What can I do to make my new guinea pig more comfortable?

Question

I bought him a hideaway tube but he seems a bit skeptical about going into it and i dont want to force him. Is there anything else i can do?

Answer 1

Don't touch him for about 2 days after you've bought him but just stay next to his cage and talk so he gets to know your voice. After that you can try to pick him up and cuddle. :)

Answer 2

its ok he will eventually go into it !!  he just needs to get used to a new object! give him time and eventually he'll be going in it all the time!!! .....i hope i helped x:P

Answer 3

put food in there and handle him alot

Answer 4

I Have 4 Guinea pigs and each Of Them Has a Hiding or Relaxing spot. I would Put Either A hammock Or a wood House In their Cage.

Answer 5

They make little box houses for them.  He may chew it up eventually but they're not that expensive.

Answer 6

at night you could put a blanket over the cage. it always makes and animal more comforatable.

Answer 7

buy him a plastic "igloo" from the pet store. they love those!

Answer 8

If you want him to use the tube, you can leave some veggies in there for him to go get.  It will give him motivation to use it.  It's also possible he's using it while you're not looking!

Please see http://www.guineapigcages.com and http://www.guinealynx.info -- these two sites will tell you EVERYTHING you need to know and then some.

FOOD:

Make sure you are feeding a high quality plain pellet without dried bits of dehydrated gunk. I recommend using Oxbow or Kleenmama's pellets. http://www.oxbowhay.com or http://www.kmshayloft are the best. If you cannot get those online, for pellets I'd recommend Mazuri 5664.

They need grass hays, unlimited, 24/7. If the piggie is under 6 months old, he/she can also have alfalfa hay. The hay aids in their digestion and without it they can develop a lot of problems.

They need 1 cup of fresh veggies per day, consisting mostly of dark leafy greens like romaine lettuce, green leaf, swiss chard, cilantro, bell peppers (green or yellow mostly, and a small amount of red). For more info on cavy nutrition, visit http://www.guineapigcages.com/forum/diet... and there's also a chart of what veggies are best and how often.

ENVIRONMENT:

I have a Cubes & Coroplast cage -- http://www.guineapigcages.com -- built myself, which cost less than $45 total. I took old campaign signs for the coroplast to make the bottom box, so those didn't cost me anything extra.

If you only have one, the best thing you can do for him/her is to get a same-s*x friend.

Other good toys, though, are cozy sacks/cuddle cups, a fleece blanket to explore under, soda pop boxes with two or three entrance/exit holes (make great tunnels), fleece or towel tents clipped to the side of the cage, an old sock stuffed with a tennis ball in the toe and then tied off (or empty, or with a bit of hay inside), empty cardboard tubes stuffed with hay and a slit down the side so they don't get their heads stuck, and ping pong balls. There are also many cat and/or bird toys that piggies might like, just make sure there's nothing that can break off and be a choking hazard.

***Your cage should be a minimum of 7.5 square feet.*** If you are using a smaller pet store cage, I recommend looking at guineapigcages.com, as it has easy and INEXPENSIVE how-tos on building your own custom cage. **Including second levels, and ramps**

Previously, it was accepted that 2 sq ft per pig was enough. This is really not true if you want your pig to lead a happy, healthy life with exercise on his/her own time instead of when you can let the cage door open so they can play on the floor. You will delight in being able to watch your piggies do laps around their cage and 'popcorn' like mad!

Also, I am anti-pigloo because they take up so much floor space and they only have one exit/entrance. If a second pig (or the dreaded "hand") tries to get in, there's no way for the pig to get out if it's scared -- they're prey animals and also have dominance arguments. Instead, I use a lot of fleece tents and tunnels and other things I've made for them to hide under/in with a minimum of two exits.

For bedding, make sure to use any of the following: Aspen, KILN-DRIED pine, carefresh (or like products), or fleece over absorbent towels or mattress pads. You can use black & white newspaper underneath, especially with loose bedding, to aid in the ease of cleaning up. You may want to contact your newspapers to see if they are using all soy-based inks.

You need to allow your piggie at least one hour of time exploring/floor time each day.

MEDICAL CARE:

If you get your pig from a pet store, I recommend taking it to a knowledgeable "exotics" vet so that they can treat for anything the poor critter was exposed to, like mange mites (which can be deadly left untreated).

Get a kitchen scale if you don't have one already, and weigh your pig weekly. This will help give you a baseline of weight, and if there is anything wrong one of the first signs is weight loss.

Nails should be clipped a minimum of once per month.

If your pig develops crust around the eyes or nose, take them to the vet immediately as that is a sign of an upper respiratory infection, which cavies are prone to. Untreated, it can develop into pneumonia and your pig may pass on.

If the pig is short haired, a small baby brush should be used to groom him/her once a day. Long haired varieties need to be combed daily and you should keep the hair around the bum trimmed neatly to prevent any mats around "there", and also to keep the piggie tidier.

Most pigs should not be bathed more than twice a year. Depending on the breed, bathing them more frequently (like a teddy or rex) can put them at risk of a fungal infection of the skin.

I hope that helps. If I left anything out or you have other questions, please be sure to let me know.