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If you’re adopting guinea pigs in 2025, follow these steps when creating their living space. You don’t need much to get the environment right, but guinea pigs have specific needs that must be met to ensure lasting health and happiness.
Ensure adequate space
Strange though it might seem, the size of an animal doesn’t dictate how much space it needs. Guinea pigs are relatively small but highly active day and night and require lots of room to roam and forage as they would in the wild to stay happy and healthy.
Select a cage or hutch large enough for them to explore and adequately tall to accommodate them standing on their hind legs. Separate the sleeping space and exercise area and provide comfortable bedding. Ensure the structure is kept somewhere where they feel safe from predators and temperature extremes. Whether you’re keeping your guinea pigs inside or outside, avoid placing their home in direct sunlight or a windy or chilly spot.
Incorporate toys
Your guinea pigs require mental stimulation to reduce the risk of boredom. Without enough to do they can become unhappy and stressed and overeat as a consequence, leading to obesity and a host of other health problems.
Provide pipes for tunnelling, cardboard boxes to explore and gnaw, tubs to hide in and boxes with food inside. You can also experiment with toys designed for small animals and see which go down best: foraging puzzles and digging platforms are likely to prove popular.
Provide varied food
Ensure your guinea pigs are nourished with a varied diet, so they get all the nutrients they need. You should get good-quality guinea pig hay as the foundation of the diet and supplement this with fresh grass (not lawnmower clippings!), some washed leafy greens or weeds and a few pellets. This combination is best for gut health without compromising on necessary vitamins. Kale and broccoli are great sources of vitamin C but avoid citrus fruits.
Guinea pigs graze throughout the day and enjoy foraging so you should spread food around the cage or hutch and divide it between difficult to get to and easily accessed.
Ensure companionship
As naturally social creatures, guinea pigs flourish when kept in pairs and can become depressed if left alone for too long. If you want to take on a guinea pig, you should be prepared to look after at least two to safeguard their mental well-being and ensure emotional stability.
You should also interact with your guinea pigs regularly to encourage bonding and help maintain their happiness. When possible, let them explore outside their cage or hutch for additional exercise and a mental boost.
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