Hides and houses
Shelves and ledges
Foraging and toys
Cage accessories
Kits and bundles
Fairy forest
Spooky mischief
Sweetie stash
Game mode
Forest floor
Castles and cathedrals
What toys do guinea pigs like?
Guinea pigs like toys that let them behave like wild cavies: searching for food, running through cover, hiding and gnawing. They are awake for up to 20 hours a day in short bursts, Burgess notes, so a bare cage is a long, dull day. The RSPCA says they like to tunnel and should have pipes and deep areas of hay, plus safe toys to play with and chew.
What they do not do is climb, jump onto ledges or run in wheels. Their bodies are long and stocky with short legs, and a fall from even a low shelf can hurt them. So the best toy shelf for guinea pigs is mostly on the floor.
What are the best enrichment toys for guinea pigs?
Foraging toys come first, because eating hay and hunting for greens fills most of a guinea pig's waking hours. Then tunnels and hides, then things to chew. PetMD lists snuffle mats, tunnels, hanging chews and playpens as good guinea pig enrichment, and adds that enrichment helps keep teeth and claws worn down.
| Toy type | What it does | Examples |
|---|---|---|
| Foraging toys | Makes them search for food | Hay mats, snuffle mats, forage bowls, hay-stuffed boxes |
| Hanging feeders | Makes them stretch and work for greens | Treat holders, hay balls, herb bundles |
| Tunnels | Running and hiding at once | Willow tunnels, fabric tubes, wide pipe |
| Hides | Rest and safety | Wooden houses, hay houses, fleece cosies |
| Chews | Wears teeth, something to do | Apple and willow sticks, hay cubes |
| Low obstacles | Exploring and gentle exercise | Flexible wooden bridges laid flat as arches, low ramps |
Which toys are unsafe for guinea pigs?
Exercise wheels and balls top the list. The MSD Vet Manual warns that wheels can injure guinea pigs, and balls trap them with no way to rest or cool down. Also avoid:
- Tall climbing frames and high platforms. Purdue's vet school says cage levels should be close together to prevent falls.
- Narrow tubes. Hamster-sized tubes trap guinea pigs; go 13 cm (5 in) or wider.
- Painted, varnished or glued wood. Choose plain, untreated wood, willow, apple sticks or hay.
- Loose threads, string and fraying fabric. These can wrap round feet or be swallowed.
- Small plastic parts and bells. Easy to chew off and swallow.
- Salt licks and seed or honey treat sticks. They add salt, sugar and fat a guinea pig's diet does not need; our guinea pig diet guide explains what they should eat.
Purdue also advises checking every toy routinely for wear. Bin anything that is splintered, chewed to a sharp edge or soiled.
Are Oxbow toys good for guinea pigs?
Many Oxbow toys are a good choice for guinea pigs, especially the ones made of hay. The Timothy CLUB range is hand-woven from timothy hay with no wire, thread or chemicals, so a guinea pig can eat the toy as it plays. The Enriched Life range is broader, and items such as the Forage Bowl and Burrow Box list guinea pigs on their product pages.
Not every Oxbow product suits guinea pigs. The range includes quiet wheels and fitness balls, which are for smaller species and should not go in a guinea pig cage. Read the "species" list on each product page before you order.
Do guinea pigs need a playpen?
Yes, unless their cage is very large. Guinea pigs need to exercise every day, the RSPCA says, and the University of Florida's vet school lists indoor playpens among the best ways to give them space. PetMD advises supervised time out of the cage at least once a day. A playpen also keeps them safe from electric cables and houseplants, which UF warns they will chew.
Size matters more than style. Woodgreen's minimum run for a pair is 182 × 122 cm (6 × 4 ft) with sides 46 cm (18 in) high. Indoors, an open-top pen is fine if no cats or dogs can reach it. Outdoors, a vet in Chewy's guide recommends a pen with a mesh or metal top, edges pressed firmly to the ground, trimmed grass, full shade and sessions of about 30 minutes, only between 18 and 27°C (65 and 80°F). Our guide to guinea pig floor time and playpens covers this in more detail.
How to set up a guinea pig playpen
- Cover the floor. Indoors, lay a waterproof sheet or mat with a washable fleece or a thick layer of paper bedding on top, so it is not slippery.
- Build the walls. Join the panels into the biggest shape your room allows, and check there are no gaps a head can fit through.
- Add hides and tunnels. At least one hide per guinea pig, plus a tunnel. Without cover they will sit frozen in a corner.
- Add hay and water. A big pile of hay in one corner and a water bowl or bottle in another.
- Scatter some food. Hide a few herbs or greens under hay and inside tubes so they explore.
- Stay close. Keep cables, plants and other pets well away, and check on them often.
DIY guinea pig toys you can make for free
Some of the best guinea pig toys come out of the recycling bin. Burgess suggests these ideas, and Purdue adds that 10 cm (4 in) plastic pipe with elbow and T joints makes cheap tunnels for smaller guinea pigs.
- Hay kebab: two cardboard tubes stuffed with hay, threaded on a willow stick.
- Forage tree: several hay kebabs standing in a cardboard box.
- Stick bundle: 10 to 12 willow or apple sticks tied with sisal twine and hung on the run.
