More and more people are keeping guinea pigs as pets. This unpretentious animal is constantly on the move and in order for it not to get bored, various toys, houses, labyrinths, ladders, etc. are added to its cage. All this, and more, can be bought either in specialized stores or made with your own hands. Let's look at what ways there are now to cheer up your pet.
Guinea pigs are very active and friendly animals.
Why do guinea pigs need toys?
Guinea pigs are friendly and very active animals. They require constant attention from a person, and to prevent your pet from getting bored, you should constantly keep it occupied with something, while choosing the right toys and accessories for it. Also, the guinea pigs’ cage must have entertainment that will help them keep themselves in good physical shape (slides, swings, etc.), because they are very active animals. They will also find objects that wear down their teeth, which grow throughout their lives, useful.
Other game devices
- Ropes. At a low height, you can place ropes of different lengths, which the pig will be happy to climb. The rope material must be durable.
- Obstacle course. It can be made from cubes, flower pots, boxes and other available materials. Such entertainment can interest an animal no less than a maze.
- Containers for digging. The natural instincts of guinea pigs will be fully satisfied if a container with sand or earth is installed in the cage.
What kind of toys should be for guinea pigs?
As stated above, not all toys are suitable for guinea pigs. For example, walking balls and running wheels are contraindicated for them. And all because of their weak muscles, because they cannot move quickly, and curvature of the back in such toys can lead to fractures and injuries.
For the same reason, treats suspended from the ceiling on strings, as well as bells and rings, are not suitable for them. It is difficult for guinea pigs to stand on their hind legs to reach a toy, so such entertainment will also be useless.
You should pay attention to the fact that such animals love to chew on everything, so there must be a toy in the cage that performs a similar function. By the way, for the same reason, there should also be nothing in the rodent’s house that contains materials that are harmful to the pet. By gnawing through everything, a rodent can reach the bars of the cage that are saturated with paint containing lead, a toy that contains chemicals inside, etc. Therefore, it is worth carefully familiarizing yourself with the composition of the accessories and toys that are placed in the cage.
The best toys for guinea pigs are those that can be played with on the floor of the cage, or in a specially equipped playpen. These include ladders, tunnels, cubes, balls, and various shelters.
Attention: toys for guinea pigs should not emit unpleasant strong odors, otherwise the rodent will simply refuse to approach them.
Drinking bowl
A drinking bowl is a thing of paramount importance; you need to choose it as convenient as possible and from good materials. After all, this affects the quality of water, and, consequently, the health of the pet.
Therefore, it is better to buy a drinking bowl in a specialized store, but for those who are on a limited budget or are not afraid to take risks, there is an option from 98.41 rubles.
Minuses:
- looks cheap, especially because of the strange unnecessary inscriptions;
- although there are quite a lot of colors (purple, orange, green, pink, blue, indigo and red), you cannot choose a specific one;
- paid delivery, which doubles the price.
Sizes: 80 ml, 125 ml, 250 ml.
Material: plastic and stainless steel.
There is also a simpler option, in only two colors (yellow and blue), but for only 58.23 rubles and free delivery. Attached to the cage bars using a plastic holder.
Accessories for guinea pigs
Most often, tunnels are made of fabric
Guinea pig tunnel
Small pets love to explore and climb artificial burrows, and in a suitable cage you can create a global system of passages.
Labyrinths and tunnels are presented in a large assortment in modern pet stores. Most often they are made of fabric, wood or plastic. You should be prepared for the fact that some materials that an animal can chew without causing harm to its health are very expensive, so the cost of such tunnels is far from budget.
Tip: in order to whet the animal’s interest in a new toy, it is enough to make a path in the maze from nuts or seeds.
The bed can be made in different shapes
Guinea pig bed
A bed in the form of a rug or mattress are items that your pet will definitely like. They differ from each other only in that the latter has sides.
The bed can be made in any shape: rectangular, square, round, and if desired, you can add fur. As soon as the animal gets tired, it will climb onto its bed, laying its head on the side, which will replace its pillow, and go to sleep.
A hammock makes your guinea pig feel sheltered
Hammock
A hammock is a great alternative to replacing an uncomfortable house that is often already added to a pet's cage. The guinea pig can lie either in the hammock itself or under it. Thanks to this accessory, the animal feels hidden, but at the same time the owner can watch his pet.
