This article was co-authored by Pippa Elliott, MRCVS. Dr. Elliott, BVMS, MRCVS is a veterinarian with over 30 years of experience in veterinary surgery and companion animal practice. She graduated from the University of Glasgow in 1987 with a degree in veterinary medicine and surgery. She has worked at the same animal clinic in her hometown for over 20 years.
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Guinea pigs are small, stocky, and, as many would agree, adorable. Yet without taking proper precautions, these animals tend to overeat. Overweight guinea pigs can have many other health problems later in life, leading to higher vet bills and a lower quality of life. The best way to help your guinea pig avoid obesity is to encourage it to be active and provide a healthy diet of good quality hay.
Steps
Exercising in the Cage
Choose the right cage. Ensure that your cage is large enough to safely and properly accommodate a guinea pig. It must be large enough for them to run around, do laps, and have some piggy fun! Guinea pigs can't just sit around, waiting for someone to take them out-let your guinea pig be able to exercise on its own time.[1]- For one guinea pig, their cage should be at least 7.5 square feet.
- For two guinea pigs, 7.5 square feet is the minimum, but 10.5 is recommended.
Put some encouraging toys in the cage. There are many wooden balls, chews, and other toys that will encourage your guinea pigs to exercise inside of their cage. As mentioned before, guinea pigs like to exercise on their schedule, and placing some fun stuff in there will encourage them to play.[2]- Sometimes your guinea pigs won't play with the toys you got them, and that's okay! It is good to know your piggies' preferences, as they will help you shop in the future.
- Be choosy with the toys you buy. Guinea pig toys with dyes, small parts, or added sugars can hurt your guinea pig.
- Never let your guinea pigs use exercise wheels and balls similar to those made for hamsters. Guinea pig spines are not as flexible as a hamster's, so these can cause very serious spinal injuries.
Position your toys. Don't place all of the toys up against the wall. If you have hidey houses, food bowls, and toys scatter them around the center of the cage. It might look a bit messy, but your guinea pigs will be able to run around much more freely!- Balls and hidey houses (or other things they can crawl through) will encourage the most movement.
Avoid crowding the cage. Place things properly in the cage, but don't crowd it. If you have so many hidey houses, toys, or food bowls that your guinea pigs hardly have an inch of the room, it is best to consider removing a few items.
Change things around. To keep it fun, it is highly recommended to move accessories inside of the cage around once in a while. Some owners do it every day, while others do it after every cage cleaning. Many piggies enjoy a change of scenery once in a while, and this encourages them to explore and play.Advertisement
Exercising in Your Home
Choose a safe area. Make sure that space is guinea pig-proof! That means no spare cords (to avoid electrocution), other pets, or anything potentially dangerous to a guinea pig. Try to close off spaces such as under a dresser, couch, or bed, as this can tempt your guinea pigs to squeeze under there, and it can be very difficult to lure them out.[3]
Put down some towels. If you don't want your piggies to do their business on the carpet or tile, place some towels (or an old blanket) on the ground. You may even want to put them in a large puppy playpen, with towels underneath.
Grab some toys. Select a few of your guinea pig's favorite hidey houses, balls, or other toys are position them in your play area. These will signal to your piggy that it is time to play.
Put out some veggies. It is also a good idea to put out some vegetable for your guinea pig to nibble on as he plays. This will give him a small energy boost, as well just make this time a little more fun. Try giving him broccoli, carrots, or celery.
Let your guinea pig play on the floor. Once the area is safe, the towels are down, the toys are positioned, and the veggies are out, there is nothing left to do but let your piggy play![4]Advertisement
Exercising Outdoors
Check the weather. Before you bring your guinea pig outside for playtime, you should check the weather outside. The temperature must be lower than 80 degrees and higher than 60. It should also be dry, but not too sunny.[5]
Beware of chemicals. Plan to bring your guinea pig to an area that has not been chemically treated. If your lawn has been treated with chemicals, you may want to put down a blanket or tarp for your guinea pig.[6]
Use a playpen. Before you take a guinea pig outside, make sure that you have an escape-proof playpen of some sort. If done correctly, many guinea pigs love to run around, nibble on some grass, and soak up some sunshine. Allowing them to run freely outside (without a pen) can be very risky.- A playpen can be purchased at any pet store.
- Alternatively, you can make your own using low corrugated plastic meant for lawn borders (from a hardware store), or metal baking cooling racks and zip ties.
Avoid harsh sunlight. A little bit of sun is great for your guinea pig, but too much harsh sunlight can be overwhelming for them. If it is a particularly sunny day, you may want to put up a sunshade or umbrella for your piggy.[7]
Let your guinea pig run and play! Once all the proper safety precautions are in place, take your pig outside and let him play! Sit in a lawn chair near the pen and enjoy the day with him.Advertisement
Expert Q&A
Tips
- Consider purchasing a C&C cage, they are very spacious.Thanks
- Do not get a cage with too many upper levels, such as a cage meant for ferrets. These can severely injure your guinea pig if it's too inclined.Thanks
- Do not handle your guinea pigs for more than 10 mins a day, or they might get stressed out.Thanks
References
- ↑ http://www.humanesociety.org/animals/guinea_pigs/tips/guinea_pig_housing.html?referrer=https://www.google.com/
- ↑ http://animals.mom.me/fun-ways-exercise-guinea-pigs-4564.html
- ↑ http://jackiesguineapiggies.com/exercise.html
- ↑ http://animals.mom.me/fun-ways-exercise-guinea-pigs-4564.html
- ↑ http://jackiesguineapiggies.com/exercise.html
- ↑ http://jackiesguineapiggies.com/exercise.html
- ↑ http://jackiesguineapiggies.com/exercise.html
About this article
To exercise your guinea pig, place interesting items, like chew toys or wooden balls, in its cage to encourage it to play. Alternatively, take your guinea pig out of the cage and put it in an area with a blanket on the ground. Then, set out some hidey houses and other toys on the blanket to show your guinea pig it's time to play. You can also let it play outside, so long as it's dry and not too sunny. However, make sure to place your pet in a sealed off area, like a play pen, to help keep it safe. For tips on how to feed your guinea pig a healthy diet, read on!
Reader Success Stories
"I used to let my guinea pig run on the carpet, but I the discovered that he was using the bathroom all over the carpet! Ugh! This article was fun, especially since enjoyable weather is coming up. I can take my baby outside and play!"..." more
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