- Plant pot: hay and forage packed into an upturned clay plant pot.
- Mock hedge: a hanging basket or magazine rack stuffed full of hay.
- Herb planter: mint or lemon balm in a pot, covered with an upturned hanging basket.
- Cardboard castle: a box with two doors cut in and hay inside.
More ideas are in our guinea pig enrichment guide, and our guide to guinea pig behaviour explains what popcorning and zoomies mean when a toy goes down well.
Best guinea pig toys and playpens
We don't make pieces for guinea pigs yet, so these are from other shops we'd look at.
Oxbow Timothy CLUB Hide & Seek Mat
A mat woven from timothy hay with no wire, strings or threads. Tuck herbs or pellets into the weave and they will spend ages pulling them out, then eat the mat. Sold in small and large; large suits guinea pigs better.
Oxbow Enriched Life Forage Bowl
A bowl shaped to slow down eating, with measuring lines for portions, listed for guinea pigs. Good for turning the daily pellet portion into a small puzzle. Choose the large size for guinea pigs.
Oxbow Enriched Life Burrow Box
A box of corrugated card, willow bark and paper for exploring, nesting and chewing, listed for guinea pigs. Stuff it with hay and scatter a few greens inside. It is meant to be chewed, so replace it once it is soiled or falling apart.
Omlet Caddi Guinea Pig Treat Holder
A hanging steel feeder, 20 cm (8 in) tall and 8 cm (3 in) wide, that holds greens, veg or hay. It swings as they eat, so they stretch and work for it, and it keeps food off a dirty floor. Hang it low enough that all your guinea pigs can reach.
Trixie flexible wooden bridge
A natural wood bridge, 51 × 30 cm (20 × 12 in), that bends into an arch. Stood on the floor it becomes an open-ended tunnel and hide in one. Choose this larger size, not the narrow hanging bridges, and keep it on the floor rather than hung up.
Omlet Zippi Guinea Pig Playpen
Modular mesh panels in single or double height, with an optional roof and anti-dig skirt for lawns. It can link to a hutch or cage through Omlet's 18 cm (7 in) tunnels, so guinea pigs can come and go. Good for owners who want one pen for both indoor floor time and garden time.
Omlet Guinea Pig Pop Up Playpen
A fold-flat playpen with click-in hinges, a removable floor protector and a climb-proof design, usable indoors or outside. It suits smaller homes where the pen needs to go away after floor time. Check the size against your room, and use a covered pen outdoors.
For housing to go with these, see our picks of the best guinea pig hides, and our complete guinea pig care guide for everything else.
Questions owners ask
Do guinea pigs play with toys?
Not the way a dog or a rat does. Guinea pigs rarely push balls around or climb, but they love toys that let them do what wild cavies do: forage for food, run through tunnels, hide and chew. The best toys hide hay, herbs or a few pellets, or give them new places to explore and duck into.
Are Oxbow toys good for guinea pigs?
Many are. Oxbow's Timothy CLUB range is woven from timothy hay with no wire, thread or chemicals, so it is safe to eat, and its Enriched Life range lists guinea pigs on items such as the Forage Bowl and Burrow Box. Skip its wheels and fitness balls for guinea pigs, and check each product page lists guinea pigs before you buy.
How big should a guinea pig playpen be?
As big as you can manage. Woodgreen's minimum run for a pair is 182 × 122 cm (6 × 4 ft) with sides 46 cm (18 in) high. Indoors, the Humane World for Animals asks for sides of at least 30 cm (12 in); go taller for a guinea pig that stands up against the panels, and cover the top if cats or dogs live with you. Outdoors, always use a lid.
How long should guinea pigs be in a playpen?
There is no set limit indoors, and longer is better as long as they have hay, water and hides in the pen and you are nearby. PetMD advises supervised out-of-cage time at least once a day. Outdoors, a vet in Chewy's guide suggests keeping sessions to about 30 minutes and only between 18 and 27°C (65 and 80°F).
Can guinea pigs have toilet roll tubes?
Yes, plain cardboard tubes are a classic guinea pig toy. Burgess suggests stuffing them with hay and forage, or threading two on a willow stick to make a hay kebab. Use tubes without glue residue or patterned ink, cut them open lengthways if a guinea pig might get its head stuck, and throw them away once soiled.
What toys are bad for guinea pigs?
Wheels, exercise balls, anything with small plastic parts, painted or varnished wood, and anything with loose threads or string. The MSD Vet Manual warns wheels can injure guinea pigs. Also avoid salt licks, mineral wheels and sugary treat sticks with seeds and honey, which add sugar and fat they do not need.
Sources
- Humane World for Animals: Guinea pig housing requirements and bedding options
- RSPCA: Guinea pig behaviour
- Burgess Pet Care: How to create the perfect piggy environment
- MSD Veterinary Manual: Providing a home for a guinea pig
- Purdue University College of Veterinary Medicine: Care of guinea pigs
- University of Florida Small Animal Hospital: How to care for your pet guinea pig
- PetMD: Complete guide to guinea pigs
- Woodgreen: How to house your guinea pigs
- Chewy (vet reviewed): Safety tips for taking your guinea pig outside
