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Guinea pig Toys! Beds! and Decor!

Every piggy enjoys their creature comforts, their bare necessities!. Their is not a more peaceful moment than to see your guinea pig happy and comfortable having a snooze...

Hush a bye little piggy hush a bye sweet

Playtime is over for tired tiny feet

Close your eyes because sleepy time’s here,

Good night little darling. Good night little dear.

Photo taken by Nicole featuring her guinea pig ' Charlie ' in his bed.

Accessories can include...

tunnels

small dog beds
towels

doors cut through large plastic plant pots or plastic containers
cardboard boxes
hammocks

house bricks

shredded newspaper

Untreated wood logs

feed bowls

treat dispensers

water bottles

snuggle sacks/pouches
PVC pipes
ramps between cage levels

Large ice-cream containers

Kitty litter tray with towel inside

small bathroom stools

fleece blankets

hay racks

Why is it important for guinea pigs to have accessories?

Accessories provided for your guinea pig will actually prove to be more than just something to decorate their enclosure or be a special surprise/gift from you to your piggy. Accessories provide mental and physical benefits to guinea pigs and these include:

Mental Stimulation
Physical Exercise
The Comfort Factor!

Unlike other rodents guinea pigs don't ' play ' with toys as such. A guinea pig will become exited by the sight and feel of a comfy bed or by exploring a tunnel guinea pigs are ' explorers ' rather than ' playful ' critters. Items that a guinea pig will not use and are not recommend to purchase include rodent wheels, rodent balls, plastic toys, balls. Guinea pigs will also not use a ' salt lick'. Salt licks are quite commonly found at pet shops and staff commonly try to sell this product. Salt licks will simply become a piece of cage decor and it is recommended not to bother purchasing one as your guinea pig will not use it. Guinea pigs will use and will thoroughly enjoy a comfy bed to snooze in during the day. Items for your guinea pig to snooze in can range from a simple towel placed in their cage to hammocks and padded small cat/dog houses. Guinea pigs love exploring and pipes and tunnels or things to lie on such as house bricks or untreated wooden logs will also prove to satisfy your guinea pigs curiosity. Accessories for your guinea pig need not be expensive the good old cardboard box is a guinea pigs favorite hidey hole although you will probably need to replace the box regularly as guinea pigs tend to also will like to eat and chew on their cardboard home. Guinea pigs will happily use a stable " ramp " leading from one level of their cage to another. If you wish to make a ramp for your guinea pig you will need to make sure the ramp is sturdy so your guinea pig feels safe walking up the ramp. The ramp will also need to have some sort of soft textured padding so the guinea pig will easily be able to walk up the ramp. Carpet and towels have proven effective to use on ramps.

SAFETY FIRST!

When deciding on accessories for your guinea pigs please remember to make sure any accessories placed in your guinea pigs cage don't have small pieces that may pose as a choking hazard to your guinea pig. Also make sure that the items placed in the cage do not contain any toxic chemicals. If your guinea pigs decide to ' chew ' on their accessories they need to be safe. Cage accessories should be cleaned/washed regularly or when needed to avoid harmful bacteria build up.

For more fantastic information about guinea pig play and accessories please click here to visit the Cavy Cages webpage ' Guinea Pig Play '.

Photo taken by Tamara featuring her girls in their stool houses...

Below are photographs of guinea pigs enjoying their accessories! The choices are endless and the benefits of seeing your guinea pig happy and stimulated in their surroundings makes it all the worthwhile. Photos below are copyright of the original owners and are not to be reproduced without permission from the original owner or ACS. Photos taken by Bianca, Nicole, Jessica, Bianca and Kylie. A special thank you to those who have contributed your photos for use in this section of the website.