How to Pamper Your Guinea Pig on a Budget

Guinea pigs are joyful pets that bring plenty of happiness to our lives. While most of us want to spoil our guinea pig in the lap of luxury, sometimes this doesn't seem ideal with a tight-budget. Nether the less, your finances should not discourage you from providing your guinea pig with the best care. This article will show you how to pamper your guinea pig on a budget.

Method 1

Method 1 of 4:

Setting Up the Perfect Cage

1
Expand your guinea pig's cage. While guinea pigs are burrowing rodents, they thrive in an environment with plenty of floor space. C & C cages are the cheapest housing options, and can easily be expanded. 7.5 square feet is the minimum requirement for 1-2 guinea pigs, however, 10.5 square feet is ideal for comfort.
- You may notice your guinea pig running and jumping around their cage when they're happy. This is called zoomies and popcorning.
2
Fill your guinea pigs cage with absorbent odour-free bedding. Line the bottom of the cage with newspaper or puppy pads to catch leaks, then layer with bedding material such as:
- Aspen or kiln-dried pine wood shavings, not cedar.
- Paper bedding with pet-friendly dye.
- Fleece or pet blankets, not towels.
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3
Place additional cage accessories inside your guinea pig's cage. To finish setting up their cage, place a few additional items inside to make the home space liveable. Cage accessories can be purchased second-hand to save on costs. Here are a few things you will need:
- A water bottle or bowl. Find a bottle that is resistant to leaking, or a heavy-weighted bowl that your guinea pig's cannot tip over.
- A vegetable and pellet dish. A long with their water bowl, look for a heavy-weighted dish that cannot be tipped over. Keep vegetables and pellets in a separate dish.
- A hide or hut, for example; a plastic igloo or hay house.
- A hay rack. Avoid hay racks that are made of wire, as guinea pigs can get trapped in these. Wooden hay racks or hammocks are advised. Otherwise you can place their hay directly on the floor of their cage.
- A tunnel, bridge, or hammock. While these items aren't strictly necessary, they provide your guinea pig with fun and comfort.
4
Purchase or Make some guinea pig toys. Toys play an important role in providing your guinea pig with enrichment and mental stimulation. A few toys to look for at your local pet store are; chew, treat balls, tunnels, ramps, hay wagons, and carrot stuffers.
- To save on money, make your own toys using a variety of household items. For example; you can stuff some hay inside a paper toilet roll, or an old sock. Simply scrunching up a paper ball can offer your guinea pig some fun.
- Do not purchase wire balls, harnesses or exercise wheels and/or balls. These are dangerous toys that should not be used by guinea pigs.
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Method 2

Method 2 of 4:

Providing Food and Treats

1
Provide your guinea pigs with an abundance of fresh hay. Your guinea pigs diet relies primarily on hay and grass. Cut back on costs by purchasing your hay directly from a farm. Hay purchased in bulk will more then likely be cheaper and fresher then hay that is sold by the bag in local pet stores.
- Hay advocated towards horses tend to be cheaper. Look for orchard, meadow and timothy varieties of hay.
- Do not mistake hay for straw. Straw is much tougher in consistency and can get stuck inside your guinea pig's eye.
2
Purchase high-quality pellets in bulk. Oxbow adult guinea pig pellets are one of the best brands you can buy for your guinea pigs. These can be purchased in bulk online.
- Be aware that the vitamin C in pellets degrades over time. The cut off limit for pellets is said to be a month. However, if stored in cool, dry and dark conditions, the vitamin C will last for a longer amount of time.
3
Give your guinea pigs one full cup of vegetables each. Each guinea pig requires a full cup of vegetables per day. Variety is key; most vegetables can not be given everyday, but can be fed in moderation 2-4 times a week, depending on it's nutritional balance.
- Red bell peppers are the only vegetables that can be fed every day, as they are high in vitamin C. However, these vegetables are quite expensive compared to others. Purchase your bell peppers when they are in season (summer), and buy them in large amounts. They will store in a refrigerator for up to seven days. Yellow and green bell peppers are cheaper then red bell peppers.
- Some different types of vegetables that can be fed are; corn, cucumber, tomato, parsley, carrots, kale, spinach, romaine lettuce, broccoli, and cauliflower.
4
Feed your guinea pigs treats sparingly. Guinea pigs enjoy eating a variety of fresh foods and commercial treats. You can purchase treats from a pet store, or make some yourself. However, these treats should be limited as they contain high amounts of sugar.
- Fruits can be fed sparingly as treats, for example; apples, oranges, strawberries, and watermelon.
- Purchase commercial treats from a pet store. Pea flakes and forage mix are popular options.
- Make your own home-made treats to really pamper your guinea pig.
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Method 3

