Because they are adorable, loving, and excellent cuddlers, guinea pigs make genuinely amazing family pets. When compared to other small rodents, they tend to have a rather long lifespan and can live up to eight years. When you first brought all that fluffy cuteness into your home, you may not have thought about how often you would need to clean their cage. Yes, the pet store staff did advise you to clean it once it became soiled, but what does it actually mean? How often should their toys be washed, their litter replaced, and their cage cleaned? What about those adorable little pigs that need cleaning as well?
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| Cage Cleaning: How To Clean A Guinea Pig Cage (Step-by-Step Instructions) |
Piglet's parents shouldn't be worried! With this thorough, step-by-step manual on cleaning a guinea pig cage, we've got you covered. Our simple instructions will show you how to set up a clean, secure, and healthy environment for your adorable little fluffy creatures so they can run around, play, and burrow to their tiny heart's content.
How should a guinea pig cage be cleaned?
Section 1: Setting up your guinea pigs' temporary home
Your fluffy companions must first be taken out of their cage and placed in a temporary, secure space, such as a small enclosure or an open-topped box. Whatever you do, don't let them roam the living room floor alone; they might wander off and cause trouble. I typically place my guinea pig in her comfortable sleeping bed, which has sides that are high enough to keep her in place, when it's time to clean my guinea pig cage. Truth be told, it's really just a huge cat bed, but hey, she won't be offended by what she isn't aware of because she is a sensitive piglet!
Remember that these little rodents are quite frightened at this point, and any loud noises will usually cause them to run off in a mad dash for the ground. The emphasis must be on the "safe" part despite the fact that their new location is temporary. Your pet shouldn't suffer harm just because you made a loud noise; that is the last thing you want to happen. Ask someone to hold your pets if this is your first time cleaning their cage and you are concerned about what might happen to your guineas.
Section 2: Daily cleaning for a healthy cage
Step 1
You must regularly inspect the cage to determine whether any areas stand out as particularly filthy. Throw away any food that hasn't been consumed, clean up waste piles, and spot-clean the cage with a damp paper towel to keep their environment as hygienic as possible. Additionally, replace any overly dirty bedding.
Step 2
Refill the hay, food pellets, and water each day. Clean up any water that has spilled inside the cage, and then replace any hay or food that was soiled.
Step 3
Wash water bowls and food containers in hot, soapy water to prevent the growth of bacteria. Once more, do this every day to make sure your guinea has a clean, healthy environment.
Section 3: a weekly clean-up to ensure proper sanitation
With regular weekly cleanings, keep the environment in your pets' cage clean. Considering that your pets eat, sleep, play, and poop in their cage, daily spot cleaning is insufficient. You must follow the weekly cleaning schedule if you want healthy fuzzy friends and a clean cage. To keep the cage clean, you might also think about potty training your guinea pigs.
Step 1
Remove every item from the enclosure. Everything must be taken out, including chew toys and food bowls.
Step 2
Items that can be cleaned, such as the food container, blanket, and water bowl, should be washed in hot, soapy water. Items made of washable material should be washed in hot water with sensitive skin detergent. Before doing so, make sure that nothing is stuck to them, including hay, food, or droppings. The growth of bacteria, as well as unpleasant sliminess and odors, are prevented by routine cleaning. Also, clean the hiding place for your pets.
Step 3
You will require several garbage bags for the following step. Put on a pair of disposable plastic gloves and take out the cage's remaining contents. Basically, you'll be removing any paper lining, old, soiled bedding, hay, droppings, and litter.
I utilize a dustpan and a small brush to speed up this process. Because Yesterday's News pet litter is so ultra-absorbent, which is what I prefer to use, all I have to do is scoop up the decomposed paper with the dustpan and dump it into the trash bags. This process takes a maximum of five minutes, not counting the time it takes me to sweep up the remaining dust.
Step 4
Scrub the cage's interior using a mixture of hot water and mild detergent. Then, use a one-part distilled white vinegar/two parts water spray to clean the entire enclosure. This specific concoction is potent enough to eradicate bacteria but mild enough for sensitive guinea pig noses.
Step 5
After disinfecting it with vinegar/water spray, give it a thorough rinse. The vinegar spray still needs to be removed, despite the fact that it has been diluted. After rinsing, take a good whiff of the cage. Rinse it again if you notice a strong vinegar smell.
Step 6
Dry the enclosure thoroughly with paper towels, making sure to get into all of the nooks and crannies. You should let the cage air-dry ideally. Just make sure there isn't any residual moisture. Run your hand over the surfaces of the cage before putting any paper, bedding, or litter in it. Use additional paper towels if you detect any moisture. Because moisture can cause mold issues, which can quickly make your pet ill, the objective is to completely dry the surface.
Section 4: Rebuilding your pet’s habitat
Step 1
You can line your cage with your preferred liner, bedding, or litter now that you are certain the cage's interior is completely dry. As I've already mentioned, I prefer to use Yesterday's News, a litter that is made entirely of recycled newspaper. In addition to being ink-free, it is a superb sponge-like substance that can absorb both liquids and odors. However, there are a variety of other cage-lining materials and bedding types available, and I believe that guinea pig owners should try out a few before settling on one.
Step 2
Spend some time placing your pet's belongings in the cage after the bedding has been added. Change the location of their hiding, feeding, and play areas as you see fit, as the piglets will have a thrilling adventure with this new arrangement.
Step 3
Add the water, food, and hay holders before putting your piggyback inside their condo. You can also hide some treats around their new home to make their return more exciting. Put your animals back inside the cage and then firmly fasten the lid.
Now all that's left to do is take pleasure in watching them scurry about and wheek with joy at their lovely, new living space.
Why not clean your guinea pigs as well, while you're at it?
When cleaning their cage, It's the ideal time to clean your piggies, not only their enclosure! And it doesn't have to take that long in the end. You might spend a few minutes brushing your pet's hair, depending on how frequently you groom them.
The Abyssinian and Peruvian guinea pigs are two examples of guinea pig breeds with long hair that need more frequent grooming. If your pet has long hair, you should brush them every day to prevent tangles. If not properly cared for, tangled hair can mat and later on gather debris and humidity, resulting in lesions and skin infections.
Do your cute little fluffballs smell a bit stinky? Then, you might want to wash them, but you must exercise extreme caution. I don't actually mean a bubble bath when I say wash. Guinea pigs don't do well in the water. Instead, use a damp washcloth to gently clean them while being careful not to rub them too hard. To make sure there are no wet spots left behind, towel dry them afterward.
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