Guinea Pig Cage Size Guide

The perfect guinea pig cage measurement will rely upon the variety of cavies you personal.

One guinea pig wants no less than 7.5 sq. ft of area. But, the more room you may give them the higher. And, it’s greatest to maintain no less than two guinea pigs, since they’re so social, which implies an even bigger cage.

An excellent rule of thumb for selecting cage measurement is so as to add a further two to 4 sq. ft of area per animal.

Let’s take a better take a look at the perfect guinea pig cage measurement and kind, and the place you should buy one.

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Is Guinea Pig Cage Size Important?

The most essential think about selecting your guinea pig’s cage is measurement.

Veterinarians agree that commercially out there guinea pig housing is commonly undersized, or solely designed for one guinea pig. But guinea pigs actually must be stored in a pair or extra.

If your guinea pig doesn’t get sufficient area, they might change into depressed, pressured, and unwell.

Studies into cage measurement on rodents comparable to hamsters and rats have proven that small housing may cause power stress.

So, selecting a big sufficient cage on your guinea pigs is essential.

How Big Should a Guinea Pig Cage Be?

According to the RSPCA and the Humane Society, the minimal guinea pig cage measurement is 7.5 sq. ft.

For instance, a cage that’s 42 by 24 inches, or 106 by 61 centimeters. A 30 by 36 inch cage can also be a sensible choice.

In addition to offering seven sq. ft of area on your guinea pig to run round in, your cage must be no less than 12 to 18 inches tall.

However, that is an absolute minimal. Ideally, a single guinea pig ought to have round 10.5 sq. ft of area, if no more.

And, guinea pigs should not solitary pets. Owners will maintain no less than a pair of guinea pigs, if no more.

Keeping a guinea pig alone may cause stress, despair, and loneliness on your pet. But, with extra guinea pigs comes the necessity for further area.

Keeping One Guinea Pig

Most cages available in shops are literally designed for only one guinea pig. This is sweet information for the proprietor of single guinea pigs.

You can generally find yourself with a single guinea pig you probably have adopted one from a rescue middle who says they don’t get on with different piggies.

But, most often, guinea pigs are happiest when residing with different cavies. Most house owners may have no less than two guinea pigs, and should select a cage giant sufficient to accommodate this.

So how large ought to a guinea pig cage be for a couple of cavy?

Cage Size For 2 Guinea Pigs

Guinea pigs are social creatures, and so many homeowners prefer to maintain a number of guinea pigs collectively. Most new guinea pig house owners are suggested to get a pair of piggies to maintain one another firm.

As we learnt earlier, an excellent rule of thumb for selecting cage measurement is so as to add a further two to 4 sq. ft of area per animal.

So, a cage for 2 guinea pigs, utilizing that rule, ought to have wherever from 9 to 11 sq. ft of area. A regular measurement is 30 by 50 inches. And, as earlier than, greater is best.

You can safely home both two males from the identical litter, two females, or one feminine and one male (so long as one is fastened) in a single cage. They will profit from the corporate, and you should have one other furry good friend to play with.

Sometimes, the perfect guinea pig cage is a rabbit cage. Rabbit habitats are sometimes bigger than habitats offered for guinea pigs.

Just be sure the flooring is appropriate for delicate guinea pig ft.

Cage Size for 3 Guinea Pigs

The minimal measurement cage for 3 guinea pigs is round eleven sq. ft, however the greater the higher. Fifteen sq. ft is right.

30 by 76 inch cages are a sensible choice, however could be onerous to seek out.

Three guinea pigs get a bit trickier in terms of indoor housing.

To keep away from battle, solely home one male guinea pig in a combined herd. For instance, you may home one neutered male with two females, or three males, however you shouldn’t home two male guinea pigs with one feminine.

Best Indoor Guinea Pig Cages

We’re going to try among the greatest indoor guinea pig cages in a second. But for now, right here’s a fast abstract.

