DIY: Guinea Pig Toys

I own five guinea pigs, and with that comes a lot of responsibility, and cost. First you must buy bedding, food, and then there is the matter of toys. Have you priced the cost of small pet, and guinea pig toys lately? If you have then you know how easy it is to spend $20 to $40 a month, just to keep your guinea pig happy, and healthy. Guinea pigs need certain toys in order to live a long healthy life. And at the same time some toys on the market can harm your guinea pig. The good news is, you don't need to spend money on commercial toys, when you can make your own for little to no cost at all.

Hide-Away:

You will find a variety of huts, igloos, and hide boxes on the market. The fact is, you guinea pig does need one in order to be happy. Guinea pigs are naturally timed creatures, who enjoy hiding. Plus these boxes allows them to have a place to sleep in which they feel safe. Buy which one is best for your guinea pig. The plastic igloo is the most common, however plastic is not guinea pig friendly in come cases. Guinea pigs will chew on plastic, as well as other materials. Even the smallest piece of plastic can cause serious problems if it is digested. The best ones on the market are made of grass or hay. These are safe to eat, and your guinea pig will eat it. The problem is, you will have to replace it often, and your can expect to pay between $8 - $15 dollars each time you do. A free solution is to use old cardboard shoe boxes. If you remove the lid, turn it upside down, and cut a hole for a door, your guinea pig will be happy. Plus, chewing on the paper helps keep their teeth healthy.

Cardboard Rolls:

These are nothing more then large toilet paper rolls, and yet they sell on average for $10.00. A free solution is to save the rolls your wrapping paper comes on. Be sure to cut a slit down one side to prevent your guinea pig from getting stuck. I usually make 3 tubes with one roll, so that right there is a $30.00 savings. Your guinea pig will chew on it, hide in it, and run through it, which makes for a happy piggy.

Balls:

I haven't figured out why they even sell these. A guinea pigs spine is not made to play with balls. Sure if they bump into it, it might roll, but that's about all. I have never seen a guinea pig play with a ball. Plus, most are made of plastic which is not safe. If your going to buy one make sure it's grass, that way they can at least eat it. A free solution is to roll large pieces of grass into a ball and toss it in the cage. Just make sure the grass is clean, and chemical free.

Chew Toys:

There is no way around it, your guinea pig needs to have a salt wheel in their cage. This is an important if you want to keep them healthy. However, you might get side tracked by the wooden building blocks, or cute little wooden carrots. A free solution to this is to make your own. You can use safe, untreated wood to make your own, and you can usually get small remnants for free at your local hardware store. Just make sure you say away from woods like cedar which are toxic to guinea pigs. Fresh carrot sticks also work great as a chew toy. Carrot sticks will give your guinea pig vitamins as well as keep his teeth healthy.

Blankets & T-Shirts:

You can find all sorts of weird things on the market today. Some people use fleece blankets, and bedding for their guinea pig. These products are cute, but again your guinea pig could eat it. For example I have one guinea pig that chews on everything, and another that never chews. If you use fleece products you must make sure your guinea pig isn't chewing on it daily. As for T-shirts, they are very cute, and very dangerous! If your going to put clothes on your guinea pig, only do it to take a picture or show it off. Do not put your guinea pig in its cage wearing clothes. Even a piggy that don't chew will chew them off. Plus it can cause your guinea pig to have a heat stroke.

Guinea pigs are fun to watch, and easy to play with. As you can see you can keep your guinea pig happy with little money, and little effort. The main things you want to avoid are plastic, glass (of course), and fabric toys. You don't need those cute commercial products, which in some cases do more harm then good.