Whether you already have guinea pigs as pets or you are looking at adding some furry companions into your family, finding them a good and safe home that provides all the basic necessities is one of the most important aspects to consider. It can be very confusing and overwhelming when researching or shopping for cages to find the most suitable and safe one for your piggies, however we are here to help to make choosing the right piggy palace that little bit easier. 

SAFETY 

The first, and most important aspect we consider when choosing the right home is SAFETY. There are a few different styles of cages available on the market, some much more safe than others, but here are a few points to consider for the more popular options: 

- Wooden hutches: particularly if you are DIY making your own, should be made from untreated wood that is NOT TOXIC to guinea pigs when they will inevitably chew on the edges. It is also important to consider the type of wood and if it is prone to splintering and causing injury to your guinea pigs. 

- C&C style cages: Grid size is one of the most important aspects as guinea pigs have been known to become stuck in inappropriate sized grid holes, especially those that are not made specifically for guinea pigs (for example, shelving or storage units). We strongly recommend Ozzy Cages as they have been tried, tested and researched to be one of the safest grids on todays market for guinea pigs, with their specialised 35cm, 9x9 design. If you have young or baby guinea pigs, we recommend having even smaller grids such as the Ozzy Cage baby proof grids to ensure their safety from becoming stuck or escaping. 

SIZE

Once you have chosen your style of cage, you need to consider if it is an adequate size to house your guinea pigs. This will primarily depend on how many guinea pigs you have, and if you are housing multiple males together (males require more space to reduce fighting over territory). Unfortunately, a large portion of housing advertised and marketed as suitable for guinea pigs in pet shops is not large enough for them to live comfortably and express their natural behaviours. 

-As a general rule, guinea pigs require a MINIMUM of 70cm square EACH, and males more than 1m square each - so keep this ratio in mind when choosing your housing. 

Below is a size guide for Ozzy Cages: 

For more information on the benefits of adequate sized housing, read here. 

FLOORING

Flooring or what your guinea pigs are generally walking on is another consideration that impacts both their health and safety. 

We generally recommend a nice soft, dry, moisture wicking bedding for our guinea pigs, which can be in the form of vetbed, fleece liners, or bath mats. 

Cages with wire bottoms are NOT suitable for guinea pigs, as this can cause pressure sores, trauma, and conditions such as pododermatitis (bumblefoot). 

Any form of hard flooring without a soft cushion support for your guinea pigs little paws (such as thin material, newspaper, plastic etc) can also predispose to bumblefoot. 

Flooring that does not wick moisture, remains damp, allows for urine pooling or is easily soiled is also not recommended as this can predispose to many health issues and infections. 

PREDATOR PROOF 

In general, we recommend housing your guinea pigs indoors to keep them safe and protect them from the elements, with supervised outdoor grass time. If you are however keeping your guinea pigs outdoors full time, there are a few extra aspects you need to consider when deciding on the most suitable housing. 

Dogs, cats, birds of prey, and snakes, just to name a few, are some of the biggest threats to our guinea pigs. When choosing a home for our guinea pigs, we need to ensure they are safe from the above, if they were to come into contact.

- If you have other pets at home such as cats or dogs, you may consider adding a LID to your Ozzy cage to protect your piggies. Adding a stand may also help to keep them off the ground and away from other pets. 

- If housing your guinea pigs outdoors, as mentioned above, wire bottom cages are not suitable for guinea pigs, however cages without bottoms can also be risky as they can be easily tipped over by larger animals. We recommend finding a cage that can be secured to the ground to avoid any accidents. Wire size is another consideration as to reduce the chance of snakes such as pythons entering the enclosure. 

WEATHER PROOF 

It is also extremely important to protect your guinea pigs from the elements, as both heat stress and cold stress can be detrimental. Indoor housing can help to control these factors compared to the outdoors, however if you are  housing your guinea pigs outdoors, you will need to ensure they have shelter from the sun, wind and rain. It is important to remember, what is in the shade in the morning may not be shady all day! 

We hope this has cleared up a few questions and made choosing the right cage an easier process for you and your family.