Basic equipment for the Cavia
Guinea pigs are social animals that should always be kept together with at least one congener. Guinea pigs need enough space to be able to move around. Exercise is important for their health. Two guinea pigs need at least 0.9 square meters. For each animal, an additional 0.3 square meters is added. Of course bigger is always better. With this basic furnishing we assume a stay for 2 guinea pigs.
Ground cover
Guinea pigs need a soft, dust-free bedding that absorbs well. We think the Bunnybedding Easy Plasmat 112 cm is a very nice bedding for guinea pigs. This is a soft dress made of anti-pilling fleece with absorbent molton. The urine is absorbed into the molton. The guinea pigs always keep dry paws. Depending on the size of the accommodation, a minimum of 2 plasmas are required. The plasmas can be washed at 60 degrees.
shelters
Guinea pigs don't like it when their enclosure is too open. It is therefore important to offer several shelters. We recommend choosing one house where all the guinea pigs fit together and also having a smaller shelter for each animal. The Trixie Corner House Jesper 52 cm is very suitable as a large shared house. It is spacious and has two openings. A house with two openings is nice so that the animals can always get out easily if they are in the house with several guinea pigs. We chose the Trixie Braided Willow Bridge 24 cm as a second shelter. The guinea pigs can hide in this, but can also gnaw on it to their heart's content! As a last shelter we choose the JR Farm Bergweide Hay House Medium. Like the willow bridge, this house is completely edible.
Hay
Hay is very important in a guinea pig's diet. The guinea pigs must have unlimited hay available to them. The Vitakraft Alpine Pasture Hay 1 kg Vitaverde contains a natural content of tasty herbs and is generally very well eaten by the animals.
Hay rack
The Trixie Metal Hay Rack to hang 20 cm with roof ensures that the hay stays neatly together. The rack is made of gnawing-resistant material and will therefore last a long time.
Toilet
Guinea pigs are very difficult to housebreak. However, they like to vomit while eating. We can make smart use of this by placing a toilet under the hay rack! For example, we will already collect a large part of the faeces in the toilet. The Trixie Rodent Toilet Straight Nuno 36 cm is very suitable for guinea pigs.
Toilet bed
We use Back 2 Nature Floor Covering as toilet bedding. Back 2 Nature is made of paper and is completely dust-free. In addition, it is also suitable for long-haired guinea pigs. The granules do not quickly get stuck in the coat.
feed
In addition to hay and fresh vegetables, guinea pigs also need kibble. A good complete diet, which also contains sufficient vitamin C, is the Beaphar Care+ Guinea pig. One guinea pig may receive 30 to 50 grams of this food per day.
food bowl
We need a food bowl for the kibble. We always recommend purchasing one food bowl per animal. The Trixie Carrot Ceramic Pet Bowl 14 cm is available in 4 different colours. It is nice to choose a color for each animal.
drinking bottle
Of course, guinea pigs should always have access to fresh drinking water. The big advantage of a drinking bottle is that the drinking water remains clean. The Classic Drinking Bottle 1.1 L is large enough for several guinea pigs. You can also choose, for example, 2 bottles of 600 ml.
gnawing material
Guinea pigs have a natural gnawing need. This is also necessary for the wear of the teeth. In addition to hay to nibble on, it is important to also offer gnawing wood. Willow branches are very suitable and healthy gnawing material. The animals will gnaw it as needed. Don't they use it that much? That's not a bad thing, as long as they have it at their disposal.
toys
Guinea pigs are active and curious animals. They need a challenge to keep them busy. This can be in the form of toys. Guinea pigs love nibble toys. The Trixie Orange Toy is a fun toy to nibble on, throw and play with.
With these items you have a good basic furnishing for your guinea pigs. Of course you can adjust the layout every so often or add other things. Below you can view the products and easily order what you like. Do you have any questions? Or do you need help furnishing the chinchilla enclosure? We would like to hear it!
