs can't produce vitamin c and will get scurvy if not supplemented through these treats or in their veggies. STAY FAR AWAY from the liquid kinds that you mix into water.
https://www.chewy.com/oxbow-natural-science-vitami...
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Madison L Knopf profile picture
Oxbow is a great brand and this specific line of pellets is so good. It's cheap and doesn't have all the extra fillers that will bloat and block your guinea pig.
Oxbow Garden Select Adult Guinea Pig Food
 
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Hay is best bought in bulk! You can buy from small farms, but this product is a great substitution if that's not available. Hay should never be limited and given freely, not in a hay ball or hay bag.
Oxbow Animal Health Western Timothy Hay - 100% Timothy Hay for Western Premium Quality, 5 lb or 6 lb Bag - Chewy
 
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Air tight containers are so easy for meal planning veggies for your pigs. This way you can perfectly portion! A game changer for pet sitters too
FoodSaver 2pk 3 Cup Preserve and Marinate Vacuum Containers

Cleaning

 
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These little dust pans are perfect for spot cleaning, the bristles are nice and sturdy, perfect for sweeping up hay and poo!
3 Pack Mini Hand And Dustpan Set Small Pans With Brush Set Cleaning Tool For Desk Car Pet Cage And Animal Waste Microfiber Dusting Gloves Floor Scrub Brush Washing Pods Laundry Wooden Vegetable Brush
 
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This is the only laundry detergent i’ll use for my pets, but you can also just use plain vinegar! Make sure everything’s unscented :)
All Unscented Free Clear for Sensitive Skin HE Liquid Laundry Detergent 58 Loads - 73 fl oz
 
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You can use this to wash your pets laundry and to spot clean any surfaces that might get dirty!
Organic White Cleaning Vinegar | 5% (50 grain)
 
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This handheld vacuum is great for spot cleaning poo and hay. It’s powerful and easy to clean out!
WHALL Cordless Handheld Vacuum, Wet/Dry 2-in-1, Powerful Suction, LED Light, Ultra Lightweight & Portable