Tip: Initially, your pet may be scared of a new accessory, but after a while he will realize that it is a necessary and interesting item. You should know that animals are always wary of new objects that appear in their cage. Don't rush things until your pet learns a new subject.
Your pet will definitely love a slide or stairs
Stairs and slides
Pets love heights. Your guinea pig will definitely love a slide or stairs. There is no need to worry about the safety of the animal, as they have very developed muscles and dexterous paws. Such pets feel confident when they climb up a slide or ladder. By the way, a ladder can be made from twigs, chopsticks or pencils, tying them together with a rope.
Important: the animal may have problems descending; to do this, you need to soften the place of the fall in order to protect it.
Swing
Guinea pigs love swings. Today there are many options for such toys: plastic, wooden, metal. And in pet stores you can choose either a board on a movable rod or a swinging tube.
In order to interest the animal in the swing, you can use a treat. It is enough to place a treat in the middle of the toy, which the pet will reach for, and the mechanism will begin to work.
Walking ball for guinea pig
Walking balls, according to veterinarians, are a dangerous toy for guinea pigs. After all, the bodies of these animals do not have the necessary flexibility, so they are not suitable for running in a ball. Moreover, most likely, in such a toy the animal will simply look at the wall of the ball, since they are myopic.
Therefore, you should not throw money away, because such toys are not suitable for guinea pigs, regardless of their size. This accessory is more suitable for mice, hamsters or rats.
A harness can harm your guinea pig.
Leash and harness
Quite often in pet stores you can find various types of walking belts for guinea pigs. But they are just as dangerous as walking balls. After all, even a slight tug can cause the animal’s ribs to break. And if the animal gets scared, then it may begin to squirm in the harness or try to escape, which will also lead to unwanted damage, from broken ribs to a fractured spine. Such damage is not always noticeable the first time, since pigs usually do not show that they are in pain.
Advice: it is best to take pigs out for walks in special pens.
How do you walk your pig?
How to make a hammock house
To make a house you will need:
- durable fabric 130 cm long and at least 30 cm wide;
- pieces of fabric 35 cm long and 25 cm wide;
- sling 200 cm;
- 4 carabiners for fastening;
- bias binding 150 cm long;
- a piece of rectangular plywood 30 cm long;
- thread, needle, centimeter and scissors.
For a piece of fabric 130 cm long, fold the edge with the outer side inward and hem it, leaving one side free. Plywood is inserted into the resulting pocket. You can use thick cardboard instead of plywood. Softer cardboard or padding polyester is wrapped into the other edge of the long sheet. It turns out two pockets. The free edges of the pockets are sewn together. The part of the product with plywood will be the floor of the house.
To strengthen the walls and roof, you need to cut the sling into two equal parts. The edges of the sling are burned to prevent unraveling. Each part is sewn along the walls and ceiling along the edges of the product.
Smaller pieces of fabric are sewn so that they form the walls and ceiling. The end result should be a square shape.
The frame of the house is ready. To make an entrance, you need to make a round hole in the rectangular shape of the fabric. This will be the entrance. It is better to process the edges of the hole or trim it with tape. The fabric itself is sewn from the end of the product. You can simply cover the back wall with fabric, or you can make another entrance there. It is better to make the entrance hole with a diameter of at least 15 centimeters. You can cut a circle by folding the fabric in half twice so that the center of the hole is in the resulting corner. Then cut off this corner at a distance of 7.5 cm from the edge. When you unfold the fabric, you will get a round hole.
Carabiners are sewn to the slings with strong ribbons or laces. The product is ready for use. All that remains is to hang the hammock in the cage at a height convenient for the pig.
There are different variations of hammock houses. They can be made cylindrical or in the form of tents.
Rodents prefer a house more than other types of hammocks because they can hide in it and relax from prying eyes.
Pet mirror
Guinea pigs love to look at their own reflection. It is not necessary to buy a special mirror for this, because you can find a similar thing in any home. Not only the animal, but also the owners will get pleasure from such an accessory, watching the guinea pig when the animal curiously examines itself in the reflection.
The mirror should be wiped every day, as the animal, touching it with its nose and paws, will quickly stain its surface. Believe me, it will be fun for the animal.
