Guinea Pig Supply List
Here is a list of supplies to help you prepare for your new pet.
Cage: Pointer Hill or Martin's Cages have cages available for sale. Petsmart or your local pet store would also have cages made by Super Pet etc. Or, you can build your own C & C cage with cubes and coroplast.
Water bottle: I would recommend purchasing a Lixit wide-mouth water bottle. Lixit water bottles are known for their leak proof nozzles. And a wide-mouth bottle is much easier to clean. Pointer Hill or Martin's Cages carry Lixit water bottles.
Food dish: I recommend purchasing a ceramic crock, so that they can not easily spill their food.
Bedding: I use shredded cardboard bedding. It is dust free, and more absorbent than shavings. You can purchase them at Barnyard Products if you are local. You can also use pine shavings, CareFresh or Anti-pill or Blizzard Fleece for bedding. AVOID using cedar, corncob bedding, and straw!
Bed: I would only recommend purchasing a bed for your cavy, made from Anti-pill or Blizzard fleece. These types of fleece are considered safest for pets. They do not unravel into loose threads as other fabrics do (ingested long threads can cause and intestinal blockage, and loose threads can also get wrapped around a tooth, toe or foot) and do not contain fibers that can be easily ingested. Be sure to wash the bed weekly!
Feed: Oxbow, Mazuri, Rowe, and a local feed mill guinea pig food is what I would recommend. I do not recommend getting the fiesta mix with seeds & treats, as they won't eat as much if any pellets which they need to eat for proper nutrition.
Hay: I highly recommend feeding Timothy hay or an Orchard Grass. It is a good, basic grass hay with high quality nutrition, and a fresh fragrance that’s irresistible to small herbivores. It has a high fiber, low protein and low calcium content, and is a reliable source for keeping your guinea pig's digestive tract functioning properly. Or, you can purchase small bales at Tractor Supply. I purchase grass/timothy hay from a farmer by the bale.
Vitamin C: Did you know that a lack of vitamin C is the most common nutritional deficiency in guinea pigs? Luckily, it's also the most preventable. You can purchase vitamin C powder from Amazon, or tablets of vitamin C, such as Oxbow's Daily C, which eliminates the guesswork when it comes to making sure pets are receiving a guaranteed, stabilized amount of vitamin C.
Vegetables: Make sure to give your guinea pig fresh veggies daily! Kale, carrots, and red peppers are some of the veggies with the highest vitamin C content in them. Be sure to give romaine lettuce instead of iceburg lettuce. As iceburg has next to no nutritional value. Remember, MODERATION is key!
Fruits: Be sure to give fresh fruits in moderation. As the high sugar content can make your guinea pig chubby! Orange slices are a great source of vitamin C. Blueberries, apples, strawberries and cherry tomatoes are also great treats!
Chew Toys: I recommend placing an alfalfa cube or Edible Log by Wild Harvest, in your guinea pig's pen. The Log makes a great hide-away, and is 100% edible. Wild Harvest also supplies an Edible Log Stuffer, which is an edible log stuffed with alfalfa and seed blends.
Mite Treatment: Just like you treat your dog and cat for fleas, lice and mites, you should also treat your guinea pig for mites on a monthly basis. I use Revolution for puppies or kittens on my cavies. This is a newer topical (on the skin) treatment for mites and lice that is to be given every four to six weeks. A single dose kills both mites and lice. You can order it online at Pets Megastore, Petshed, Doctor Foster and Smith, or possibly purchase it at your veterinarian. Apply Revolution on the skin behind their ears. I apply one drop behind one ear for a baby guinea pig, and one drop behind both ears on an adult.
It is best to avoid flea and tick powders, sprays, shampoos, foams, gels and wipes -- many contain pesticides that are dangerous for cavies. Read the ingredients. Some of these products may be dangerous. If your pet has mites, use REVOLUTION. When used according to directions and dosed carefully, it is a much more effective and safe product.
Slicker Brush: I recommend purchasing a soft bristle brush to groom an American guinea pig. Or a small wire slicker brush to groom your Teddy guinea pig. Metal brushes are more effective than the plastic ones. Regular brushing will help to remove some of the loose hair and help to lessen shedding. Daily brushing is especially important for long haired cavies, and less necessary for the short haired varieties such as Americans or Teddies.
Shampoo: Bunny Bath by Four Paws is a pleasant smelling all purpose shampoo which can be used on guinea pigs.
Hylyt Hypoallergenic Shampoo is a soap free product excellent for use on sensitive skin.
EPI-SOOTHE® SHAMPOO is a gentle shampoo formulated to relieve mild itchiness and dry skin in dogs and cats also used by some people on their cavies. You can also use Tea Tree wash.
