New Owner With Timid Guinea Pig And Wrong Cage

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koella

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Hi, I've recently become a new guinea pig owner. My sister bought me one for my birthday though she hadn't done as much research as I had done on guinea pigs and bought a cage that has wire bottoms. It was designed that way so that urine and feces could drop to a removable tray below it (bedding is also placed in this lower tray so the guinea pig does not come in contact with it). However, although the pet store employee says this cage is great for being quick and easy cleaning, I've read that wire bottoms are bad for guinea pigs' feet. Would the best way to amend this be to line bottom of the cage? I was thinking of some sort of mat and then piling on the bedding as I've seen others do with their solid bottom cages.
My guinea pig also just came home and I'm trying to leave it alone for a day or two to get used to its surrounding so I'm wondering if picking her up and moving her so that I can line the cage this soon would make her more stressed and anxious.
 
Hi welcome to the forum. You are right that wire bottomed cages are bad for their feet and it is appalling that a pet shop would sell a cage like that. Lining the bottom is a good idea and is something that needs to be done sooner rather than later though I know you don't want to stress your pig out. Do you have a box you could put your pig in while you do it? You could line it with something nice and soft so they are comfy while you sort the cage out. It is also good for a pig to have a friend of their own kind. Are you in the UK? or the US?
 
Hi and welcome!

Which country are you in? You can add it by clicking on your username on the top bar, then go to personal details/location. That will make it a lot easier for us to give you appropriate tips and recommendations straight away, especially if you are living in a more tropical or harsher climate.

I agree with helen; a padded box will do for the moment until can sort the cage out. We have got a video about how to best pick up a piggy in our video section on the top bar.

make sure that your piggy has always acess to hay, water and as long as it is little, pellets.
Here you can find out more about food: https://www.theguineapigforum.co.uk...veg-and-fruit-list-with-vitamin-c-grading.42/

In the long term, it would be good if you considered a companion of the same species. You will also enjoy their lively interaction that is what is making piggies so unique and special.
https://www.theguineapigforum.co.uk/threads/faq-companionship.37654/
 
Thanks for the tips! Yes I could keep her in a box/tub temporarily while I line and put bedding in the cage. I live in the US and might consider getting as second one in the future so she won't get lonely but I wanted to be sure I could handle one first.

What would be the best way to clean Correx? Would it be similar to the methods I've read where you throw away the bedding and clean the plastic with water/vinegar? Or would I have to replace the plastic each time?

Also does it have to be Correx specifically? is it possible to use any other sturdy, resistant plastic? I was looking at TAP Plastic's polypropylene sheets here http://www.tapplastics.com/product/plastics/plastic_sheets_rolls/polypropylene_sheets/591

Would these work?
 
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Correx (or coroplast, as it is usually called in the US) can be cleaned normally with water/vinegar or a pet cleaner. You can use other plastics, too, especially as an inset. Coroplast has the advantage that you can fold it and form the sides of a tray in a grid pen from one single piece, which is why it is most widely used for C&C grid cages. For my big piggy pen on the floor, I use one big piece of lino for instance - I would need several sheets of coroplast.

As you are in California, please contact me when you are thinking about getting a new friend. There are a number of excellent US rescues all over your state that are by far the safest place to get a new, suitable piggy friend from that is guaranteed healthy, not pregnant or mis-sexed and whose personality will match your level of experience. I am in the process of compiling a list of recommendable US rescues that is paralleling the UK rescue locator that we already have. All these rescues are looking for the same standard of space and housing that we are recommending on this forum.
 
Thank you, Wiebke. I'll let you know if/when I intend to get another one.

On a good note, I think she's getting a little more comfortable day by day. I heard her running around her newly padded cage and she let me pet her today instead of scurrying away. :) She also ate a lot of hay, some lettuce and pellets as well today. Didn't drink a lot of water which is the only thing I'm a bit worried about.
 
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Glad she seems to be settling down and letting you pets her, if you are worried about her water intake you could always wash the lettuce and leave plenty of water on as she will also get fluid from this, also cucmber is good too as this contains lots of water. I am sure when she starts to settle in more she will get the hang of a water bottle, she is probably still a little nervous as she is on her own too, so she will feel more vunerable being a prey animal.
Welcome to the forum, and welocome to the world of pigges, it all starts here!
 
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