Method 3 of 4:

Grooming Your Guinea Pig

1
Give your guinea pig a short bath. Fill a container, sink or bath tub with shallow warm water, and purchase a guinea pig special shampoo treatment. Lower your guinea pig into the bath and pamper them with the shampoo.
- Guinea pigs ideally only need a bath once a year. Frequent baths can cause skin irritation.
- If your guinea pig does not enjoy baths, skip this step. The aim is to pamper your guinea pig, not stress them out.
Using a dry towel, pat down your guinea pigs fur until they are completely dry. Alternatively, you can use a hair dryer on a low setting.
Using a soft bristles brush, gently comb through your guinea pig's fur. Long-haired breeds need regular trimming. You can do this at home by watching a tutorial online.
4
Trim your guinea pig's nails. In captivity, guinea pigs nails can grow to be uncomfortably long. It's important to keep your guinea pig's nails filed down, as they can't do so themselves. Lined in the nail is a blood vessel called the quick. Do not cut the blood vessel, as it will hurt your guinea pig and make them bleed. Cut just before.
- It's difficult to identify the quick if your guinea pig has brown or black nails. Trim a little bit at the end of the nail for caution.
- In the event where you do cut the quick, dip the nail in flour to stop the bleeding.
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Method 4

Method 4 of 4:

Bonding with your Guinea Pig

1
Keep your guinea pigs in pairs of two. Naturally in the wild, guinea pig's are social and live in small herds. They thrive best when they have a companion of their own species. While it's common to think human interaction is adequate, guinea pigs can become extremely depressed and lonely when housed by themselves.
- Keep guinea pig's in same-sex pairs to avoid accidental breeding.
- When choosing a second guinea pig, adopt one that is younger then your current guinea pig. This will lessen any issues of territorial dominance.
- Recognise the difference between separated and isolated. It's understandable that some guinea pig's do not get a long in pairs, however, in such a case where this does happen, it's important to set up a cage next to another guinea pig so that they can communicate to each other.
2
Pet and snuggle your guinea pig. A cuddling session is a perfect way to spoil your guinea pig. Gently place your guinea pig on your lap, and pet them on their head or under their chin.
- Most guinea pigs do not like being petted on their rump.
- Look out for vocal cues that indicate your guinea pig is scared. Purring and chattering is your guinea pig's way of telling you to stop.
3
Schedule floor time for 1-2 hours a day. Floor time is an essential bonding session that promotes exercise and mental stimulation. It can reduce boredom, and create a trusting relationship between you and your cavy.
- Set up a playpen in a quiet location away from pets and small children. Add some hiding spots, such as a plastic igloo, and place a few tunnels, ramps and obstacles on the floor.
- Scatter some hay and food on the floor, and hand-feed your guinea pig some vegetables.
Set up a secure space using a playpen with a lid, or a rabbit run. Place a few toys and guinea pig hides in the area, and allow your guinea pig to play. An ideal location to place your guinea pig's would be on a patch of untreated grass for your guinea pig's to forage, hide and play in.
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Tips

Keep treats and fruit pieces at a minimum, as they are high in sugar.
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Bedding materials are cheaper to buy in bulk by farm supply stores.
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Cage accessories and any additional items will need to be thoroughly disinfected and cleaned before being used.
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Warnings

Never put a male and female together if the male isn't neutered.
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Do not feed your guinea pig yogurt drops, grains or seeds.
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Do not give your guinea pig frequent baths, as this can cause skin irritation.
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