Can Guinea Pigs live in a BIG cardboard box? I was planning on getting one next week and I was wondering... can my new guinea pig live in a big cardboard box? The box would be tall but not too tall so that the Guinea Pig won't jump out and escape, and it would be very long, enough for my new Guinea Pig to run around in.
Also... any other information about Guinea Pigs would be very helpful. Thank you.
2006-12-11 14:19:54 · 17 answers · asked by N i k k i . 2 in Pets ➔ Other - Pets
I can afford to buy the cage it's just that the cage that I want to buy is perfect... except that the floor of the cage is not a pan, it is lined with the same type of wire built with the cage. I already tried to remove the wire so there's just the pan but I can't.
2006-12-11 14:31:54 · update #1
No. There's not enough ventilation. They can and will chew through the cardboard. When they pee, it will soak right into the box and stink badly. A cardboard box for a cage is a terrible idea!
Here are some great guinea pig websites:
www.petergurney.com (the best!)
www.cavyspirt.com
www.cavies.com
www.caviesgalore.com
www.cavymadness.com
www.cavycages.com (great site that teaches you how to make a great and inexpensive cage for your gp)
2006-12-12 02:14:42 · answer #1 · answered by Psalm91 5 · 3⤊ 0⤋
Would you like living in a cardboard box? Guinea pigs love to be able to see and watch what's going on around them and putting them in a box is not fair to them. If the cage you want doesn't have removable wire look for a different one. My daughters guinea pigs live in a big cage in the living room so that they get attention. They don't like it whensomeone they don't see comes up to them, they get scared and they run and hide, so I wouldn't put a guinea pig in a cardboard box unless you are transporting them. Guinea pigs pee a lot so the box would get stinky really fast. You can take peices of the box and line the bottom of the cage with it then put the bedding on top to keep their feet from falling through but thats about it. Make sure that you get them a place to hide and sleep. They also need fresh vegetables everyday and they actually eat a lot of food so stock up.
2006-12-12 05:18:56 · answer #2 · answered by mom-of-2 2 · 2⤊ 0⤋
Then the cage you want to buy is not perfect if it is lined with wire. They make nice inexpensive cages with plastic bottoms. I can tell you what else is bad about the wire cage, it most likely doesn't have guards on the sides to keep the bedding from flying out every time your little piggy runs around. It will drive you crazy picking up after it. Also how will a water bottle hook to cardboard? You can find an adequate size cage for your pig on ebay for $20 - $30 that will also be safe and keep the mess down.
2006-12-11 15:54:01 · answer #3 · answered by not*a*placebo*81 3 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Cardboard Pig
2017-01-18 11:48:37 · answer #4 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
A cardboard box is alright as a temporary solution, but definitely not as permanent housing. It's not hygienic & your pig may decide to chew a hole through it. (Small cardboard boxes make great temporary hidey houses though.)
A cage with a wire bottom is most likely going to be too small as well, regardless of putting down a solid floor.
Building a cage out of coroplast & storage cubes is cheaper, & will provide an adequate amount of room for your new guinea pig. A basic "2x4" normally takes only a few hours to build & is as durable as "traditional" cages. If you're feeling a bit creative, you can make a really fun cage for a guinea pig. It's worth checking out http://www.guineapigcages.com for more information.
2006-12-12 00:06:35 · answer #5 · answered by citronsoul 2 · 2⤊ 0⤋
No, they will soak the cardboard box with urine, and it will end up being quite nasty, not to mention not hygenic for the guinea pig.
Second of all, guinea pigs are social animals that need to live in groups. Please adopt a pair, not just one, as they don't deserve to be trapped alone in a cage.
I'd reccomend that you build your own cage. The cage you describe in your extra comments is not "perfect". It's too small, and it has a wire bottom which will cause bumblefoot in guinea pigs. Visit www.guineapigcages.com and learn how to build your own. You can make it nearly any color with any color sides you want, you just have to find the materials, and it's relatively cheap to do so... my huge 32 square foot cage cost me less than $100 to build.
Also check out:
http://www.guinealynx.info
http://www.cavyspirit.com
For more information on guinea pigs.
2006-12-11 22:53:39 · answer #6 · answered by Lotus Effect 4 · 3⤊ 0⤋
Guinea Pigs can eat through cardboard pretty quick; you'd better make it a wire metal cage. You won't want wire on the floor. Some cages have bottles hanging. The metal is licked, the thirsty animal gets a drink.
2006-12-11 14:50:02 · answer #7 · answered by Anonymous · 2⤊ 0⤋
Any animal is a loss of freedom for you, the owner. It seems maybe you just decided that you want one after maybe seeing one somewhere, or something...so maybe give it a little more thought. Just like any animal, guinea pigs can be annoying and I'd hate for you to get an animal that you end up not being ready for. They have to be cleaned and given fresh water and food. If you are wanting to put the animal in a cardboard box where it gets to look at the wall of a cardboard box every day, I am thinking this guinea pig doesn't have the best life ahead of it. All animals, even fish get excited to SEE their owners and what they are doing. I had a fish that I trained to jump out of the water and touch my finger to get his food. All animals are intelligent and deserve the best moms and dads there are. Please be a good mom to any pet you decide to get.
2006-12-11 14:34:38 · answer #8 · answered by Stephanie 4 · 2⤊ 1⤋
Probably not a good idea, Guinea Pigs are big first off, and second off will defenitely chew through the box. My hamster did that, and it can get sick from the cardboard if it doesn't chew through fully. You can get a cheap cage, that's a better idea.
2006-12-11 14:28:42 · answer #9 · answered by Jessica S 1 · 2⤊ 0⤋
If you are going to get a guinea pig you need to get it a proper cage. The guinea pig will chew the box, not to mention when it pees it will soak into the box and it'll get yucky really fast.
2006-12-11 14:53:52 · answer #10 · answered by Glenda H 2 · 2⤊ 0⤋