As we all know there are so many toys that are on sale for Guinea Pigs, but do you ever wonder which ones are actually safe? Well let’s find out.
Why do Guinea Pigs need toys?
Guinea Pigs are very intelligent animals and just like us humans, they need things to keep them busy and prevent boredom, which can cause depression and illness. Plus would you like to sit in the house all day with nothing to do? I didn’t think so.
The amount of toys they should have will depends on the size of their home and the Guinea Pig itself.
Toys that are safe and fun for your Guinea Pig
Foraging Mats
There are so many exciting foraging toys out there for your little furries, but I have listed a few below to help you out.
Snuffle Mat – £9.99
This super cute heart shaped forage mat can be used for feeding pellets, forage, treats and lots more. This is an amazing boredom breaker for all animals and will keep your furry friends entertained for hours. It will allow them to display their natural behaviours by foraging for their food.
If you’re Guinea Pigs are anything like my 3, they will probably sleep on it too, so you get a two in one.
Forage Forest – £8.00
This is another version of a forage mat, but the difference is they can eat the whole of this one.
Hide and Treat Maze – £10
This maze is fun if you want to hide treats around it, to keep them entertained. It will also help with gnawing.
Toy balls
Toy balls are very hit and miss when buying them for Guinea Pigs, because you have to look into the safety side of things. I have listed a few below to help you.
HayPigs Circus Treat Ball – £9.99
This ball has 3 different ways of using it!
The first feature of this ball involves them rolling the ball about with their noses until the treats drop out. This kind of food challenge is a great way of keeping your pets active and stimulated, and can actually reduce their stress levels while keeping them happy and healthy.
You can also split the ball in half and can be used to hide treats underneath for small furries to find with their noses. This game encourages foraging and is great for their mental stimulation.
Then the third and final feature of this ball is it’s arrangement of star-shaped holes on one side of the ball. These stars fulfil two purposes; to release treats when the ball is whole, and to allow you to wedge an array of vegetables and herbs into them to create an additional feeding challenge.
Willow Ball – £7.00
These balls are a favourite of my boys. They love rolling it around and chewing on it.
You do need to be careful with these types of balls, because after a while of chewing holes will start to get bigger, which means piggies can fit their heads inside, get stuck or even injure themselves with the sharp bits.
Treat Dispensing Ball – £3.00
I was gifted this treat dispenser by a friend and the only piggy who ever figured out how to use it was my Abyssinian Thor. We would put pea flakes inside the ball and put it in the cage. Thor would then roll it around to get the treats out. It would keep him entertained for about an hour.
This type of toy will help with mental stimulation and prevent boredom.
Play Ball – £2.50
This ball is a favourite of Lumis. When pushing this around he popcorns to the sound of the bell inside. He also squeaks when he hears his ball when it’s not in the cage.
Little hack – get some small carrots or cut carrots into strips big enough to fill the holes and tada, more fun way of them eating them.
Tunnels
Tilting Tunnel – £11.99
This tube is chewable, which is good for our little furries, because they need something to chew to keep their teeth down.
Some Guinea Pigs will just want to zoom through this.
You could also just put hay inside and watch your Guinea Pigs rock it back and forth.
Chew Tube – £5
Bounce Back Tunnel – £18.50
These handmade small pet tunnels are a fun boredom breaker addition to any cage. You will enjoy seeing them run through the tunnel and even chilling out in it.
Hideys
Circus Hidey Hut – £22.95
A snug and secure circus hut themed home for your guinea pigs to sleep or hide out in.
My Guinea Pigs will use this to run in, popcorn, zoom around their cage and repeat.
Corner Fleece Forest – 14.50
Corner fleece forests are the perfect addition to any cage, small animals love it as an additional hide to run in and out from between the fleece forest.
Snuggle Sack – £14.00
These cuddle sacks are not only cute but make cuddle times with your piggy so much more enjoyable (avoiding pet hair on your clothes). Perfect for bonding with your guinea pig or to place as an accessory in your pet enclosure for during the day and night. These can fit two average-sized piggies inside and are also perfect for hedgehogs and other small furry (or scaley!) friends.
Hay Hopper – £24.99
This fun looking hay hopper is for your piggies to get hay from. Most Guinea Pigs absolutely love things that are filled with hay! Maybe add some foraging treats inside and this could keep them entertained for hours.
