When buying products for guinea pigs, the most important thing to consider is their safety. As misunderstood small pets, piggies have the disadvantage of being targeted with generic small rodent products that are often unsuitable for our furry friends. From dangerous exercise balls to cramped cages, finding the right items for your piggies can be a minefield!
Kavee was born out of a piggy parent’s desire to create safe and suitable products designed specifically for guinea pigs. And to educate piggy parents about the dos and don’ts of guinea pig care! So instead of settling for options that may cause more harm than good, let’s take a look at what makes a guinea pig cage safe.
1. The Grids of Guinea Pig Cages
Grid cages for guinea pigs are a fantastic option to provide ventilation and allow piggies to keep an eye on their surroundings. But not every grid design is the same, and since piggies are talented escape artists, it’s important to know what to choose!
Kavee has designed C&C cages for guinea pigs with thin, 0.98in (2.5cm) small meshing to prevent piggies as young as 8 weeks old from escaping or getting stuck (a 1-inch gap is enough for baby piggies to sneak out!). These can be combined with door grids that rotate 180 degrees, giving you full control of how your piggies interact with their home. Whether you wish to create a secure exit to their cage or add a lid for extra protection!
Not only are C&C grids a safe option for guinea pigs, they’re also easy to wipe down clean and to assemble using connectors. Any guinea pig parent can modify this set-up to their heart’s content, allowing you to expand on your existing set-up as needed. This way, you can reduce bickering between your boars by giving them plenty of room, or separate any sickly piggies who need their own space to recover.
Do guinea pigs bite their cage?
Guinea pigs are more likely to bite their cage if they’re bored. Thankfully, our C&C cages are coated with non-toxic powder coating, so it won’t do them any harm to take a bite, but you should still look into stopping this behavior. You can prevent guinea pigs from chewing on cage bars by giving them chewing toys, adding nibble guards to their cage, and providing free-roaming time outside their cage.
Are grids the only option for guinea pig cages?
No, you can combine your grids with some clear panels to give your guinea pigs a full view of their surroundings. These are also great to prevent some of the hay and poop from flying out of the cage!
2. The Flooring of Guinea Pig Cages
While grids make excellent building blocks for your guinea pig cage, they shouldn’t be left exposed on the base. Your guinea pigs spend all day on their feet, and walking on exposed grids is likely to help them develop bumblefoot, an infection of the paws.
You can protect your guinea pig’s feet by adding a coroplast base. This corrugated plastic (also known as Correx) creates a sturdy, solid, and waterproof floor for your guinea pig cage. One that is easy to clean with just a spray of white vinegar and a wipe, and easy to set up. Especially if you opt for a Kavee cage, as our coroplast comes with pre-cut corners that simply slot together!
We recommend you cover the coroplast for guinea pigs with a fleece liner to protect the base and keep piggies comfortable. Our C&C cages come with a safe Correx base as a standard, available in a variety of colors to easily match any decor. We’ll talk more about the advantages of this guinea pig bedding later!
Can guinea pigs chew on coroplast?
Yes, guinea pigs can chew on coroplast, but regular chewing should be discouraged. There can be many reasons why your guinea pig is biting on Correx, including boredom, hunger, and a call for attention. You can find more details on why piggies chew on coroplast and how to stop them here.
3. Extras for Guinea Pig Cages
While the grid and coroplast make the base of your guinea pig home, there are plenty of extras you can add to improve their living environment. C&C cages are flexible enough to adapt to any preferences & needs, so you can try a few options:
Add a guinea pig cage stand - A win-win for both piggies and their parents, a stand creates extra storage space under your cage while also lowering stress & anxiety for your piggies. As prey animals, guinea pigs can get easily spooked when approached from above, so setting up your cage to be at the same level as you will help calm their nerves.
Add a ramp and loft to your guinea pig cage - Even with a large guinea pig cage, you can always add more space for your piggies to zoom. A ramp can be made from the same Correx material as the base, and added to one end of their cage for fun popcorning times. We’ve ensured our Kavee ramps are safe to use by designing them with high edges and ensuring the incline isn’t too steep. There’s also a lid that covers that section to prevent curious piggies from jumping out of their cage!
Will guinea pigs climb out of a cage with ramp?
Guinea pigs aren’t natural climbers, so they’re unlikely to try and climb out. However, not every piggy is the same, and some are more adventurous than others! As long as your ramp has high sides and a lid to cover the top, you won’t have to worry about guinea pigs jumping out of the cage.
4. Accessories for Guinea Pig Cages
Last but not least, don’t forget to decorate your cage for guinea pigs with the coziest accessories. At Kavee, we like to use fleece as the material for our accessories for guinea pigs, as it’s easy to clean and super comfy. Here are some ideas for accessories you can add to your cage:
Absorbent guinea pig bedding - No C&C guinea pig cage would be complete without a comfortable cage liner. Fleece liners are the best option for cages as they absorb all moisture, are easy to clean, and can be reused for many popcorns to come. Read more about their perks in this guide.
Fun & safe guinea pig toys - You’ll want to keep your piggies entertained to prevent boredom, as that can affect their health and happiness. Try adding fun DIY toys like cardboard boxes turned into hideouts or our fleece double tunnels for double the fun.
Handy hay bag for guinea pigs - It’s good for guinea pigs to eat hay at all times, but it’s not as good (or fun) to keep cleaning after the mess it creates. By adding a clip-on hay bag to your C&C guinea pig cage, you’ll contain some of the mess & keep their hay fresh for longer.
Will a fleece liner for guinea pigs smell?
No, fleece liners are designed to trap moisture between two layers, reducing smells and keeping your piggies dry. If you start noticing any smells, it means it’s time to bang your liners in the wash. We usually recommend you clean your fleece liners at least once a week, but depending on the number of furry friends you have, it might be more often. Try adding pee pads and litter boxes to high-traffic areas to absorb some of the moisture that would otherwise end up on your bedding!
Conclusion
Safety is the most important factor at play when it comes to purchasing any guinea pig products. There are a lot of options available on the market, but not everything targeting guinea pigs has been designed with your furry friends’ wellbeing in mind. At Kavee, we have a dedicated team of small pet experts focused on creating products that meet your piggies’ every need.
So that when you pick one of our large guinea pig cages, you know that it has been designed to be safe, easy to build & clean, and will make a fantastic new home for your furry family.
