Environment for keeping guinea pigs

There is currently no formal scientific research that defines the optimum housing conditions for guinea pigs, such as whether indoor or outdoor housing is better, or what the minimum recommendations for an enclosure size should be. While this highlights the need for more research, we can refer to what we do know about guinea pig biology, behaviour and recommendations from established animal welfare
organisations.

Guinea pigs are prey animals and should be kept in conditions that meet their
behavioural and physical needs. This includes:

A safe environment

• A secure, quiet environment, free from loud noises, predators and stress.
• Protection from temperature extremes. Guinea pigs do not tolerate
  temperatures over 26°C, and their ideal environmental temperature is
  between 20-22°C.
• Single-level housing only, as multi-level enclosures can lead to injury.

Space and shelter

• Guinea pigs should have adequate space to move, run and express natural
  behaviours.
• Enclosures should include multiple hiding places, with more than one access
  point, so that guinea pigs can feel safe and will not become trapped.

Hay and grass

Guinea pigs should have unrestricted access to hay and/or grass at all times. Grass can be variable in quality, so even if your guinea pig has unlimited access, it is safer to also offer unlimited access to a high-quality feeding hay.

Hay and grass should make up 85-90% of a guinea pig’s diet. Grass should be kept clean and free of pesticides, and hay should be a good quality, dust-extracted feeding hay.

To encourage natural foraging behaviour, guinea pigs should be allowed to graze on grass, and hay should be provided loosely on the floor of the enclosure and replenished daily, whilst removing any soiled hay.

Hay racks are not recommended as they do not promote natural feeding behaviour, and they have anecdotally been shown to cause injury.

Straw should not be provided in place of hay for multiple reasons. Unlike hay, straw has a low nutritional value, and it is difficult for guinea pigs to digest. Additionally, straw is often sharp and brittle, posing a risk of eye injury or scratches to other sensitive areas. Whilst it may look similar to hay, straw serves no beneficial purpose in a guinea pig’s diet or environment and should not be used.

Bedding

• Guinea pigs need a bedding which is gentle on their feet and non-irritant to their respiratory systems. Suitable bedding options include fleece, paper-based bedding (e.g Burgess Nap & Nest or Carefresh), hemp bedding (auboise) or dust-extracted, kiln-dried wood shavings (aspen).
• Bedding which should be avoided includes scented bedding, wood shavings which have not been kiln-dried, sawdust (sawdust is often mistaken for wood shavings; however, it is finer and dusty, which can cause respiratory irritation) and straw.
• Newspaper can be used underneath bedding to help with cleanliness, but should be monitored to make sure guinea pigs aren’t ingesting it.
• Puppy pads should only be used when they cannot be accessed by the guinea pig, i.e. secured underneath fleece bedding. If puppy pads are ingested, they can potentially cause harm to a guinea pig. A great alternative is reusable incontinence pads, which are also more environmentally friendly.
• Guinea pigs should have their enclosures cleaned regularly to prevent their discomfort and the potential to cause health issues.