Search
We will earn a commission on purchases through the links mentioned here. This in no way affects our recommendations and they are based on research. Read more
Every guinea pig owner dreams of having a guinea pig that is litter trained. Guinea pigs urinate and eliminate every few minutes, according to the manufacturer. As a result, if a guinea pig is not litter trained, he or she will be peeing in every corner of your house until they are trained.It becomes increasingly difficult to spend some floortime with them without having to clean a lot. However, how does one go about litter training a guinea pig?Guinea pigs are clean, and they have a designated urination area in their cage that they use exclusively. Place a tray filled with soiled hay in the designated location. Because guinea pigs have a keen sense of smell, they will follow the scent to its source and pass it at the appropriate location.Litter training is not a process that can be completed in a single day; it requires patience and time.Some guinea pigs mistakenly believe that the litter tray is their bed, while others dig at it constantly.

You should make certain that the tray is the proper size and shape, and that the litter is safe to use.

In this guide, we will go over every detail of litter training your guinea pig, down to the smallest of details.

We have everything covered, from the best litter selection to the process and the best practices to follow. Make certain that you don’t miss out on anything important.

 

Can you litter box train a guinea pig?

Yes, it is possible to Litter Box train a guinea pig. Although this is not a difficult process, you will need to devote some of your time and patience to it.

Guinea pigs are intelligent creatures who will eventually learn their lesson. However, it is important to remember that every guinea pig is unique and has a different set of abilities. There is a chance that your guinea pig will not learn how to behave properly.

If you put in the effort and patience necessary to train your guinea pig, you will be successful in most cases, according to the literature.

Is it hard to litter train a guinea pig?

No, it is not hard to train your guinea pigs if you do it properly. You will have to remember that it is not an overnight process.

Litter train is a long process that can be done if you give your time and patience.

What is the best litter tray for my guinea pig?

Before you can start litter training your guinea pigs, you’ll need to make sure you have all of the necessary supplies. The litter tray itself is an absolutely necessary item.

It is critical that you choose the correct size. If you choose a tray that is too small for your guinea pig, he or she will not enjoy using it.

The litter tray should be large enough to accommodate both your guinea pig and its hay without being overcrowded. Guinea pigs eat when they are urinating because it gives them a good feeling.

The litter tray measures 12 x 10 inches, which is large enough to accommodate a guinea pig of average size. Especially if you have a long-haired guinea pig breed, you must take this into consideration.

It would be beneficial if you always considered the height of the litter tray when making a purchasing decision. If the level is too low, the urine will flow down the guinea pig’s leg, resulting in scalding of the guinea pig.

However, there are always exceptions, and in this case, the exception is a group of guinea pigs with mobility problems.

Getting older guinea pigs to reach the appropriate height to poop in their tray may be a difficult task. To accommodate this situation, choose a litter tray that has one low side on one side only of the tray.

It’s possible that the guinea-pig-specific litter tray does not meet all of these specifications. Storage crates and plastic bowls can be used to create a suitable litter tray for our guinea pigs in such circumstances.

What is the best litter for guinea pigs?

As soon as you get the appropriate litter tray for your guinea pigs, the next process is to choose the best litter for our guinea pigs.

You cannot rush into the decision. Before taking your choice, you should consider these factors into consideration.

  1. Your guinea pig will try to nibble and eat the litter out of excitement.
  2. Your guinea pig will spend most of the time in the litter tray.
  3. Guinea pig’s urine smells exceptionally potent.

That concludes that you will require a litter that is edible, comfortable, and have qualities of masking smells.

  • Please do not use any litter that is made from pine or cheddar shavings as these products can damage the liver of our guinea pigs.
  • Please stay away from a clay-based litter as this can lead to respiratory issues in our guinea pigs.

Paper bedding, aspen bedding, etc are some safe products that can be used for guinea pigs litter.

Your guinea pig can fall sick if they overeats any of these products.

Some of the guinea pig owners bypass litter and fill the litter tray with only hay.

If you try to do this, put a layer of newspaper beneath to absorb the urine. Just make sure that the paper used is safe for your guinea pigs.

But we will suggest you use urine pads and put guinea pigs litter in the tray as it is more beneficial for our guinea pigs.

