Peek out6/22/2023 ![]() ![]() In winter, it may be best to move their accommodation into a shed, porch or utility room.ĭue to their highly social nature, guinea pigs can only be truly happy as one of a pair or as part of a small group of the same sex – littermates make the best companions. During the warmer months of the year, your guineas will be happy housed outdoors in a large, good quality hutch, Wendy house or shed. Guinea pigs are vulnerable to all extremes of weather and very cold or very hot temperatures are dangerous for them. Tuck away some tasty, grass-based nuggets in cardboard egg cups, or mix a few natural guinea pig treats in with some yummy Timothy hay. You can keep them occupied by hiding some of their favourite food in different places for them to discover on one of their explorations, mimicking natural foraging behaviour. Guinea pigs like to keep busy and, if they get bored, their health and wellbeing will suffer. Damp and dirty bedding creates the ideal environment for bacteria, fungi and other harmful things to thrive in, which ups the chances of your pets developing a nasty skin condition. Keeping your piggies’ accommodation dry is essential throughout the year as they can be susceptible to a number of skin complaints. ![]() If a ramp connects the hutch to a run, check it is wide enough and not too steep or your piggies, with their short little legs, may be too scared to use it. NEVER use wood shavings or sawdust as these not only absorbs the natural oils that guinea pigs have which they need to keep their coats and skin in good condition, they also create dust, which can lead to potentially fatal respiratory problems.Īs natural grazers, enabling your guinea pigs to be able to access a permanently attached, safe outdoor run is also essential. These little rodents are active for up to 20 hours a day and sleep only for short periods, so as well as plenty of space to exercise when they’re awake, they need a comfy guinea pig nest box with cosy bedding material and sweet smelling meadow hay inside to snuggle into to enjoy some relaxing piggy shut-eye.Īlways provide the right bedding. ![]() To be housed out of direct sunlight in weatherproof and draught-proof accommodation.A separate sleeping area where they can retreat out of sight to get some peace and quiet.A hutch should just be viewed as your guinea pigs' 'bedroom'. Traditional small hutches do not provide the space guinea pigs need to behave normally. A large, predator-proof wooden hutch, Wendy house or shed no less than 5ft x2ft (10 square feet).Find out how to make a fleecy peek-a-boo curtain for your guinea pigs >Īnimal welfare charity Blue Cross advises that guinea pigs need: Although on the shy side, guinea pigs are endlessly curious and need spacious areas to explore that are furnished with plenty of hiding places, such as willow tubes and wooden hidey houses, where they can peep out from. Being very observant is incredibly important to prey animals – which is why guinea pigs love to peek out from a safe hiding place.Ī great way to keep your guinea pigs feeling safe is to provide them with cosy, predator-proof accommodation, with plenty of tunnels and pipes to dart into and deep piles of high-quality hay to enable natural tunnelling behaviour. What pet guinea pigs need to be healthy and happyĬheck out the five important things that your pet piggies require.Įven when they’re well-loved pets, it’s in a guinea pig’s nature to be constantly on the alert, looking out for danger. Guinea pigs naturally eat a diet of grasses, plants, vegetables and crops, which they spend their time foraging for.That’s why they’re hardwired to avoid open areas without shelter and are on constant alert against potential dangers. Wild guinea pigs have many natural predators including various mammals, birds of prey, and reptiles such as anacondas and caimans.In the wild, they live in close family groups of five to 10 individuals, though several groups may live in close proximity, forming a colony.Guinea pigs or ‘cavies’ (their scientific name is Cavia porcellus) originate from the grasslands and lower slopes of the Andes Mountains in South America.Giving your pet guinea pigs the best possible piggy life means creating an environment that lets them exhibit their natural behaviours in safe, predator-proof accommodation.Ī good place to start is by finding out a little more about how these small rodents live in the wild, what they like to do, and all the things they need to make them feel safe and happy. ![]() As prey animals, guinea pigs like to have a range of safe hidey holes to escape to if they become alarmed about something ![]()
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