Guinea Pig Run

Guinea pigs are increasingly becoming a favorite among the pet lovers. These are one of the most low maintenance creatures as pets and are extremely lovable.

However every pet needs ample of care and it’s important that the owner understands its special needs; after all you would always want the healthiest and happiest little piggy in your house. You might be buying them as a muse for your children, but they still need all the care and attention. You cannot blame a sick animal if you haven’t done enough to keep them healthy. A guinea pig run is probably the only thing you will actually be spending on, so it’s best that you make it the most ideal one so that you can enjoy your pet experience to the hilt.

Guinea pigs had ancestors which were constantly roaming in the wilds and were called ‘cavy’. The domestic ones have inherited this habit and need to roam, run and exercise a lot in order to be healthy and content in their typical piggy way. They require daily exercise time and this is one animal that you cannot cage and forget about. A good run will allow them the natural behavioral and mental stimulation that comes from exercise, and keeps them from feeling bored and helps them be cheerful and happy. Apart from that, a guinea pig with only a small run will suffer from loads of physical problems like diabetes, bladder problems, breathing problems, foot diseases, constipation, and ovarian cysts. It’s like exposing the little animal to all the ill-health and the ultimate responsibility of extra care will again come back to the owner only. So it’s best to educate yourself of all the aspects of a guinea pig run before you actually invest in one.

Standard material for a run is generally a wire mesh and wooden or cardboard flooring. For long it’s been believed that the ideal size is four square foot per animal, but according to the latest researches it should be at least 7.5 square foot, add three square foot for the second animal. Ofcourse there is no upper limit, the bigger the better is the norm and there is no cap on your little pets’ joy as he popcorns about in his spacious run. Guinea pigs love to enjoy their activity time in the run, you will often see them cavorting about and frolicking, running in their twisted way referred to as ‘popcorning’. If your guinea pig does this it means he’s happy.

The next thing is where to place the guinea pig run, guinea pigs will surely enjoy being outside but they are extremely sensitive to weather so you will never be in a position to leave them out all the times. Hence an inside play area is also a necessity. The best temperatures for them to stay outside are 64° F to 72° F. Ofcourse this is after you have made sure that the place where you put the run is safe from predators and poisonous plants as they are essentially sensitive creatures. Tough the pigs do not jump up and down a lot and maximum they go is just about 6 inches, but there can be exceptions so a covered run is the best choice where they are safe from cats, dogs and even children.

A guinea pig run could be lined with shavings of aspen or pine. You can also use recycled paper and hay, the idea is to keep the place dry and comfortable. Cleaning regularly is extremely important as it is for any pet; you should clean the run at least once a week. To add more fun in the run, make sure you deck it up with lots of toys, guinea pigs will certainly enjoy that sort of company. Anything like overturned small pails, PVC pipe for them to hide and scurry through, or a small teddy bear to cuddle with will be great. Make sure a run always has a water bottle preferably with a sipper as they need a quick drink quite often. Just by paying attention to a few things you can have the happiest little piggy in the world and enjoy your petting experience to the fullest.