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Choosing Bedding for Your Guinea Pig
Your guinea pigs 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.
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Next Article: Dealing with Guinea Pig Odors
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