Attention: if it is a mirror fragment and its edges are not processed, you should attach it to the outside of the cage, that is, behind the bars. If the mirror is made in a factory, then it can be placed inside the cage.
For a guinea pig, the wheel must be very large in diameter
Do you need a wheel for a guinea pig?
Rodent keepers are still divided on whether a wheel is necessary for guinea pigs. Some believe that such an accessory can harm the animal’s spine. But, if the wheel is more than 1 meter in diameter, then it will not be able to cause any harm to the guinea pig, but such an accessory will not fit into every cage.
But other owners of such animals believe that constant exercise in the wheel helps to keep guinea pigs in good shape.
Advice: you should focus on your pet’s reaction, because many guinea pigs really love this kind of entertainment. And some do not pay attention to such entertainment at all, or, on the contrary, they may refuse other toys while the wheel is in the cage, using it as a treadmill. In such a situation, it is better to limit the time the guinea pig stays in the wheel.
DIY guinea pig toys
In order to come up with an activity for your animal, you should not immediately go to the pet store and buy expensive toys. In any home you can always find items that will bring a lot of pleasure to your pet. Moreover, guinea pigs can play with things that do not provide any value to you.
Some accessories you can make yourself
Tube hay
Guinea pigs are very fond of toys that contain dry grass (hay fields) inside. Anyone can make hay from a tube; to do this, you just need to have well-dried hay (timothy grass is best) and a cardboard tube from disposable paper towels or toilet paper rolls. And if the toy becomes unusable, it will be quite easy to change it by replacing the filler or tube.
There is nothing complicated in making such a toy - just stuff hay into a paper tube and place the resulting accessory in the cage.
Tip: you can let the animal play with an empty tube, because guinea pigs will happily chew on them or roll them from place to place.
Another option for sennitsa - from a sock
Sock stuffed with hay
The usefulness of such a toy is as high as that of a hay basket made from a tube. To make this toy, all you need is an old, clean sock and some dry hay. We stuff the sock with hay and sew it up. After this, we place a new toy in the animal’s cage. You can be sure that your guinea pig will appreciate the new toy and will not get tired of it soon. Most likely, the animal will play with it until the sock is completely chewed and its contents spill out.
paper ball
A tennis ball is ideal for entertaining your rodent, but if you don’t have one, you can make one out of plain paper. To do this, just crumple a piece of paper into the shape of a ball and give it to the animal. You can use parchment paper or tear out a piece of paper from a children's notebook.
Important: you should not use magazines and newspapers to make paper balls, since printed publications use lead in printing ink. After playing with such a ball, the animal may become poisoned.
The simplest tunnel option is made from a regular pipe
Pipe tunnel
In the pipe tunnel, the guinea pig can both relax and play. To create it, all you need is a piece of plastic sewer pipe, which needs to be placed in a cage. By the way, a pipe tunnel will be more comfortable and softer if it is lined with fabric.
Help: to make such a toy, it is best to use a “knee” or a tee.
Paper bag
An unexpected toy for your pet will be a paper shopping bag brought from the supermarket. It will become an excellent shelter for the animal. All you have to do is cut a hole in the bottom of the bag through which the guinea pig will climb into it, while listening to the rustling of the paper. You can put hay or a piece of treat inside the bag so that your pet can quickly begin to explore a new toy.
Arrangement of an amusement park
In a spacious cage you can not only place toys, but also set up a real amusement park for your beloved pet, including several types of attractions. There are several stages in this process:
- We create a convenient, comfortable foundation. A bedding is laid out on the floor, which can be used as a piece of blanket, bedspread, or towel.
- We create an amusement park fence. A mesh is installed, the height of which will not allow the guinea pig to leave the area.
- We equip structures for attractions. Huts are created from tree bark and twigs, tunnels are installed, containers are made of wood, plastic and filled with hay. You can use horizontal ladders to connect the elements of the complex.
After this, you can launch a guinea pig so that the owner of the park can master all the attractions. There is no doubt that the curious animal will carefully study all the components of the design and will be able to take full advantage of each of them. If the items are made with high quality and are well secured, the prepared park will definitely become a favorite object of entertainment for your pet. If there is a large amount of free space, additional objects such as a ball, a cube, a paper roll from a roll of toilet paper or towels can be placed in the zone.
