The Guinea Pig Shack provided by Bravenet.com

Guinea pigs make a great first pets because some rarely ever need to go to the vet. This is very exciting when you first get your guinea pig'shome ready. The basics are the cage, the food, water bottle, hay, toys, hidey hole, and a comfy bed. The different varieties need different kinds of care.

CAGE- There are some pretty simple designs but you could be creative and build your own! I don't really trust the pet stores but I recommend something like this:

This is quite simple! You get some cardboard and make the shape like this. Then, you get these storage things from Kmart or Target. If you can't find any, I thing wire fencing will do fine! Make sure there is a lot of space to run for your piggies! They just love to just run and play.

BED- You can make it simple or complex. It's up to you. I would use a tissue box and fill it up with cusioning. I think that will be quite comfy! You could also buy one of those domes or igloos! Just be creative!

FOOD- You know what brand is truly good for your guinea pig if you have a big heart. Cost doesn't matter when you love your piggies.

HAY- You can go buy some hay at the local pet store. Do make sure you don't get those big thickish ones. They could poke your piggie's eye!

WATER- You can get a water bottle for around $8.00 down at the local pet store.

HIDEY HOLE- There are so many things you could do to make your guinea pig's hidey hole! You can range from a tissue box, to an old pot! Here are some examples:

TOYS- These are very important because it is very bad to have a bored guinea pig. Either get another guinea pig for company, or get some toys. Or both! It is wonderful how creative you can be when making toys. Here is a link to a page full of ideas! CLICK HERE!

Try a hamock! Do whatever feels right for you.

I would love to hear from you with all your ideas about keeping guinea pigs happy and healthy! If you like my care information, please join our subscription and you'll learn heaps of tips and tricks! Email me on Stefania_Chen@hotmail.com to join!

Have you most definitely provided your guinea pigs with the items listed above? If so, then consider adding a little toy variety to their life. Just be aware that most guinea pigs will pretty much ignore most 'toys.' That's why the above list is so important. Those are the items they REALLY care about! Now, on to toys . . .

Safety first! Many commercial toys (cat balls with bells inside and guinea pig boredom busters, for example) can come apart leaving dangerous small pieces in the cage. Some have caused serious damage with vet care required. Be creative, but think safety first. Some pigs love one type of toy, others will ignore them. Some guinea pigs get bored or frustrated after a while. It's good to experiment and give them variety. Keep in mind that most guinea pigs will ignore most 'toys' -- usually the simpler the better. Regardless, change out the toys, houses, and locations of toys and houses frequently. Keep toys, and especially houses and food dishes if possible, AWAY from the walls and corners of the cage. Always make sure the perimeter of the cage is free and clear for maximum run and exercise space. Cage accessories and houses should be arranged in the middle of the cage with adequate room to run around the items.

Exersize Wheels- Can strain the spine of your guinea pig. Good for mice and hamsters though!

Exersize Balls- Can strain the spine of your guinea pig aswell.