MidWest Homes for Pets Guinea Habitat

The Guinea Habitat* created by MidWest Homes for Pets, presents the right starter guinea pig cage.

It has 9 sq. ft of area. So the essential starter model just isn’t giant sufficient for 2 cavies to share.

But, the perfect factor about this cage is that it may be expanded.

Owners should buy a further habitat or extension to supply as much as sixteen sq. ft of residing area. This gives sufficient area for 3 to 4 pigs to stay comfortably.

Ferplast Rabbit Cage

The Ferplast Rabbit Cage* is 63.78 by 23.62 inches (10.4 sq. inches).

This cage has virtually ten and a half sq. ft of play and residing area, making it perfect for 2 guinea pigs.

But, if you happen to do purchase a rabbit cage on your guinea pig, you might have to make just a few changes.

For instance, your guinea pigs will most likely favor their meals dishes to be on the bottom, so you might have to take away any lofted feeding and consuming areas in case your pigs have problem accessing them.

Ferplast Krolis Indoor Guinea Pig Cage

The Ferplast Krolis Indoor Guinea Pig Cage carries a 55.90 by 23.62 inch cage.

It boasts a bit over 9 ft of residing area on your pigs, which is simply over the minimal required for 2 guinea pigs.

But, it is usually properly ventilated, simple to scrub, and simple to arrange.

Wabbitat Deluxe Rabbit Home

The fundamental Wabbitat Deluxe Rabbit Home* gives your guinea pig with roughly six and a half sq. ft of residing area.

However, the extension presents virtually 3 extra sq. ft, making it appropriate for one or two guinea pigs.

There can also be fairly a little bit of selection for the extensions to select from. You can add an additional wire section, or perhaps a hutch-like bed room section.

This cage possibility is well-ventilated, simple to scrub, and simple to arrange.

Living World Guinea Pig Cage

Living World presents giant and extra-large cages* excellent for one guinea pig.

The giant cage just isn’t really sufficiently big to suit the minimal guinea pig cage measurement pointers. But, the additional giant measurement measures in at 46.9 inches lengthy by 22.8 inches large (Just underneath 7.5 sq. inches).

So, it’s appropriate for a solitary guinea pig. But, ideally, it is best to search for one thing bigger. This cage is not going to be sufficiently big for a pair of guinea pigs.

Of course, you may all the time look to increase this cage, or add a run to make it extra appropriate for a number of cavies.

What Kind of Cage is Best for Guinea Pigs? Tips for Choosing

Pet shops are filled with guinea pig cages. This article seems at indoor cages, however the measurements for guinea pig cage measurement apply to outside hutch area too.

The quantity of cage selections could be overwhelming. Many new guinea pig house owners make the error of shopping for cages higher fitted to smaller rodents.

Guinea pigs want numerous floor area to discover and run round in. They additionally want loads of air flow.

Poorly ventilated cages can result in mildew and illness. So it’s typically a good suggestion to keep away from glass aquariums if you’re going to maintain your guinea pigs indoors.

Instead, select a wire, metallic, or plastic cage with higher air circulate. You can enhance this airflow by having a mesh prime and even choosing no lid in any respect.

Guinea pigs hardly ever climb or leap out of their cages. Unless you’ve got different animals in your house who would possibly hurt your guinea pig, a lid just isn’t all the time mandatory for an indoor cage.

Flooring and Sleeping Arrangements

Guinea pigs have tender ft. Wire or mesh cage bottoms and ramps can harm their paws. Smooth surfaces are higher fitted to guinea pigs.

In addition to your cage, you may additionally wish to present your guinea pig with a picket or cardboard field for them to sleep in securely.

Benefits of Big Guinea Pig Cages

The more room your guinea pigs have, the happier and more healthy they are going to be. Guinea pigs stay wherever from 4 to seven years. So it’s well worth the funding.