Hay and Play Roll – £6
Another favourite of my boys is this Hay and Roll! Mainly used as a fun way for your Guinea Pigs to get Hay, but it’s even better when you hide treats in the middle too! It keeps my boys entertained for hours.
You can also buy something similar to the Hay and Play, but already made up!
Once they’ve eaten all the insides, some pigs also can fit inside. Please be careful that the Guinea Pigs can’t get stuck inside these, especially if they are on the chunkier side.
Vegetable Kebab Maker – £8.99
So with this super cool Kebab Maker, you can take the end off, add some of your Guinea Pigs favourite Vegetables, pop it back on and then give it your Pigs.
Your Guinea Pigs will shift it around trying to get their favourite veggies, run off with it to keep it all to themselves or even play tug of war with it.
You can also attach it to the side of the cage.
Carrot Cottage – £8.99
I don’t think there is anything more exciting for a Guinea Pig, than a hidey that they can eat.
Most Guinea Pigs (like my own) will make their own alterations to this box. Maybe a few windows and a back door, who knows!
Bright Stick Mobile – £3.00
Lumi has this in his cage and he does enjoy playing with it. He moves the sticks with his nose, nibbles them and then goes zooming around his cage just to repeat it all again afterwards.
Did you know that you can make a lot of your toys for your Guinea Pig?
This is probably one of the cheapest most effective toy you could ever get your guinea pig, why? Well because they absolutely love them! and you can use them so for many different things!
You could shove hay and treats inside and let your guinea pigs forage through them.
You could even just put it in the cage without filling and they enjoy chewing/eating it.
You can even use things like socks, old tights, boxes that you get things delivered in. All these things will keep your Guinea Pig entertained.
What Toys Are Dangerous For Guinea Pigs?
A lot of people don’t even think twice when buying my toys for their Guinea Pigs, simply because they look cute and fun. Well let me tell you there are some toys that you just shouldn’t use for your Guinea Pigs and let’s discuss them! Don’t be fooled by the cutes pictures of the Guinea Pigs, they’re probably completely terrified and uncomfortable!
Harnesses and Leashes should not be used on Guinea Pigs, even though they are advertised for them.
You’re guinea pig has very delicate bones and their internal organs, so a use of a Harness or Leash can cause great damage to your Guinea Pig.
It is also completely unnatural for them to be put in any sort of restraint. DO NOT DO IT.
Onto the walking side of Harnesses and Leashes, Guinea Pigs should never be walked. There is absolutely no need for them to go on a walk like a dog would. Remember Guinea Pigs are prey animals, so to go out where there are loud noises, and other animals that can attack with frighten them greatly. Guinea Pigs need exercise in a safe and enclosed outside or inside area.
Hanging Metal Balls
Although these seem like a fun way to give hay to your Guinea Pigs, you should never get these! There has been some unfortunate circumstances where Guinea Pigs have gotten trapped in these balls.
Exercise Balls and Wheels are a definite no no for Guinea Pigs!
Guinea Pigs do not need exercise balls to keep active! All they need is an enclosed space outdoors or indoors for them to have all the exercise they need.
If you notice when a hamster is in the ball their spines bend significantly. Well a Hamsters spine is made to have a little strain on them, whereas Guinea Pigs spines are very delicate and aren’t designed to bend that way. They can suffer spinal injuries if used for long periods of time.
Guinea Pigs feet are also very sensitive and delicate so to be in a ball with lumps and bumps can cause damage to them.
I would think a Guinea Pig would struggle to breath in a ball, as the holes are very small and limited. Hamsters are very tiny, so the balls are perfect for their lungs, but Guinea Pigs I do believe would suffer.
On the subject of the restricted air flow, Guinea Pigs cant stand heat, especially if it gets too hot and with a ball, it will get stupidly warm in there! Guinea Pigs can’t sweat, so they will just keep getting warmer and warmer until they get heat stroke.
Remember…
When you have brought any toy for a Guinea Pig you need to keep an eye on the condition of the toy. Every toy can become dangerous after some time of using it.
Wicker balls for example, they are great for teeth and keeping your Guinea Pigs entertained, but after a while they will start to unravel, which means the guinea pig can get stuck in them, either with their body or their heads. Just stay vigilant.
Come back next Sunday for more interesting facts about Guinea Pigs!
Lokiandthor18 
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