How do you entertain a guinea pig?
Keeping your guinea pigs happy and comfortable is critical to their health and well-being. It indicates that you have a pet that is both loving and docile. If you fail to provide for the fundamental needs of your guinea pigs, this can result in them becoming stressed.
Your guinea pigs are essential to maintaining a regular schedule. Guinea pigs will want to know that their requirements will be met at specific times of the day and night. They will develop accustomed to following a set schedule. Continue on your way, and everything will be OK. If you have gained the trust of your guinea pig, he or she will learn to be patient.
In addition, you should make certain that your guinea pigs are appropriately stimulated and entertained. Guinea pigs have a larger intellect than they are physically capable of carrying out their tasks. If you do not give enough entertainment for your guinea pigs, they will become bored very soon.
Physical stimulation and cerebral stimulation are the two most vital types of stimulation for your guinea pigs, and they should be given equal attention. It would be beneficial if you attempted to maintain a healthy balance between these hobbies, as this is necessary.
Physical stimulation for guinea pigs
Your attention has no doubt been drawn to the fact that Guinea pigs are extremely active animals.
If you bring guinea pigs into your home with the expectation that they will be low-energy pets, you will be disappointed.
The fact that guinea pigs are small and confine themselves to a cage does not imply that they are sluggish.
Guinea pigs in the wild have the ability to run for approximately three miles each day on average. Even farmed guinea pigs have equal levels of energy to wild guinea pigs. Allowing your guinea pigs to run for at least three hours per day is recommended for their well-being.
Mental stimulation for guinea pigs
Guinea pigs kept as pets differ significantly from those found in the wild in numerous respects.
In some cases, they are virtually similar. Guinea pigs have strong impulses that drive them. Keeping guinea pigs in their native environments will make them feel lot more comfortable and relaxed.
The following are the basic desires that drive your guinea pigs:
If you are able to meet these requirements, you will have a contented pet. The task of providing your guinea pigs with what they desire is not difficult. The fact is that you will have to improvise because there is no need to spend a fortune.
25 enrichment ideas for guinea pigs
Table of Contents
Give some attention and interact with your guinea pigs
By paying attention to your guinea pig, you may make their life more enjoyable. Your guinea pigs will seek you out at all times to keep them company. They will be delighted and content if you make them the focal point of your family’s activities.
We will recommend that you do not force your guinea pigs to interact if they do not wish to be forced to do so. It is very likely that your Guinea Piggy may approach you and nuzzle you with their nose if they require your attention.
If you refuse to comply with your guinea pigs’ request, they will gently nip you on the nose. Your guinea pigs are not acting aggressively in this situation.
They are only concerned with whether or not their indications were too subtle. Guinea pigs nip in order to ensure that you are paying attention to them.
Provide some chew toys to your guinea pig
Chew toys are probably the most important component of a guinea pig cage’s enrichment program. Guinea pigs require chewing to survive, however there are some foods that they are unable to consume. It is conceivable that kids will develop dental problems as a result of their never-ending tooth growth if they do not file their teeth on toys on a regular basis.
However, this does not imply that you should give them with various items and then go. If the toys are not changed on a regular basis, the guinea pigs will lose their interest in them. You should rotate their toys on a regular basis to ensure that they do not lose interest in them.
It is not required to purchase new toys from a pet store because they may be prohibitively expensive. Many natural guinea pig toys are available to satisfy your pet’s chewing desire. These are some examples:
- Branches of a tree: Guinea pigs are fond of chewing on tree branches. Try out these incredible apple chew sticks from Amazon.com.
- Sturdy cardboard, such as a box from an internet delivery service, can be used to create a wonderful chew toy for your guinea pig. Thank you for refraining from using any glossy printed card, as it may contain toxic ink, which is potentially harmful to our test subjects.
- Willow balls (sometimes known as willow balls): Willow is a fantastic material for making DIY guinea pig chew toys since it is both durable and soft (amazon). It will be quite enjoyable for your guinea pigs to play with when you tie it up in the shape of a ball for them.
