Before one brings home a new guinea pig, there are a few necessary supplies to purchase.
These supplies include a carry case, cage, bedding, food dish, hay rack, water bottle or bowl, and a hiding hut.
Carry case A simple cat carrier will do.
A carry case is an invaluable tool for transporting one's guinea pig to and from the veterinarian's office.
Lining the bottom of the carry case with newspaper will reduce the amount your furry friend can slide around.
Cage The top priorities for choosing a cage include size, safety, and convenience.
Many of the cages available commercially in pet stores and online are simply too small.
For a single guinea pig one should consider a cage that is approximately three feet long by three feet wide.
The reason for this is simply health.
A larger cage is going to be more sanitary as smaller cages force your guinea pig to essentially live in a glorified litter box.
A larger cage allows more area with unspoiled bedding for your guinea pig to live in.
Furthermore, the larger the cage, the more one's guinea pig can move around.
Exercise is vital for maximum guinea pig health.
With a larger cage one can set up areas specifically for exercise and toys.
This will reduce problems with weight gain and other health related issues.
When it comes to cage safety one needs to consider safe materials and construction.
Look for sturdy wire that cannot be chewed through and walls that are high enough to prevent one's pet from escaping (or fully enclosed if you own other household pets) but tall enough to allow him or her to fully stand up on hind legs.
Make sure that time is spent investigating proper bedding that is not dangerous or too rough on feet (avoid pine and cedar in particular.
) Some owners purchase cages with wire floors thinking it is more sanitary to allow droppings to fall through a grating.
Unfortunately wire floors are not safe for guinea pigs as their feet can fall through the holes resulting in injury.
Instead look for a cage with a solid floor.
Finally, when choosing a cage do not forget about convenience as one will be reaching in and out of the cage multiple times per day as well as cleaning it once per week.
Look for cage doors that are large enough to accommodate one's hand and a guinea pig.
Look for side and top doors - side doors allow your guinea pig to come in and out while higher doors are perfect for reaching in without worrying one's guinea pig will escape.
Look for cages with removable bottom trays as it makes cleaning and maintenance easier.
Hiding Hut In the wild guinea pigs as prey animals would have hidden underground in burrows.
Providing a similar hiding space in the cage is necessary in order to provide a sense of safety and security for one's furry friend.
A simple over turned wooden box with an entrance hole will work just fine.
Or one can go to a pet store and pick out a commercially made box.
PVC pipes are also fun and effective - especially when one makes use of different joints.
Just make sure that whatever is chosen is not chewable as a guinea pig will quickly chew a cardboard box up.
Food Dish A food dish made out of a heavy material such as clay or ceramics is best.
One wants to choose a dish that is too heavy to be knocked over all the time and sturdy enough that it cannot be chewed up.
Make sure the dish is not so high that one's guinea pig cannot comfortably reach in to eat.
Water Bottle Look for gravity style water bottles as these are difficult to knock over and keep the water clean of debris.
Do not buy a bottle that is too small - eight ounces or larger should be perfect.
Finally, check for a bottle with a metal ball in the tip as this will prevent leaking.
Hay Rack Guinea pigs require hay in their diet for ideal health.
A hay rack will attach to the upper side of the cage and allow one's furry friend to pull single strands of hay out for consumption.
Hay racks prevent hay from becoming distributed all over one's pet's cage.