Nail clippers: I use a finger or toe nail clippers (for humans) to clip my guinea pigs toenails. You can also purchase pet nail clippers or scissors.
Water bottle: I would recommend purchasing a Lixit wide-mouth water bottle. Lixit water bottles are known for their leak proof nozzles. And a wide-mouth bottle is much easier to clean. Pointer Hill or Martin's Cages carry Lixit water bottles.
Food dish: I recommend purchasing a ceramic crock, so that they can not easily spill their food.
Bedding: I use shredded cardboard bedding. It is dust free, and more absorbent than shavings. You can purchase them at Barnyard Products if you are local. You can also use pine shavings, CareFresh or Anti-pill or Blizzard Fleece for bedding. AVOID using cedar, corncob bedding, and straw!
Bed: I would only recommend purchasing a bed for your cavy, made from Anti-pill or Blizzard fleece. These types of fleece are considered safest for pets. They do not unravel into loose threads as other fabrics do (ingested long threads can cause and intestinal blockage, and loose threads can also get wrapped around a tooth, toe or foot) and do not contain fibers that can be easily ingested. Be sure to wash the bed weekly!
Feed: Oxbow, Mazuri, Rowe, and a local feed mill guinea pig food is what I would recommend. I do not recommend getting the fiesta mix with seeds & treats, as they won't eat as much if any pellets which they need to eat for proper nutrition.
Hay: I highly recommend feeding Timothy hay or an Orchard Grass. It is a good, basic grass hay with high quality nutrition, and a fresh fragrance that’s irresistible to small herbivores. It has a high fiber, low protein and low calcium content, and is a reliable source for keeping your guinea pig's digestive tract functioning properly. Or, you can purchase small bales at Tractor Supply. I purchase grass/timothy hay from a farmer by the bale.
Vitamin C: Did you know that a lack of vitamin C is the most common nutritional deficiency in guinea pigs? Luckily, it's also the most preventable. You can purchase vitamin C powder from Amazon, or tablets of vitamin C, such as Oxbow's Daily C, which eliminates the guesswork when it comes to making sure pets are receiving a guaranteed, stabilized amount of vitamin C.
Vegetables: Make sure to give your guinea pig fresh veggies daily! Kale, carrots, and red peppers are some of the veggies with the highest vitamin C content in them. Be sure to give romaine lettuce instead of iceburg lettuce. As iceburg has next to no nutritional value. Remember, MODERATION is key!
Fruits: Be sure to give fresh fruits in moderation. As the high sugar content can make your guinea pig chubby! Orange slices are a great source of vitamin C. Blueberries, apples, strawberries and cherry tomatoes are also great treats!
Chew Toys: I recommend placing an alfalfa cube or Edible Log by Wild Harvest, in your guinea pig's pen. The Log makes a great hide-away, and is 100% edible. Wild Harvest also supplies an Edible Log Stuffer, which is an edible log stuffed with alfalfa and seed blends.
Mite Treatment: Just like you treat your dog and cat for fleas, lice and mites, you should also treat your guinea pig for mites on a monthly basis. I use Revolution for puppies or kittens on my cavies. This is a newer topical (on the skin) treatment for mites and lice that is to be given every four to six weeks. A single dose kills both mites and lice. You can order it online at Pets Megastore, Petshed, Doctor Foster and Smith, or possibly purchase it at your veterinarian. Apply Revolution on the skin behind their ears. I apply one drop behind one ear for a baby guinea pig, and one drop behind both ears on an adult.
It is best to avoid flea and tick powders, sprays, shampoos, foams, gels and wipes -- many contain pesticides that are dangerous for cavies. Read the ingredients. Some of these products may be dangerous. If your pet has mites, use REVOLUTION. When used according to directions and dosed carefully, it is a much more effective and safe product.
Slicker Brush: I recommend purchasing a soft bristle brush to groom an American guinea pig. Or a small wire slicker brush to groom your Teddy guinea pig. Metal brushes are more effective than the plastic ones. Regular brushing will help to remove some of the loose hair and help to lessen shedding. Daily brushing is especially important for long haired cavies, and less necessary for the short haired varieties such as Americans or Teddies.
Shampoo: Bunny Bath by Four Paws is a pleasant smelling all purpose shampoo which can be used on guinea pigs.
Hylyt Hypoallergenic Shampoo is a soap free product excellent for use on sensitive skin.
EPI-SOOTHE® SHAMPOO is a gentle shampoo formulated to relieve mild itchiness and dry skin in dogs and cats also used by some people on their cavies. You can also use Tea Tree wash.
Nail clippers: I use a finger or toe nail clippers (for humans) to clip my guinea pigs toenails. You can also purchase pet nail clippers or scissors.