In addition to this, you can purchase chew toys for your guinea pigs from a local pet store to keep them entertained. It is also possible to use baby toys, such as plastic keys, for this purpose.
It would be preferable if you could remember to stay away from anything soft. It is possible for your guinea pigs to chew apart their toys and choke on small, indigestible portions.
Never ignore your guinea pig’s request to gnaw on his or her toys. If you do not supply them with chew toys, they may gnaw on the wires of the cage, which can cause holes to form in the wire.
Guinea pigs are extremely adept at evading capture because they can squeeze through openings that appear to be insignificant to the human eye.
Add some climbing gear to play and exercise
Because guinea pigs are prey animals, they prefer to be on the ground whenever possible. For example, guinea pigs are not interested in swimming.
Despite this, guinea pigs are capable of climbing and may choose to do so for recreational purposes. Several guinea pigs prefer to remain on higher elevation because it makes it easier for them to keep an eye on potential predators.
Guinea pig climbing frames are available in a variety of designs and sizes at your local pet store. It’s also possible to make your own out of recycled materials such as wood or card. Just make sure that it is strong enough to support your guinea pig’s weight.
A cat tree can also be purchased separately. It will give your guinea pigs with two distinct advantages.
- Guinea pigs are able to climb up on it.
- They can use the scratching post to file her claws down.
You must, however, be certain that the platform is extensive enough to meet your needs.
Get your guinea pig a companion
Guinea pigs are not lonely animals, as is commonly believed. In the wild, they congregate in extremely huge groups known as colonies. Even if they have been tamed, we recommend that you maintain guinea pigs in couples or groups because they may become lonely if kept alone.
It may not be a possibility for everyone, but it is usually best to keep them in pairs if at all possible. The following are the advantages and disadvantages of having two guinea pigs:
PROS:
- A pair of guinea pigs will make good companions for one another in the house. Loneliness, which can cause tension and anxiety, does not have to be a source of worry for you.
- They will also take care of each other’s grooming requirements, which will reduce your workload.
- Grooming a guinea pig can be a full-time effort if you want to satisfy its craving for attention.
- Having two guinea pigs will provide you with twice the enjoyment. The entertainment options in your home will never be lacking in any way.
Cons:
- You will incur additional expenses such as additional beds and toys, double the amount of food, and a double number of appointments to the veterinarian.
- The demand for additional room is becoming more pressing. In order to ensure that the guinea pigs’ needs are met, you will need to ensure that the shared living space is large enough.
- Guinea pigs, unlike humans, form lifelong bonds with their companions, albeit they can break up at any time. If this occurs, you will need to keep them apart from that point forward.
Serve some treat to your guinea pigs
Guinea pigs are mostly concerned in food. If there is a snack to be had, they will work really hard to get their hands on it. You may transform your guinea pig’s foraging behavior into a game by allowing him to indulge his natural instincts.
We will recommend that you bury some fresh vegetables beneath their hay.
Because guinea pigs have a keen sense of smell, they will do all in their power to locate the snack, which will develop into a fun pastime for them to participate in.
They will also love the treats more more because they have worked hard for them and earned them.
It would be nice if you could always check to see that the fresh vegetables do not go moldy, as this may be extremely harmful to our guinea pigs if they do.
The only way to safeguard the safety of your piggies is to remember to clean out and change their hay regularly.
Add some hiding space in their cage
Guinea pigs are considered prey by a large number of wild animals. Guinea pigs kept indoors experience the same level of dread as guinea pigs kept in the wild.
They are constantly on the lookout for someone or something that may be a danger to them. It is for this reason that guinea pigs love hiding spots.
It is important to remember this when providing these both inside and outside their cage.
- Inside the cage: A simple inverted cardboard box can be used to provide a hiding place for your guinea pig when inside the enclosure. Because they can hide when they are worried, your guinea pig will feel safe in this environment. They can also use it as a bedroom or a place to get some privacy.
