Guinea Rescue #5 – Homes

Call them cages, pens, houses, hovels, hobbit holes or makeshifts they all fit the same purpose in keeping your Guinea pig safe, warm, and happy. I was hesitant when first looking into the prospect of rescuing two Guinea pigs, I had not cared for this species before and was completely unaware of their ability to thrive both indoors and outdoors. As I live in an apartment without a garden, I was unsure if I even had the facilities in place to take them under my wing and make them tiny little Andersons. So, while searching for an ideal animal to rescue I searched for Guinea pigs as they have always been animals I loved watching, I combed nearby adoption centre websites for Guinea pigs that are older and in need of a final home, eventually landing on Hero & Ghost looking sweet and terrified in an ad on the NAWFT website in Watford. Their advert mentioned that while they have been kept outdoors in the past, they would be perfectly happy living inside with a caring family, I wanted to be that family that cared for them after falling in love with their little faces.

Getting them home was a swift operation, I purchased a carrier that was made for cats that had unfolding compartments, it was the ideal size for two Guinea pigs and has come in handy for vet trips since, I will post the carrier I chose at the end of this blog for anyone interested. Now came the building of their home, I opted for a C&C cage as instructed by almost all the professionals and Guinea pig specific channels online. The freedom for changing the size and shape depending on the Guinea pig’s behaviour was my main checkbox to tick off, in the UK it is actually surprisingly difficult to purchase actual C&C cages with the additional corrugated card bases. What I opted for in the end was the outer cage fences that connect with plastic corners and a waterproof car mat that fit snuggly beneath it, inside I lined the pen with fleece blankets that I purchased for £3 a blanket from a local Poundland in the UK (absolutely great place for budget blankets and mats).

Bedding/Blankets

Before the arrival of Ghost and Hero I researched the various types of bedding/liners/bases used for building practical Guinea pig pens that will benefit both the pig themselves and be accessible for cleaning and maintenance when required. I was convinced by the time I found Hero and Ghost that I would prefer fleece liners, purely due to the lack of availability for the corrugated card bases and also the unpleasant dealings with sawdust and shavings. After the application to take them home was submitted, I received a call from the rescue discussing Ghosts medical issues with a prior belly rash that more than likely stemmed from unclean/wet sawdust or pine shavings in his home, after his hearing this I was upset for the little guy but also pleased to have no other choices but the soft fleece liners that I wanted originally.

Their home measures 5.5 feet in length and 2 feet in width constructed by the metal bar panels that I found online for a surprisingly good price, they are solid construct and can be altered fairly easily with a strong set of pliers to make openings or spaces for your Guineas to access if the need arises. For example, when I separated Ghost and Hero, I was concerned about their mental health and any potential separation anxiety that might follow after they both calmed down, I snipped off three bars from the connected piece of their cages and allowed space for there to adequately groom each other and interact without the possibility of climbing into each other’s space for combat. These panels have been a lifesaver and I would absolutely recommend them to anyone over wood, plastic or any other advertised Guinea pig cage.

Internally the pens are lined with the prior mentioned fleece blankets, roughly four at a time while another set of four are being washed. On top of those blankets sit two more smaller thicker blankets, one of which is rested under their plastic hide for sleeping in and the other next to the connected panel with each other as this space gets warm sunrays during the day for those piggy naps. These additional blankets are ideal for directing your Guinea to the places you would prefer them to sleep, Hero and Ghost cannot resist the urge to curl up and snooze on a fresh clean new bed during the day and often times they will popcorn in excitement when we lay a new one down for them. If you, like me, want the Guinea pigs in your life to have the most comfortable experience possible, I would suggest considering nothing else besides fleece and thick blankets when it comes to building your idea Guinea kingdom. 

Hides/Sacks

Ghost and Hero, as I type this out sitting by their pen, both have a fabric pouch/sack that sits almost completely in the middle of their run. Throughout the day when the sun hits the right way, I will catch them both nestling in and burying themselves amongst the fabric folds making ludicrously cute chirps and hoots as they get comfortable. Those sacks are easily the best purchases made thus far for the pigs, they absolutely love them and actually seem visibly more down when they have to be removed for a wash every 4-5 days or so depending on how they use them (Ghost tends to not stand up when he is comfortable and will decide to pee everywhere). These sacks or pouches are all over the internet and if you can find some cheap sets, I would recommend grabbing them, they make the pigs feel safer, warmer and above all else give them more places to hide throughout the day when sudden noises will irritate them.

