How to Keep a Nice Clean Cage for My Guinea Pig

How to Keep a Nice Clean Cage for My Guinea Pig. The first step to making sure your guinea pig always has a clean cage is to start as you intend to continue. A new pet is an exciting project, particularly for children, but maintaining a guinea pig cage can become a real chore if you do not set up a simple daily and weekly routine so that the job can be done quickly and efficiently.

Things Needed

• Cardboard box or pet playpen
• Healthy treats
• Pet disinfectant
• Paper towels
• Wood shaving substrate

Step 1

Position your guinea pig's cage in a safe, quiet place where it cannot be knocked over or fall from a table. Guinea pigs do not like to live in a chilly environment, so locate the cage away from open doors and windows. This will keep your pet warm and prevent wood shavings swirling around inside the cage and making a mess, or blowing out onto the floor.

Step 2

Check the general cleanliness of your guinea pig's cage every day. At feeding time, discard any uneaten food from the previous day and check around the water bottle or bowl for damp wood shavings.

Step 3

Use a water bottle instead of a bowl. Water bottles are more hygienic than bowls because it keeps your guinea pig from walking through the water, potentially contaminating it with feces or urine.

Step 4

Keep the substrate clean. You may wish to spot clean the wood shavings every day to prevent odor, but a complete change of substrate and cage strip down is also necessary at least once a week.

Step 5

Remove your guinea pig and place it in a secure playpen or cardboard box. Spend some time playing with your pet and offer healthy treats as a reward. Your guinea pig will quickly learn that cleaning out day is fun and not stressful.

Step 6

Take everything out of the guinea pig cage and wash the contents with pet disinfectant. Rinse any residue away with clean water; dry food bowls and toys thoroughly with the paper towels.

Step 7

Discard the old substrate and clean the cage inside and out with the pet disinfectant. Dry with the paper towels and refill the base with fresh wood shavings.

Step 8

Return your guinea pig's food bowls, water bottle and toys to the cage and release your guinea pig into its clean home.

References

• Guinea Pig Cages: Cleaning
• RSPCA: General Pet Care: Guinea Pigs: Environment