- Outside the Cage: Guinea pigs can use it to recharge their batteries when they are playing outside the cage. It will also prevent them from fleeing if they hear loud noises or notice abrupt movements that can terrify them.
If feasible, transform their hiding location into a palace by adding some items such as a box lined with cushions. Guinea pigs are also natural comfort seekers, so make their hiding place as comfortable as possible for them. If you have the means to treat them with a little more luxury, consider purchasing them an indoor tent.
Mirrors could be a great distraction
Mirrors are not a long-term answer to their feelings of isolation.
When your guinea pigs first encounter a mirror, they will be enthralled because they will believe that they are in the company of another animal.
Depending on their disposition, they will react in a certain way. They can be ecstatic or even engaged in a battle with their own reflection.
Guinea pigs, on the other hand, are not foolish. They will become aware of what is taking place very shortly. Leaving them alone with a mirror for a brief length of time may help to alleviate their nervousness.
Provide some large open area for play and exercise
Guinea pigs require physical activity. We recommend that you set aside approximately 8-12 square feet of open space, which will allow your guinea pigs to move around without being confined.
In order to avoid intimidating your guinea pigs, we recommend that you should not allow too much open area around their enclosure.
A decent outside habitat, on the other hand, will get your guinea pig delighted. It will enable them to explore, which is their natural mode of behavior when they are in the wild.
We will recommend that you let your guinea pigs to run for at least three hours per day. However, keep an eye on the game at all times to ensure their safety.
A netting playpen (chewy) can also be used if you want to leave them outside for a period of time to play on the ground.
Provide some Paper for shredding
It is possible for them to spend hours shredding paper, which will provide them with a great deal of enjoyment. This is because they appreciate the crinkling sound that the paper creates when they tear it apart.
Guinea pigs have a great time interacting with paper toys. It is essential that you cut the bottom of the cage in order to avoid your guinea pigs from suffocating.
A telephone directory that you no longer need can be placed in your guinea pig’s cage if one is readily available and not in use.
Your guinea pigs will not be able to annoy you for several hours since they will be too busy tearing the book apart into fragments.
You should always double-check the paper you’re using because cheap ink might be hazardous to guinea pigs if it’s used improperly.
Please remember that free newspapers and leaflets may contain hazardous poisons that are extremely dangerous to our guinea pigs, so please keep this in mind before giving the paper to your guinea pigs.
A large cage is preferably the best
Guinea pigs are territorial animals, and they will claim anything and everything that they come across. That can be any inanimate thing or a group of individuals. If your guinea pigs are rubbing their chins against you, it means that they are marking you with scent glands.
You can also utilize this to improve the overall quality of life for your guinea pig. We will recommend that you provide your guinea pig with a region of its own.
That can be done in a corner of the room, or even in an empty spare room if necessary. We will recommend that you clean this area more frequently and keep additional pets from entering it in the future.
Your guinea pigs will be more comfortable if they can roam freely about their territory without being harassed.
The knowledge that they will always have a safe place to go when they feel overwhelmed will be comforting to them. They will also be less prone to pee on your property as a way of marking their territory as their own.
Give your guinea pigs some toilet roll tubes to play with
As these materials may be used for a variety of functions, toilet roll tubes or kitchen towel tubes are the best natural play for our guinea pigs.
- Feeding tubes: You can fill the tube with hay and a few treats to make it more interesting. Your guinea pigs would have a great time looking for food.
- Guinea pigs take great pleasure in spinning a toilet roll tube around their cage.
- Guinea pigs are particularly fond of shredding. They get a kick out of chewing and tearing apart a cardboard tube with joy.
- Noises: We will recommend that you put a guinea pig safe attachment tube that emits a noise to your guinea pig cage. Throwing objects about that make light sounds is something that guinea pigs frequently like doing. The most appropriate material for this will be toilet roll tubes.
Train your guinea pigs for simple tricks
In many ways, training and attention are the same thing in terms of function. Guinea pigs will squeal with delight if they get the opportunity to interact with humans. You can use this to your advantage if you know how.