You should clean the litter tray of guinea pigs daily because your guinea pigs like to poop when they eat hay.

Can cat litter be used for guinea pigs?

No, we will not recommend that you use cat litter for your guinea pig because it can be extremely harmful to our guinea pigs.

Because if they eat this litter, it can cause a blockage in their digestive system. As a result, it has the potential to cause serious health problems.

Clay is commonly found in cat litter, and it is extremely harmful to our guinea pigs.

Guinea pigs have a particularly sensitive respiratory system, and clay litters release dust clouds into the air, which can cause severe damage to their lungs.

Instead of using cat litter, you can use guinea pig-specific products that are available for purchase online.

How much litter should I put in the tray?

It is necessary to fill the guinea pig’s litter tray in a balanced manner. In the event that you overfill it, they will have a difficult time distinguishing between the tray and their immediate surroundings. Furthermore, if you fill it with too little, they may become uncomfortable with the situation.

As a result, you can start with approximately 1 inch of litter and see how your guinea pig reacts.

You should also provide them with some fresh hay to eat while they are pooping. If you discover that your guinea pig is dissatisfied with their litter tray, you should add a small amount of additional litter, about half an inch at a time, until they are satisfied.

It is also essential to include some lightly soiled litter or hay in the beginning. Your guinea pig will get attracted to its smell. Guinea pigs will always choose to be eliminated in a familiar location if it is available.

Time and patience play an important role in such a case as it is not an overnight process. You will have to execute the trial and error method. Once your guinea pigs adopt the routine, maintain consistency.

How do you train a guinea pig to use a litter box?

When you are all set to train your guinea pig, the most important thing you will require is time and patience.

You will have to notice your guinea pigs for several hours, so hold on until this is an option.

The process of litter training your guinea pigs are as follows: 

  • Keep an eye on your guinea pig and find out where they are urinating. You will discover that they are peeing in the same place every time.
  • Once you understand your guinea pig’s elimination schedule, remove them for their cage and clean it properly. Their pen must smell normal.
  • Hold a small piece of urine-soaked straw back, and place it in the litter tray of guinea pigs. Guinea pigs have a good sense of smell and they will follow their nose to reach the area.
  • Return your guinea pig to their cage. It would help if you locked them for several hours. In the meantime, give lots of toys and hay feed to them so that they don’t grudge too much.
  • As your guinea pigs like eliminating while eating hay, your next step is to place the urine-soaked hay in your guinea pigs litter tray. Place the tray in your guinea pig’s preferred location for urination.
  • It is possible that some guinea pigs can get confused when they discover the tray, and aim to urinate somewhere else. Keep the tray wherever they hop to. Others will be attracted to the smell and will urinate in the tray.
  • If your guinea pigs urinate outside the tray, clean up the area immediately. Guinea pig’s urine holds a decent smell. If you do not clean, your guinea pigs might get encouraged and will urinate in the same area again.
  • Move the poop into the litter tray if your guinea pigs continue to excrete outside the tray.
  • If your guinea pigs urinate in the tray, do not clean it up immediately. Leave it there for 24 hours. This way, your guinea pigs will learn that a tray is a perfect place for them to urinate.

Continue to follow the steps outlined above until your guinea pig has developed a habit of eliminating only in the designated areas.

However, it is important to remember that this is not a process that can be completed in a single day. A difficult and frustrating experience may be had when it comes to litter training stubborn guinea pigs.

Never attempt to physically reprimand a guinea pig. It is possible that they will be terrified of you for the rest of their lives. Instead, when it comes to pet training, always follow the golden rule.

Always give guinea pigs positive reinforcement when they are performing well and ignore them when they are performing poorly.

How long does it take to litter train a guinea pig

Typical guinea pigs are usually completely trained in litter training within 1-2 weeks of being born. The rest of the week, however, will be filled with intense effort. The guinea pigs will need to be kept under observation at all times. Continuing with the training is necessary if they refuse to use their litter box.

There is a possibility of failure in this situation. If you find yourself in this situation, you must maintain your composure. A single accident can result in negative consequences. In the event that your guinea pigs refuse to use their litter box for a couple of days, you will find yourself back at square one.

