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Guinea pigs are great pets. Like humans, they love to snuggle up in bed after a busy day. This article will help you choose from the best guinea pig beddings and make your guinea pig feel comfortable and cosy in their home.
What should you consider when choosing guinea pig bedding?
Warmth
Guinea pigs dislike the cold like most of us; it is imperative that their bedding is insulating and will keep them warm during the colder months. A good rule of thumb that we recommend to all new piggy parents is to imagine that your guinea pig is you, so if it would be too cold or too hot in their home if you lived there, then you should expect that it will be the same case for your pet. If your guinea pig is residing outside, then they should have bedding that will keep them warm, provide a protective layer and shield them from weather conditions like rain and wind. The environment where your guinea pig will live (indoor/outdoor) should be factored in when choosing the best guinea pig bedding for your piggy.
Cleanliness
Pets are messy just like some of us: you should prepare for the regular cleaning that comes with owning a guinea pig by buying the best guinea pig bedding for your small pet. Bedding should be changed regularly to prevent your pet’s home from becoming a stinky bog, to make this easier for you we recommend choosing bedding that will be easy to clean and replace. Good quality bedding will also have the ability to absorb most liquids; but if left too long, your guinea pig’s cage may begin to have an unpleasant smell and that could be harmful to your pet.
You should also consider the type of smell that the bedding you choose will have. This is down to personal opinion but if you despise certain smells you should probably avoid buying that type of bedding. Fleece bedding is the type of bedding that will most likely not bear any smell.
Size and Quality
The next thing to consider is the coverage of the bedding. For instance, you don’t want to purchase a fleece bed for your piggy only to realise that some parts of the cage aren’t covered. This goes for loose bedding, you should have enough for your guinea pig to be able to burrow into as this is one of their natural instincts.
Quality is always an essential factor when buying anything. In terms of bedding, there must be a balance between quality and quantity. For example, it’s all well and good to buy a massive pack of bedding but if it cannot absorb fluids then you will end up having to replace it more frequently, which defeats the purpose of the larger bag. We recommend doing your research and picking the best prospects.
Ease of replacement/cleaning
Different beddings offer different cleaning options: some loose beddings will need to be replaced whilst fleece beddings can be cleaned out/ washed; however, that will require a replacement bedding. If you plan to buy a wood or paper-based bedding, we recommend putting some newspaper underneath it so when it’s cleaning time, you can easily roll up the newspaper or empty the bedding into the bin. An alternative would be to have a dustpan and brush set nearby to clean out your small pet’s cage.
If you dread the thought of loose bedding and the fact that they can make quite a mess then this is the option for you. The GuineaDad Fleece Guinea Pig Cage Liner can absorb a high volume of liquids due to the diamond pattern – this is great because you won’t have to worry whether your guinea pig’s bedding is really damp after each day. This liner is sustainable as you can easily wash it and reuse, another perk is that it is 100% biodegradable meaning that your shopping will not have any adverse effects on the environment. As it is composed with a premium bamboo fibre, you can cast away any worries about your pet becoming ill as a result of this bedding, this is because it is anti-bacterial and amazing from preventing common guinea pig illnesses from conjunctivitis to many respiratory issues. GuineaDad keeps your piggy in mind, their liner is made without any harmful ingredients.
Pros | Cons |
Sustainable and reusable | Must be washed weekly |
Has an absorbent layer | Regular washing may cause shrinkage |
Easy to clean | |
Deep pockets for hiding and burrowing |
This Kaytee brand of small pets bedding comes with extremely intriguing features that promote a cleaner, more hygienic cage that will require less maintenance, boost the health and wellbeing of your small pet and provide ultimate comfort within any small pet enclosure.
Kaytee Clean and Cosy bedding is 99% dust-free, highly absorbent and hence has a great measure of odour control guarantee. It’s made of premium quality, super soft paper bedding offering an all-round feeling of fluffy texture which encourages a natural instinct of burrowing and nesting for your small pets. Available in two sizes of 12.3L and 26.4L, it is also compressed when packaged, for convenience in storage.
Pros | Cons |
Absorbs two times more liquid than wood shavings | Some paper materials feel crinkly sometimes |
Highly absorbent | |
Safe for your pets and 99% dust-free |
The Carefresh Complete Natural Bedding is made from natural paper fibre that has been transformed into soft and absorbent bedding that is perfect for your guinea pig to burrow and hide in. Due to its dryness, this Carefresh bedding can absorb up to two times more than shavings keeping your piggy warm and making cleaning a breeze. It’s design has been proven to suppress the smell of ammonia for up to 10 days as a result of the natural, pet-safe odour formula. This bedding is 99% dust-free to keep your home happy and healthy and the air that your pet breathes clean and fresh. This choice is also biodegradable and compostable to ensure that its use has no harmful effects on our environment. Since it is sustainable, there may be slight variations in the colour and size of the product in order to protect our planet and the future.
Pros | Cons |
Sustainable and environmentally friendly | Perceived discrepancies in sizes |
Features 10-day odour control | |
Soft, fresh and dry – can absorb 2x more than shavings | |
99% Dust-Free |
The Small Pet Select Natural Bedding is made from unbleached, pure paper that has never been printed on. This paper bedding choice is 100% guinea pig safe and free from any harmful chemicals. It is an excellent choice if you are looking for bedding that will not turn your house into a dust mine since it is 99% dust-free. Each of the bags has the ability to expand up to three times its packaged size to allow for easy cleaning and it functions as an indicator of when you should clean out and replace the bedding inside your pet’s cage. The Small Pet Select Bedding is ideal for rabbits and guinea pigs due to its soft, yet absorbent design.
Pros | Cons |
Comfortable | Not 100% dust-free |
Can expand 3x its packaged size | |
Absorbent |
The Carefresh Complete Natural Bedding is made from natural paper fibre that has been transformed into soft and absorbent bedding that is perfect for your guinea pig to burrow and hide in. Due to its dryness, this Carefresh bedding can absorb up to two times more than shavings keeping your piggy warm and making cleaning a breeze. It’s design has been proven to suppress the smell of ammonia for up to 10 days as a result of the natural, pet-safe odour formula. This bedding is 99% dust-free to keep your home happy and healthy and the air that your pet breathes clean and fresh. This choice is also biodegradable and compostable to ensure that its use has no harmful effects on our environment. Since it is sustainable, there may be slight variations in the colour and size of the product in order to protect our planet and the future.
Pros | Cons |
Sustainable and environmentally friendly | Perceived discrepancies in sizes |
Features 10-day odour control | |
Soft, fresh and dry – can absorb 2x more than shavings | |
99% Dust-Free |
At this juncture, you should be well-versed on how to pick the best guinea pig bedding and our picks and detailed reviews of the best guinea pig beddings. At Small Pets Guru, we are committed to small pets and by offering and sharing our advice, we aim to make your choice amongst the highest quality guinea pig beddings easier, in order to keep your pet guinea pig in a delightful mood.
