Caring Your Guinea Pig - Cage Cleaning

By now, you have probably realized that as cute as they are, guinea pigs require more care than most pets. Of course, having a happy, healthy cavy is worth the extra effort! Nevertheless, even if your child starts out very committed to maintaining a guinea pig and its environment, eventually the chores will become more than they can handle. I highly recommend that the guinea pig's care belong to the entire family and that its upkeep become a communal project.

Not only does this approach allow your family to share time with each other but it also keeps the guinea pig living in a warm, caring family environment.

 

The following sections give explicit directions on the cleaning of cages, grooming and bathing of guinea pigs. Every living creature has certain sensitivities that must be taken into account if they are to thrive.

Cage Cleaning

Let's face it; cavies create a lot of solid waste and urine. Their cages can become unsanitary after only a week if not cleaned. Not only does this smell bad, but it can also make your guinea pig sick. The best practice is to remove soiled bedding every day or so and put in some fresh bedding. Then, once every seven days, remove all of the bedding and replace it with fresh. Every thirty to forty-five days you will need to clean the whole cage and all of the accessories. By cleaning, I mean disinfecting with a citrus-based cleaner that does not harm pets. The rule is that the more guinea pigs that live in a cage, the more often it has to be cleaned.