Allowing your guinea pig to roam around freely until you are certain that they have used their litter box is not a good idea. You will want your guinea pig to be in good health before engaging in any physical activity or playing.

Your guinea pig will quickly become accustomed to letting go of their cage before being eliminated if you do so before eliminating them. They will assume that urinating in one’s own home is standard practice. After that, you’ll have to go through another round of training.

Guinea pigs not using their litter box

If your guinea pigs refuse to use their litter box, they may not just be stubborn.

There can be many explanations for their behavior. So before giving up, we will advise you to investigate the following possibilities:

  • Is the litter box you are using is of appropriate size?
  • Are your guinea pigs able to jump or climb over the sides of the litter box?
  • Is there a draught near the litter box?
  • Are your guinea pigs going through stress?
  • Does the litter box hold some strange smell, there are possibilities due to some of the cleaning products?

Guinea pigs always need a clear delineation between their litter box and their cage in general.

If the sides of the litter box are too low, they may get confused. They will have an idea about their destination, but will not determine where the box begins and where it ends.

If your guinea pigs are going through some stress, you may notice them marking outside the box to make themselves comfortable.

It is common if there is a change in your guinea pig’s routine or location. They might be re-asserting their area.

Your guinea pigs can also poop outside the litter box. Even this counts on their normal behavior.

Likewise, an amateur, yet a potty trained guinea pig, can poop outside the box, reflecting towards their behavior.

Spaying and neutering will temper such behavior of our guinea pigs. We will advise you not to panic if such an act of your guinea pigs continues.

Guinea pigs can even eat their poop, which is called coprophagy. Clean up their waste if anything is left.

Guinea pig using their litter box as bed

Many guinea pigs prefer to sleep in their litter box rather than on the floor. Although it appears to be unsanitary, guinea pigs have a natural tendency to do so.

It is recommended that you do so if you are capable of successfully training your guinea pigs out of it.

You can provide a different sleeping environment for your guinea pigs, which will make it easier for them to break out of their natural habits.

Guinea pigs prefer to sleep in small laps for approximately 4-6 hours at a time, so providing them with their own bedroom will make them more comfortable overall.

If you want to provide your guinea pigs with a comfortable bedroom, you can use a cardboard box lined with soft material.

You will need to take precautions to ensure that your guinea pigs do not become disoriented and begin urinating on their bedding.

If your guinea pigs are comfortable in their litter box and continue to relax and sleep in their litter box, you can let them take care of their business on their own.

Always remember to clean and change their litter to reduce the likelihood of them getting a urine scald.

Feces may adhere to the bottom of your guinea pig’s body or become stuck in their fur if you do not clean their bum on a regular basis.

Guinea pigs keep digging in their litter

Some guinea pigs have a natural behavior of digging. If you find your guinea pigs digging in the litter box, they are just enjoying themselves. Boredom and stress can also alleviate this behavior in your guinea pigs.

You can also find them cleaning their litter box, though. Guinea pigs don’t have a habit of burying their waste like cats. Some guinea pigs also dig out their poop to lay and relax in it.

Dominance can also be an explanation for a guinea pig digging at their litter. The litter placed in a guinea pig tray will hold a smell of human hand.

If the bond between a guinea pig and the human who has placed the litter is not strong, then guinea pigs will dig it out.

Your guinea pigs must be conveying a message that “this litter box is my area, not yours”. This is more common in female guinea pigs.

This is because the guinea pigs in the wild always have a competition for a territory to give birth and raise their babies.

You can also provide your guinea pigs some other place to dig, which can help to resolve this issue.

If it does not have a good result, then develop a high sided litter tray. You can even go with a closed box as any litter dug in it will remain inside the box.

It would help if you remembered it to clean constantly. It will turn irresistible as a sleeping area for your guinea pigs as it is dark and enclosed.

When your guinea pigs dig, they will be spreading soiled litter around their bed, which can be very dangerous if not taken into consideration.

Can two guinea pigs share a litter box

Even though two guinea pigs are in the same standard cage, they do not have to use the same litter box. However, because both guinea pigs may prefer to rest at the same time, the litter box must be large enough to accommodate both of them.

However, we will recommend that you start with two litter trays to be on the safe side, just in case. You may allow the guinea pigs to choose one for themselves. Most likely, they will switch places with each other. That will provide options in either case.

