Sorry If This Is The Wrong Forum To Ask But Cardboard....

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LeighS

LeighS

Junior Guinea Pig
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Hi everyone,

So bubbles has a cardboard box as his hidey place, we have also been giving him toilet roll tubes stuffed with hay. His box is chewed in places and he seems to really love his tubes.
I am just wondering if it is okay for him to be chewing these so much, could it mean that he doesn't like his hay?
 
Guinea pigs & hamsters love chewing, it's far better than the bars. Would be better if he chewed hay as well. You need to find the best that they love. Because hay is 80% of they diet, you need to encourage him to eat hay, just keep trying it until they love it. Mine have Timothy hay from pets corner. It's got flowers in it then other bags hay something different in it.
 
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Is he also eating plenty of hay? They do indeed like to chew plain, unprinted cardboard, and this is generally fine as long as they are also getting through plenty of hay.
Do you have any other pigs and do they favour the cardboard over the hay? If so it may be best to change brands.
 
We're not sure that he is eating much hay at all to be honest. We will he loo roll tubes with it and then it seems to go...
We only have bubbles at the moment @Critter but plan to get him a friend in a week or so.
 
Other than the tubes, which mainly serve as stimulation, it's good to just put a big pile of hay on the floor and let him munch on that, so he has a lot even if you're out as they need it 24/7.

Is he neutered or are you planning on getting another boy?
 
Sorry one other thing. Is it a sign he is unhappy if he is chewing his hidey box? We have only had him a week and he do it to his first box?
 
I don't think so. My girls (my boy doesn't chew much) chews their way through cardboard boxes for the fun of it. You could give him a carrot box from a pet store, usually Petsathome or online you can buy it. It'll be fun for him
 
All rodents chew, it's a natural behaviour and being able to do said behaviour is great enrichment. Cardboard is safe, although if they're an individual who likes to chew a lot I'd always use natural brown cardboard rather than the stuff with a printed top layer.
 
Jingle chews soo much, unlike Mistletoe who rarely bothers. They both eat loads of hay and grass so I am not worried about their teethies.
 
Poppy is the main demolisher of Carrot Cottages in my house, although all members of the herd have a munch at times.

I am sure she is really in to piggy conversions...
 
Many years ago I had Ugo, a boar who used to eat a lot of hay, but chewed also the wallpaper and one day, while I was spending some good time on gossip on the phone:drool:, he made a lovely piece of wood carving on a chair:hb:
Now Calipso and Calliope prefer demolishing their own cage and tunnels, not interested in my furniture.
Chewing is their natural behaviour, but be sure that they like eating also their hay; if necessary try to buy a different brand of hay; it often happens that they are fussy... grass and hay contain fibre necessary for eroding teeth. They sometimes don't eat hay if they are full and if they have their bowl filled with yummy food.
Anyway cardbox is safe :)
 
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