Pet shops may not all the time have the guinea pig cage measurement you want. But that doesn’t imply that you could’t have one specifically made or make one your self.

You may store on-line for a greater diversity of sizes and have your new cage shipped on to you.

If you might be nonetheless questioning if you happen to ought to spend money on a giant guinea pig cage, listed here are just a few extra explanation why large cages are higher.

• The more room, the extra doubtless your guinea pigs will all get alongside.
• Bigger cages imply that your guinea pigs will train extra on their very own phrases. (Not simply if you’re out there to take them out).
• Guinea pigs that train commonly are much less prone to develop severe medical situations, like diabetes, coronary heart illness, anal impaction, and bumblefoot.
• Larger cage is that they’re simpler to scrub.
• More area implies that your pigs are extra doubtless to decide on a selected space to make use of as a toilet, as an alternative of urinating and defecating all through the whole cage.

Indoor vs Outdoor Guinea Pig Cages

Outdoor cages should not really helpful for guinea pigs in hotter climates.

They favor temperatures between 65 and 75 levels and are prone to warmth stroke, which makes outside housing harmful in some areas.

Plus, your little pigs like being close to their human households. Outdoor pigs can obtain much less interplay with their members of the family than indoor pigs, which might result in skittish pets.

But large guinea pigs cages do include just a few challenges. For starters, it’s essential discover a place to place them.

Guinea pigs don’t do properly when housed in drafty or damp areas, they usually additionally don’t like being housed close to warmth sources like vents or furnaces.

This could make discovering a spot in your house for a big cage tough, and it’s possible you’ll have to do some rearranging.

Guinea Pig Cage Ideas for Small Spaces

Unlike rats, ferrets, hamsters, mice, and gerbils, guinea pigs should not large climbers. So tiered cages should not an excellent alternative for ground area.

Cage add-ons like these within the cages we checked out earlier can assist house owners with small areas. Because, you may mould them to suit the area out there in your house.

It may assist to purchase a big train run, and provides your guinea pig time in it every single day.

An train pen just isn’t an alternative choice to cage area, however it may well present a lot wanted train on your guinea pigs every day.

Guinea Pig Playpen

Guinea Pig Playpens* are available all sizes and shapes, and are a great way to let your piggies roam with out having to fret about them moving into hassle.

But keep in mind, this could nonetheless be along with the minimal guinea pig cage sizes we checked out earlier.

Guinea Pig Cage Setup

It’s essential to recollect the issues that shall be taking over area in your guinea pig’s cage when you find yourself discovering one giant sufficient.

Guinea pigs want a meals bowl and fixed entry to recent water. Both of those will take up precious area of their cage.

Guinea pigs may also profit from an enclosed, darkish nesting space, the place they will sleep and retreat if they’re feeling unsafe or nervous. You can fill this with recent hay, which your piggies can nest in or chew on!

You may get your guinea pig little toys to entertain themselves with.

Remember, they want loads of area to train and eat. And, they want an acceptable flooring, which gained’t hurt their delicate ft.

Guinea Pig Cage Size – Summary

Owning two or extra guinea pigs implies that you’ll positively want a bigger cage. However, one guinea pig may profit from more room.

If you assume that you simply may be getting one other guinea pig sooner or later, then it’s a good suggestion to buy a sufficiently big cage the primary time.

You may buy a cage that may be expanded afterward or hooked up to a further habitat.

Ideally, it is best to goal for bigger than the minimal measurement necessities. But, in case your schedule permits so that you can take your guinea pigs out and train them in a bigger area a number of instances a day, the minimal measurement must be sufficient.

To sum issues up, in terms of guinea pig cages, greater is best, so search for the most important guinea pig cage you could find in your value vary!

Products included on this article had been rigorously and independently chosen by the Squeaks and Nibbles workforce. If you resolve to make a purchase order from one of many hyperlinks marked by an asterisk, we might earn a small fee on that sale. This is at no further price to you.

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