If you notice that both of your guinea pigs are gravitating toward the same litter tray, we will recommend that you remove one of the litter trays.. There is nothing to be concerned about as long as your guinea pigs are content in their group environment.

However, we recommend that you keep the second litter tray in the house in case it becomes necessary in the future. The second litter tray will be used only in the event that one of the guinea pigs becomes sick.

It would be preferable if you avoided separating bonded guinea pigs unless absolutely required. Small steps, such as using a second litter tray, can make a big difference in preventing disease from spreading quickly.

How often should you clean your guinea pig’s litter box?

During the early stages, you can be slightly more relaxed in the cleaning regime. Your guinea pigs must be bonded with their little tray. You can make this easy by letting them familiarize themselves with the scent.

Once you begin the training, the cleaning frequency will depend upon the litter you are using.

It would be best if you always cleaned the hay daily, which will help to minimize the risk of urine scalding. Some guinea pigs have a natural digging behavior, so you may find them cleaning their tray themselves by digging.

If you use a guinea pig’s litter, cleaning must be done every 2-3 days. It depends upon the use of the litter tray by your guinea pigs. If they sleep in the tray, then it is advisable to clean it regularly.

You can also follow your nose, as the ammonia found in guinea pigs urine creates an unmistakable scent that cannot be ignored. If your piggies cage is starting to stink, we would advise you to do a litter change.

How do you clean a guinea pig litter box?

You should follow these steps when you clean your guinea pigs litter tray:

  • Examine your litter tray thoroughly. If you discover any cracks or your guinea pig is chewing pieces of a tray, we will advise you to replace that as soon as possible.
  • You can begin with a jet spray. This will help to clean any stubborn litter or waste that can cling to the tray.
  • After this, you should scrub the litter tray properly with white vinegar. That will help to kill any bacteria in the grooves.
  • If your guinea has been sick or has suffered from parasitic infestation, we will advise using bleach. Create a solution of bleach and water in the ratio of 6:1 and scrub it properly.
  • Leave the litter tray to soak in water for approx 30-60 minutes. That will help to remove any particulars of toxic cleaning materials.
  • Your last step is to dry the litter tray properly. If you can dry it in the sun, it will be more beneficial because the rays of the sun provide further antibacterial properties.

Cat litter tray cleaning is not an easy task, especially for small animals. As a result, we recommend that you provide your guinea pigs with at least two interchangeable trays. So if one is cleaning your guinea pigs, you can use the other while the first is cleaning.

Litter training your guinea pig in a cage is a time-consuming process, but it is one that is extremely rewarding. Using litter training techniques can help to rid your home of the unpleasant odor of ammonia while also making playtime with your guinea pig more enjoyable.

It will also be a pleasure for our guinea pigs, who enjoy being clean and who tend to gravitate to a specific area for their elimination. If you provide your guinea pigs with a litter tray, it will be much easier for them to decide where to go when it is time to be removed.

Tips for litter training guinea pigs

Some tips to litter train your guinea pigs are as follows:

  • Before you begin, you should be aware that this is not a process that can be completed in a single day. It is a lengthy process that will take some time to complete.
  • The fact that your guinea pigs are not using the litter box could be a contributing factor. In such cases, investigate further because there must be something wrong, such as stress.
  • It’s possible that your guinea pigs are sleeping in their litter box. Create a separate bedroom for them if this is the case, as they prefer to sleep for approximately 7-8 hours at a time.
  • You should put some soiled bedding and hay in the litter box to make it more appealing.
  • The fact that they are attracted to the location makes training them a piece of cake.
  • If two bonded guinea pigs are comfortable sharing a standard litter box, do not separate them as this may cause them distress or distress in the future.
  • If your guinea pigs are not doing well, you should never scold them because this can make them feel threatened and scared. Then it will be more difficult for you to train them in the following months.
  • It is preferable if you litter train your guinea pigs, which will require time and patience on your part. If you become impatient during the training process, it will be more difficult for you to train them in the future.

So, there you have it: our suggestions for litter training your guinea pigs.

Final words of advice: take good care of your piggies and shower them with love and attention. This will help you to form a strong bond with your guinea pigs and will help you to keep them as long as possible.