Your guinea pig’s pen is an important part of his life, mainly because
this is where he will spend the majority of his time. One of the most
important aspects of his pen is his bedding. Not only will he root
around in the bedding, but he will sleep on it, walk on it, nibble it,
and even eliminate on it if he doesn’t use a litter box. Don’t make
the mistake of thinking that just any bedding will do for your beloved
guinea pig.
One of the most popular pet bedding materials is called Vet Bed. This
special bedding seems to stay fresh longer than other types of bedding
and guinea pigs seem to be genuinely happy with it. It is perfectly
safe for guinea pigs, and it is very absorbent. Vet Bed bedding can
actually be washed and reused, but this should be done weekly. Hemp
can also be used, but it is expensive. Hemp is very soft, but
unfortunately, it doesn’t absorb well.
Litter should be confined to a litter box, and not used as bedding.
However, it can be used underneath bedding, as an absorbent material.
It should be changed weekly if used in this fashion.
Wood shavings are the most popular types of bedding. Pine and cedar
shavings should be avoided. Aspen is always a good choice, however.
Shredded paper works well, and newspaper is a cheap option. The nice
thing about shredded paper is that there is no dust involved. Chopped
or shredded cardboard is another good option, but you should have
litter or newspaper beneath it to absorb moisture and prevent the
cardboard from becoming soggy too quickly.
Chopped straw, which is commonly used for rabbits, is also a good
choice for guinea pig bedding. It is very soft, but it is not very
absorbent, and should be used on top of another absorbent material.
Straw bedding will need to be changed more often than other types of
bedding, but it is cheap.
Overall, the bedding that you choose should be soft for your guinea
pig to walk and sleep on. It should also provide adequate warmth.
Remember that your guinea pig will play in and with the bedding, and
it should not pose any threat of injury. Also note that if a litter
box is not used, your guinea pig will use the bedding for elimination,
and it really needs to be absorbent to keep odors under control.
When you visit your pet store to purchase bedding, you may be easily
overwhelmed by the choices available to you. One way to choose your
bedding is to find out what bedding the breeder or rescue center is
using. This way, your guinea pig will have bedding that he has already
grown accustomed to. You could also try out a variety of bedding
materials over time, to see which one you and your guinea pig prefer.