Guinea pigs are lovely pets and are a lot of fun to hold and keep at home. Many guinea pig owners don’t know how to keep their pets from getting bored while they spend time in their cages. While you may be tempted to get more guinea pigs when you first get a pet, this may not be the only solution to guinea pig boredom.
Guinea pigs can have fun with various enhancement items. You need to make sure your guinea pig is not bored so that he doesn’t show any symptoms of stress or worry. Ensuring your guinea pig is getting everything it needs from its daily environment is more than just feeding and watering.
If you want to learn more about environmental enrichment for guinea pigs, read on.
What do guinea pigs need?
Guinea pigs need access to adequate food, clean water and bedding every day. Guinea pigs also don’t thrive without some kind of fun object that allows them to play, interact with their environment, and do things that regular guinea pigs do in the wild.
You can add another guinea pig to the cage to give your original pet a friend to play with, but both guinea pigs will need reinforcement items to keep them from becoming bored or destructive. As with many small exotic pets who are forced to live in cages, their environment needs to be kept fresh and enjoyable every day to support their mental health.
Indoor Guinea Pig Essentials
play space
The first thing you need to check is whether your guinea pig has a place to play outside of its cage. Guinea pigs often need about 2-3 feet of space to be happy every day outside their cages. Many people set up a guinea pig play area with a safe floor and fences to keep the guinea pig safe in the house.
These areas include wicker baskets, small chew toys, snacks and other fun things. Guinea pigs like to burrow, hide, and pop out when playing. Appropriate baskets or boxes filled with hay can encourage this kind of play.
keep fresh
Changing items in cages and playpens daily keeps them fresh and keeps pigs from getting bored or fighting with each other. When giving treats and treats, control the amount so that the pig does not become overweight.
Add enhancement items
If you are considering items to feed your cage, you can add hard plastic balls, cardboard boxes, shredded paper, and guinea pig toys to your living space. If you have two pigs, make sure there is enough room in the cage for both pigs, and make sure there are multiple items for the pigs to play with so they don’t fight.
the more the better
Guinea pigs are very territorial with toys and food, so more is always better than less.surely bedding Guinea pigs like to burrow and build their own nests, so being able to move and stack within the cage is also important. Always have enough bedding in the cage to accommodate this need.
Consider outdoor play
Guinea pigs love to go outside and play, so if you have a safe place outside for your guinea pig, going outside once in a while can be of great benefit. You can use the toy to move your guinea pig to this safe place outside and enjoy your guinea pig’s antics. When you take your guinea pig outside to play, make sure it is neither too cold nor too hot.
Supervision is also necessary when pigs are playing outside. Hawks and other predators will regard these little men as a delicious treat if left alone. Pigs love grass, so if you can provide a corner of your yard with grass for them to play in, they will love adding this to their routine.
What toys are unsafe for guinea pigs?
Always avoid toys with bells or small objects that can come off and be eaten by accident. Plastic toys are usually completely safe, but toys that contain small parts can pose a choking hazard and intestinal blockage problems for your guinea pig.
Many people buy cat toys for their guinea pigs, and this is often enough. Always supervise your child when he is playing so he doesn’t eat pieces of chew toys and cause health problems.
Guinea pigs are happy to play in cardboard boxes and hay most of the time. If you don’t want to buy expensive toys, you don’t have to go crazy. Guinea pigs keep themselves happy pretty easily with just some hay, a box, and a little sunshine.
Guinea pigs can get bored too
It is important to ensure that your guinea pig has adequate access to mental stimulation. Pets are easy to care for, but without a change of scenery and access to fun things like boxes and shredded paper to play with, guinea pigs can get very bored. Keeping your guinea pig mentally stimulated is pretty easy most of the time. You probably enjoy watching them play as much as you enjoy playing them.
Guinea pigs are relatively easy to care for, and it’s easy to give them mental stimulation with a change of scenery or a new play box. Guinea pigs love to hide, hunt, and dig tunnels, so just giving them a new place is enough. These activities could be all they need to be happy.
Our Exotic Veterinarians Answer Guinea Pig Questions
If you have any questions regarding guinea pig habitat improvement or anything related to this furry companion, our exotic veterinarian I’m here to help!give Louisiana State Avian and Exotic Animal Hospital phone (504) 455-6386.