It is not easy to train a guinea pig, but if you devote enough time and attention to them, you will be able to train them fast and effectively. A few of the tricks that you can teach your guinea pigs include the following:
- Jumping
- Sitting
- Bedtime
- Fetch
- Dancing
- Stop that.
If you spend the time to train, it will benefit you and your entire organization. In addition to having more fun, you’ll get a more obedient pet in the end as well.
In exchange, you will be happy with the guinea pigs you receive. As soon as they notice you, they will almost certainly begin to perform tricks for you.
A tunnel is also a great addition
Guinea pigs in the wild are known to live underground in warrens that are hundreds of feet deep. As a result, your guinea pigs will naturally appreciate the experience of traveling through tunnels. That’s how your guinea pig’s wild ancestors went from point A to point B, according to legend.
Tunnels can also be purchased at a pet supply store. Please set it up in your yard and watch your guinea pigs have a good time in it.
To encourage them to use the tubes, place a treat near the entrance and they will quickly overcome their apprehension.
Make your own guinea pigs tunnel out of cardboard concrete tubes if you want to be really creative. This item is available for purchase from the wholesaler. The end outcome will be the same as before, but this time it will be more affordable.
Alternatively, you can roll up some paper and stuff it into the tube. The sounds will be enjoyed by your guinea pigs. Their goal will be to dig and burrow the tunnel, which will allow them to better recreate their wild experience.
Rugs and towels keeps them busy for hours
Towels and rugs provide a great deal of comfort for guinea pigs because they are soft and comfortable to sit on. It can also be eaten and shredded to make a snack.
When your guinea pigs are performing this behavior for the first time, it is recommended that you keep an eye on them.
You must watch them carefully to ensure that they do not swallow huge fragments of fabric, which can cause intestinal blockage. There is no reason to be concerned if your guinea pigs are playing in a safe environment.
There is one more advantage to doing so. Guinea pigs are less likely to chew on your towel or carpeting when they are provided with their own personal space. When they have a craving for chewing, they will soon resort to the familiar comfort of their chewing.
Add some wicker baskets and containers
In return for providing them with wicker baskets, they will show their appreciation for your generosity. Wickers are a favorite of guinea pigs.
Because it is hard, guinea pigs can gnaw on it for hours at a time without it breaking. Wickers are quite harmless to our guinea pigs. There is no need to be concerned because they can consume it as much as they want.
Baskets can be used for a variety of other things as well. To make it more comfortable for your piggie to sleep in the basket, you may line it with a blanket.
Turn it upside down and place a treat inside so that your guinea pig will have to work to get to the treat. You may even transport your guinea pig in the basket anytime you go for a walk in the park.
If you can find a wicker basket, it is recommended that you carry it with you for your guinea pigs, since they are particularly fond of it. You will not be required to do anything because they will be having a good time.
Wooden branches and rocks are perfect chew toys
Guinea pigs kept indoors will enjoy the opportunity to exercise their wild inclinations. Having wooden branches and rocks in your yard can assist you in accomplishing this. Your guinea pigs will be able to enjoy being in the wild without any danger.
It will be much more beneficial if the logs are hollow, as they will be able to serve as tunnels as well. If this is not the case, the logs will still be enjoyable for the guinea pigs. Large stones, which can also file the claws of guinea pigs, cool the body when exposed to high temperatures.
The logs and rocks you use can serve as an effective makeshift obstacle course for your guinea pigs. They will run around and discover new things.
Ideally, you should also relocate the objects on a regular basis so that your guinea pigs can satisfy their desire for adventure. It will give them the impression that they are exploring new territory.
Get a playpen for your guinea pigs
You can purchase a folding exercise pen (available on Amazon) or provide your guinea pigs with a separate space that includes some floor time outside of their cage.
Guinea pigs, like humans, appreciate a change of scenery, and it also provides them with much-needed frequent exercise.