Hides are crucial to a Guinea pigs mental wellbeing and therefore their physical wellbeing, in their cage measuring roughly 5 feet by 2 feet I have placed three hides for them. One is their main plastic igloo bed with a thick blanket inside for warmth and padding, one hide is their sack which sits just at the centre of their run near the back wall and the last is a corner which they both use to sleep and communicate through. In that corner I routinely cut up recycled cardboard boxes in order to form a small structural canopy that covers them and gives them a spot to hide. They need multiple spaces away from sight and covered from above where possible, it helps them relax and get some actually deep sleep without panicking every time a shadow moves above them. If you have a couple of pigs or more sharing a space, I suggest ensuring that every pig has at least one space to hide at a minimum. Plastic igloos, wooden structures and fabric cosy’s make great choices but ensure that your main home they will be sleeping in has ventilation to allow moisture to escape, that funky sleepy air can get into their lungs and after a while affect their upper raspatory system if not well ventilated. 

Cardboard and Toys

Last thing worth mentioning before I finish up this piece is how to keep your Guinea pig occupied and stimulated, they are busy nosy little creatures and enjoy having oddities to figure out in their spaces, assuming they aren’t scaring them at all. For example, when they first arrived home, I purchased a set of wooden chew toys that have small bells in them, I read the reviews and assumed that like others pigs mine would love these noisy wooden playthings. Foolishly I assumed wrong and after chewing out the pieces they liked, the sound of the bells moving would irritate the pigs into a low grumble every time they jingled, sensing a developing problem I removed the toys and went back to the drawing board. That is the truth that needs to be learnt, your Guinea pig will not like everything you put into their home and will likely tell you what they do not like with little chattering teeth or deep grumbles. Watch for signs they aren’t happy and do some quality research on what you are putting in with them before hand to avoid any injuries or contaminations in their home.

Right now, as I glide my eyes over their little Guinea world, I can see two small pillows crafted from unused fabric face masks (yay pandemic recycling) and a small cuddly plushie toy each from our trip to Scotland (Ghost has a small highland cow and Hero has a white fluffy sheep). These are the toys they have deemed acceptable and although Hero loves beating up his little sheep on the odd occasion he is in a mood, they both seem to tolerate and even enjoy the soft plushies. Check out the image below, it shows Ghost actually using his plushie as a footstool to sniff out what we are holding before giving them their food for the afternoon. As with everything else I have mentioned across this Guinea Rescue series I would suggest researching in depth all the materials used, potential chemicals and if you spot any unusual behaviours in your pigs regarding the new additions to their homes, remove the addition and give them time to reassess.

Cardboard is actually something I was terrified of using near the pigs at the beginning, I hated the idea of them swallowing anything that wasn’t their food and would have anxiety regarding the after effects when Hero in particular would rip pieces off and gobble it down. Searching online and exchanging emails with some Guinea specific rescue centres it took me a while to calm myself regarding the cardboard issue, it turns out that unless they are eating large amounts of the stuff and only that stuff, then they are perfectly fine nibbling at cardboard. They use it to push through their digestive system and will typically know when they have eaten too much, I now trust Ghost and Hero not to go overboard and a cardboard canopy can last four or five days before I need to swap it out for something less annihilated by their little white chompers. Hero in fact ususes cardboard to help with bloat when he experiences tummy problems, on the odd occasion that his stomach acts up, which isn’t uncommon for him unfortunately, he will chew on cardboard and get his stomach moving again. I don’t really understand how or why, but it will have him pooping again in no time if we let him chew away at a strip of clean and blank cardboard. That is completely specific to Hero though, please consult a vet if your piggy is experiencing any prolonged bouts with bloat as it can turn fatal.

Closing Up

So, there you have it, some tips and suggestions for keeping your piggies comfortable, warm, entertained and above all else safe. Getting the right combination of all these things (diet, health, bedding, housing, cage set-up etc) can and will most likely be very difficult. It takes time to understand your Guinea pigs’ exact needs or likes, but after winning them over and getting the home how they enjoy it you will be treated to some of most rewarding signs a piggy can provide, whether that is a frantic excited popcorn across the run or beautiful little chirps and hoots that sing out like satisfied tiny bears. Give them the time and dedication you would any other animal and remember to watch for the indications that something could be off, their housing set up will be paramount to their continued well-being and if you get this right, you can be sure that your pigs will thank you for it. Keep them safe, keep them warm and keep them comfortable.