As with all small pets, enrichment for guinea pigs is crucial to their happiness and overall well-being. They need diverse activities such as foraging, social interactions, and physical challenges to stay mentally and physically enriched.
Our high quality, premium guinea pig hay is the perfect pair to at-home enrichment activities. In this guinea pig enrichment guide, we'll explore the importance of enrichment, fun ideas they'll love and some of the mistakes to avoid.
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Key Takeaways
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Guinea pigs are social animals that thrive in groups: understanding their behaviour and social dynamics is crucial for their well-being.
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Environmental enrichment: includes including foraging, physical activities and scatter feeding. This is essential for preventing boredom and helping their mental and physical health
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DIY, home-mad enrichment toys: this will help enhance your guinea pigs' engagement and well-being, whilst being an inexpensive way to entertain them.
Why Do Guinea Pigs Love Enrichment?
Guinea pigs need mental and physical stimulation to keep busy and entertained. Enrichment can take many forms: from companionship to home-made boredom breakers, there are lots of way you can enrich your guinea pigs lives. Here are examples of different types of enrichment:
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Scatter feeding for forage enrichment
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Movement and mental stimulation (this includes spaces to hide and tunnels within their living space)
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Companionship
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Homemade enrichment toys
Foraging is an action of looking to find food. In the wild, guinea pigs are usually active at least once a day for food and foraging. Foraging, for domesticated guinea pigs, has therefore become an incredibly important action - and as owners, we need to replicate this within our homes.
Fun Enrichment for Guinea Pigs
Guinea pigs need fun in their lives to stay happy and enriched. If they get bored, it will ultimately impact their mood, so giving them things to do like searching for food, climbing on or around objects and feeding a range of different hay types to keep their diet diverse, will help keep them entertained!
Think of it as a workout for their brains and bodies - helping them stay healthy and avoid becoming overweight by encouraging movement for prolonged periods. You can try hiding treats throughout their hay for them to find, or create tunnels and platforms for them to climb onto. Either way, they’ll be busy and excited all day!
Scatter Feeding
Turn eating into an adventure by hiding their food! Guinea pigs love searching for food, behaivours they would naturally exhibit in the wild.
You can scatter pellets, treats (such as fruits) or veggies throughout their hay, to not only encourage hay intake but to encourage movement, preventing obesity. It gets them moving, chewing, and thinking all at once. Some great examples for indoor scatter feeding activities include:
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Household items such as empty toilet rolls
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Snuffle mats
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Tunnels
It’s a fun way to keep them busy and feeling good.
Our nutritionist Briony also recommends experimenting with a buffet of forage choices,
The forage ration can consist of a mixture of different hay types for example timothy and meadow hay (be sure to apply these changes gradually and consistently as part of the daily routine so not to challenge the gut with rapid dietary changes).
Other popular hay types to feed to guinea pigs include ryegrass and oat hay.
Movement and Mental Stimulation
Guinea pigs love to run around (and popcorn!), so it's important to encourage movement and provide them with activities to promote mental stimulation. Here's what our nutritionist Briony has to say on the importance of foraging for guinea pigs:
"Present hay in various feeders including hay balls, hay tunnels, paper bags/cardboard filled with hay and in various locations around their living environment. This will encourage natural foraging behaviours and can be ideal to promote activity for those that may benefit from increased exercise."
These things get their legs moving and let them be inquisitive, which they enjoy. Keep their minds buzzing with toys and boredom breakers that make them think; it will become a game where they work for their food, and they absolutely love it.
Safe Outdoor Time
According to The Guinea Pig Forum, if your guinea pigs are based predominately indoors, playtime outside is also a good form of enrichment.
If you have access to an outdoors area, make sure that the run or space is protected against predators. Guinea pigs should only have access to free roam outdoors if your garden is fully fenced with no gaps and only when under full supervision.
Companionship
Companionship is extremely important for guinea pigs as they don’t like being alone. In a group, they’re happier, and you might even notice that some of them act like little leaders,
Wild guinea pigs originally come from the mountains in South America, where they lived in small family packs. Even though they’re domesticated pets now, they still act like their wild relatives - always ready to hide, explore new places and search for food.
In the wild, they’d naturally hide in bushes or holes for safety, so giving them hiding spots and places to explore in their space makes them feel right at home. It’s a simple way to keep them entertained!
Homemade Enrichment Toys
You don’t need any commercial toys, as simple, homemade items work great. Homemade enrichment is a good way to make your guinea pigs work for their daily food (such as hay, pellets and leafy greens).
You can use empty cardboard boxes (such as our recyclable hay boxes!), cut holes in it and stuff it with hay or a treats; just watch them dive straight in! Empty toilet paper rolls filled with hay are another hit - it will encourage correct chewing action and they'll play for hours. Materials suitable for homemade enrichment toys include:
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Cardboard: for example, you can use empty HayDay boxes, amazon boxes and egg trays
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High-quality hay: such as timothy, meadow, ryegrass or oat hay
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Wild plants, twigs and branches: guinea-pig safe garden plants and herbs include apple twigs, basil, chamomile and willow
These homemade ideas are inexpensive, quick to make and perfect for keeping them busy. It’s all about using what you’ve already got to keep them happy! Don't forget to swap and change toys often, so they don’t lose interest.
Common Mistakes in Guinea Pig Enrichment
As with most small pet diets, moderation is key in order to maintain a healthy, balanced diet. It's also worth mentioning to introduce new enrichment toys slowly, as introducing too many new things at once can overwhelm them.
Different Types of Hay
Guinea pigs typically love to burrow in a big pile of hay, which is another form of enrichment as it keeps them continually eating. Guinea pigs can be susceptible to eye injuries such as hay poke, so it is important to use softer hay types for enrichment; such as meadow hay.
Wild Foraging
You should also avoid feeding certain foods to guinea pigs, and always ensure that, if foraging in the wild or in your garden for plants, that you check if they're guinea pig safe before feeding. Here are some top tips to foraging safely:
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Use a plant ID, foraging app such as PictureThis to ensure you don't select dangerous plants
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Only pick plants from gardens and spaces you know are chemical free
Avoid these common mistakes to ensure your guinea pig’s diet is safe, balanced and varied for your guinea pigs.
Summary
In summary, providing a well-rounded enrichment regime for your guinea pigs is crucial for their physical and mental well-being. By understanding their natural behaviours and social needs, you can create an environment that keeps them active, engaged, and happy.
Remember to incorporate a variety of enrichment activities, from foraging and physical enrichment to social interactions, is key!
Implementing these tips and tricks will lead to healthier, happier guinea pigs that thrive in their environment. Your dedication to their enrichment will foster a strong bond together and a joyful life for your fur friends.
Relevant Links
Best Foods for Guinea Pigs - HayDay HQ
Enrichment Ideas for Guinea Pigs - The Guinea Pig Forum
Feeding your Guinea Pigs - Woodgreen Pet Charity
How To Encourage Your Pets to Forage - HayDay HQ
Small Pet Foraging - HayDay HQ
Frequently Asked Questions
Why is enrichment important for guinea pigs?
Enrichment is essential for guinea pigs because it encourages mental and physical stimulation, which helps prevent boredom and reduces stress, ultimately contributing to their overall well-being and happiness.
What are some simple DIY enrichment ideas for guinea pigs?
Consider using cardboard boxes with holes for climbing and exploring, stuffing toilet paper rolls with hay or treats for added fun, and creating hiding spots with tunnels. These simple ideas can significantly enhance your guinea pig's environment and promote their well-being.
