How do I Keep my Guinea Pig Entertained?

Are you wondering, "How do I keep my guinea pig entertained?"

Cavies are social animals and can get bored without plenty of mental stimulation, so you're right to worry about providing enough entertainment. 

But I've got your back with my top 10 guinea pig boredom breakers to keep your furry friends healthy and happy!

Just keep reading.

Key Takeaways

• Guinea pigs need a rich environment to prevent boredom, provide sufficient mental stimulation, and reduce health risks. 
• You can create a fun environment for your cavy with homemade toys, tasty treats, hay, and company. 
• Don't use exercise balls and wheels since they can be dangerous! 

Why Do Guinea Pigs Need an Exciting Environment? 

Before I share my ideas about suitable boredom-breaker activities for piggies, let's talk about why it is important to provide enough environmental enrichment. 

In the wild, guinea pigs live in large colonies and spend about 20% of their time looking for food. The rest of the day is filled with other activities, such as foraging, playing, and socializing. 

Since cavies are such social and active animals, lack of exercise and social interactions can lead to behavior issues, such as overgrooming, excessive chewing, aggression, etc.

Boredom can lead to stress, weight gain, obesity, skin problems, and other health issues. Frequent chewing on the bars is also bad for your piggy's dental health.

Moreover, bored piggies are more likely to chew the bars to escape the enclosure, which can lead to injuries and trauma.

But how can you prevent guinea pig boredom? Let's find out! 

7 Ways to Entertain Your Guinea Pigs

So, how do I stop my guinea pig from being bored? Well, it's all about fun exercises, guinea pig toys, and spending quality time with your furry friends!  

#1 Spice Things Up with Homemade Guinea Pig Toys

Toys are one of the best ways to ensure your cavies have plenty of mental and physical exercise when you're away and not able to interact with them.

And you don't need to buy special toys for guinea pigs from the pet stores. Just try the following homemade attractions:

• Crumple up a piece of paper. Cavies love things that crinkle and will spend hours playing with the paper ball.
• Use paper towel rolls, shoe boxes, or milk cartoons to make treat-stuffing toys. 
• Fashion mazes and hideouts from cardboard boxes or paper bags.
• Watch this video for more toy ideas. 

Experts from the Ontario SPCA also advise, "Rotating toys regularly can keep things interesting and prevent habituation." (1)

#2 Let Them Hide! 

Cavies are prey animals and need a safe space to hide when scared or retreat whenever they get overwhelmed by sounds and smells. 

Plastic tunnels, hutches, and cardboard boxes make excellent hiding spots and allow your piggy to engage in natural burrowing behavior.

They're also great for creating a stimulating environment for your piggy and can keep them entertained for hours. 

#3 Make Your Cavy Work for its Food

Foraging is a natural behavior for cavies, so making your pet work for its food is an excellent way to break the boredom.

And it's easy to do - I scatter healthy treats around the enclosure every couple of days. My cavies spend hours looking for food and have something funny to do when I'm sleeping.

I don't worry about making a mess because I use Luftpets' cage liners at the bottom of the cage. They're very easy to clean once my guinea pigs are done with the foraging game. 

You can also use treat balls, make toys stuffed with hay from toilet paper rolls, or place a couple of food bowls around the cage. 

#4 Give Them Something to Chew

Cavies wear their teeth down by chewing on treats, toys, and hay. You can use this to create a fun environment:

• Hang treats and chewing toys around the cage.
• Hide treats inside chewable objects to stimulate your cavy's senses.
• Place chew toys and treats under the bedding to encourage burrowing behavior. 

Read More: Guinea Pig Gnawing on Cage

#5 Provide Company

Cavies are miserable when alone. That's why one of the best ways to keep your guinea pig entertained is to give them a friend. 

Two cavies will find plenty of ways to amuse themselves when you're not around and will keep each other active and happy.

Moreover, having a pair of guinea pigs ensures that your furry friends develop boundaries and learn how to communicate with each other. And a single guinea pig is more likely to have health problems! 

#6 Add Extra Hay

Hay isn't the best bedding for guinea pigs, but cavies love burrowing in it. Adding a layer of hay on top of your usual bedding is an excellent way to break boredom and promote good dental health. 

Moreover, hay makes an excellent hiding spot for various treats and toys. And it's safe to eat! 

#7 Play Time

What do you need for a guinea pig to keep it happy and entertained? Quality playtime!

• Piggy-proof a room and let your cavy out of its cage to burn off excess energy.
• Scatter toys and obstacles on the ground and let your cavy explore.
• Stay by your pets' side while they're playing to keep them company. 
• Interact with your cavy at ground level so your pet can get used to your presence and bond with you! 

#8 Engage Their Senses! 

Finally, you can keep your guinea pig entertained by engaging its senses: 

• Place your pet's enclosure in a room with a view and soft noise to provide visual and auditory stimulation.
• Put the cage close to a window so your cavy can observe what's happening outside and smell the fresh air.
• Hide healthy treats around the cage. 

But is there anything that you should avoid when entertaining your piggy? You'd be surprised.

What Toys to Avoid When Entertaining Guinea Pigs? 

I was shocked to learn that exercise balls and wheels can be dangerous for cavies. According to experts from the Humane Society, they can injure your pet's spine, legs, or feet. (2)

Also, some types of wood are toxic to cavies, so make sure toys are made from safe materials. And keep small swellable objects out of reach! 

FAQs

1. How do I stop my guinea pig from being bored?

You can stop your cavy from being bored by enriching their environment with toys and providing extra hay for hiding and burrowing.

2. How can you tell if your guinea pig is bored?

Bored piggies are often agitated, chatter their teeth, make unhappy sounds, and chew the cage's bars.

3. How do you know a guinea pig is happy?

A happy guinea pig makes a lot of happy wheeking noises, runs around the enclosure, and jumps around uncontrollably. 

Conclusion 

How do I keep my guinea pig entertained? It's quite easy to keep your pet guinea pig happy with toys, tasty treats, and sensory enrichment. 

However, don't forget to spend quality time with your furry friend to encourage bonding! And ensure you have the best cage for guinea pigs to ensure your piggy has enough space to roam!

What do you think about this topic? How do you keep your guinea pigs entertained? Share your methods in the comment section.

Resources:

1. https://ontariospca.ca/blog/does-my-guinea-pig-need-exercise/

2. https://www.animalhumanesociety.org/resource/guinea-pig-care