Add some floor time in their schedule
In between floor time and training sessions, it’s simple to squeeze in a quick training session for your Guinea Pigs.
Because guinea pigs are prey animals, it is not possible to train them in a short period of time.
However, even if you only spend 5 minutes a day teaching them, they will learn some pretty cool things in the end. You can also obtain a guinea pig that is happier and more involved.
Play some Music or TV for them
They enjoy watching television tremendously since they are particularly fond of moving pictures and music. To summarize, television can provide them with the appropriate cerebral stimulation they require.
However, you must exercise extreme caution when raising the volume, as guinea pigs have extremely sensitive hearing capacities, and loud noises might cause them to become stressed.
Bright displays, colorful visuals, moving images, and noise are the most appealing to guinea pigs, with the exception of white noise. Noise should not be too loud because it can cause damage to our guinea pig’s hearing.
Cage upgrade can be a game changer
It would be great if you constantly kept in mind that the larger their cage is, the more toys, tunnels, and hide huts you can put in it, and the more area your guinea pigs will have to run around and eat their popcorn.
You can even construct an exercise enclosure or other small fence around their castle, allowing them to come and go whenever they like.
Putting toys in their cage can help to improve their living conditions if you don’t have the space for a larger cage in your home.
It would be nice if you also changed their toys on a regular basis, as kids can become tired with the same toys after a while.
You can also create an area where our guinea pigs can freely explore outside of their cage if you have the space.
Take them outside
Taking your piggies outside to enjoy the fresh air may be beneficial if the weather conditions are suitable and you have the opportunity.
Guinea pigs will have a great time when they are allowed to roam around outside since they may eat fresh grass and dandelion greens. It would be better if you double-checked to make sure no other animals had eaten it.
It would be great if you kept an eye on them and ensured that they were completely enclosed in a cage to keep predators away from them at all times.
Provide some Crumbled up balls of newspapers
Because crumpled up paper balls are simple to manufacture and replace, it is also a simple idea, as some guinea pigs enjoy tossing or chewing them.
You can even make it more pleasurable by hiding some treats inside and watching to see whether it attracts the attention of your guinea pig.
However, you must guarantee that the paper is of high quality because certain newspapers may contain ink that is quite dangerous to our guinea pigs.
If your guinea pigs show little interest in seeking for food, you should remove the vegetable from the cage because there is a risk that it will become moldy if left there.
It would be great if you tried to arrange safe activities for our guinea pigs on a consistent basis, as your little ignorance can cause them to pay a high price over time.
Do a photo shoot
Photographs preserve great memories and provide those priceless keepsakes that will undoubtedly bring a smile to your face.
Due of their adorableness, guinea pigs make for excellent subjects for photography and other media. Take several pictures of them eating vegetables from various perspectives.
In addition, you can capture some action shots of your guinea pigs by hiding their rewards on the top of the cages.
Also, take some photos of your guinea pigs outside to use as inspiration for a nature theme.
Add some stuffed animals and toys
That is similar to the sock notion, in that some guinea pigs prefer cuddling close to them when they are not playing.
It is always a good idea to check on your pet’s stuffed animal to make sure that it is not being chewed up too much by the pig.
If they begin to chew on the things within the toy, remove it from their possession immediately because it may become a choking hazard for them.
Sew it back together after replacing the filling with bedding. If you come across any hard beads, such as eyeballs, remove them first before giving it to your guinea pigs to play with.
We will suggest you to offer kids with plush animals that do not have any hard beads on them, just to be on the safe side.
Get some large PVC Pipes
A 4 inch complete PVC pipe makes a great tunnel for your guinea pigs, and you can create one in minutes. You can also use different shapes to construct tunnels for our guinea pigs that may be curved and turn in a variety of directions.
Finally, we’d like to point out that we take excellent care of your guinea pigs. Always experiment with different techniques to keep them entertained, as happy guinea pigs under the roof will want to make you smile by complimenting you often.
Apart from that, we recommend that you lavish them with affection and care, as they are prey animals in need of love and attention.
