What Size Cage is Best for My Pigs?
In reality, there is no best size for a guinea pig cage. The simple rule is: the bigger the better. However there are minimum cage-size guidelines that many guinea pig rescue organizations and guinea pig advocacy groups recommend. A quick search on the internet will reveal the following approximate de facto standards for minimum cage sizes:
One guinea pig: 6-7 sq. ft.
Two guinea pigs: 7.5 sq. ft.
Three guinea pigs: 10.5 sq. ft.
Four guinea pigs: 13 sq. ft.
Because guinea pigs are social creatures, it is recommended to keep a minimum of two guinea pigs together. For this reason, if you want your pigs to enjoy an optimal environment, you need never consider a cage under 7.5 sq. ft.
In general, commercial cages (I like to refer to them as “pet store cages”) tend to be under 3 square-feet. Commercial cages much larger than this are difficult to find and are apt to be quite costly. For this reason, conscientious guinea pig owners tend to gravitate toward a popular class of do-it-yourself or kit cages commonly called C&C or Cubes and Coroplast cages.
Do I Have to Worry About the Floor?
Definitely! Wire floors or floor with grates are hard on your guinea pigs’ feet. Harsh metal grids can trap toes and legs or otherwise damage your guinea pigs’ delicate feet. Imagine if you had to spend your entire life walking on metal bars suspended a foot off the floor — in your bare feet. Even worse — imagine trying to run on that surface.
Incidentally, the same goes when choosing a multi-level cage with a ramp. The
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