Just like you, cavies can get bored. Luckily, there are a bunch of inexpensive toys you can get for your cavy to keep his/her mind active.
Toilet paper and Paper towel tubes: A cavy's teeth are constantly growing so they love to chew on things. TP and PT tubes make great toys. They're also nice to exercise a cavy mind (as are most of these toys)--you can stick food inside them and they'll try to get it out.
BIG tubes: These are like TP and PT tubes but they are much larger and thicker. Small cavies can hide inside them and bigger cavies love to chew them to bits.
Paper bags: Cavies love to hide in them and chew them apart. A wonderful toy.
Shoe boxes: Cavies love to hide in things so these are a treat. They're also thick cardboard and fun to chew on. (You can also put bedding in them and use them for 'litter pans')
Tissue boxes: Another great toy to chew on and hide in (if they're small enough).
Pet stores also offer a small selection of guinea pig toys such as wooden boxes with windows in them for cavies to hide in. However, it's much easier to make your own out of a shoe box. They also sell large, colorful tubes for cavies, but it's much easier to get your own from a garbage bag roll. Pet stores also sell small colored pieces of wood for rodents to chew on. These are nice but you can just give them a normal piece of pine. Make sure it wasn't treated with any chemicals and make sure it's PINE, other woods are too hard and the cavy make break its teeth.
DO NOT buy/use giant hamster run balls. Despite the fact that they are 'made for cavies,' cavies' backs are not flexible enough for these toys and they could be injured. |
