By Cedric James
In nature, guinea pigs love a comfortable place to live in. Putting them in a cage with barren wire mesh floor will not only be rude but painful four your pet. To make your cavy comfy, it would be wise to put a flat base under the wire cage. This will also make it easier for the cage to clean.
As for the bedding, there are different options to choose from. All will depend on your budget and what you think will be best for your pet. There are treated beddings especially made for cavies available online. You may also check on your local pet store if they can offer you good bedding supply.
Wood shavings for bedding are cheap. You can choose from pine pellets, aspen and pine shavings. Like any other natural bedding, make sure that the shavings are either cured or at least dried well.
Only shavings from select trees can be used. Do not risk on shavings if you don't know where it came from and how it was treated. Moist bedding fosters bacterial and fungal growth that may infect your pet. When available, opt for shavings treated to be hypoallergenic.
If you are uncertain of the quality of the shavings, leave them in open air to dry. Also, shavings produce some dust that your guinea pig will inhale. Check for dustiness before thinking of putting shavings in your cavy cage. Ascertain that the tree which the shavings are taken from is not treated with insecticide or other harmful chemicals to avoid poisoning.
Regular straw can also be put in your cage. As long as it is properly dried and rid of hard parts that may injure your guinea pig, it is fairly safe. You can make straw shavings on your own by cutting grass early in the morning (after the dew dries) and leaving it in the open air to dry. If you can spare the effort, dry them with a mild breeze to remove both dust and loose pollen.
Hay will be a good choice for cavy cage bedding. When cured well, hay has significantly less dust than wood shavings. It will also complement the chewing needs of your cavy. When cured properly, it has proteins and a lot of fiber to supplement your guinea pigs diet.
Unfortunately, hay cannot absorb fluids quite well. For this, you will need to replace the hay every day. Look out for signs of molding in your hay. Some pet stores sell hypoallergenic hay. This form of hay is well-cured and treated to prevent causing allergies to your pet.
If you work in an office that spews out a lot of shredded paper, it will also be wise to maximize this resource. Guinea pigs find shredded paper quite soft and comfortable. It is also absorbent. Shredded paper will also produce lesser dust and definitely no pollen. When using shredded paper as bedding for your guinea pig's cage, weed out strips that have ink. Some inks can be toxic to your guinea pig.
