Care guide · Guinea pigs

Guinea pig cage setup: layouts and ideas that work

Checked against RSPCA: Creating a good home for guinea pigs, Woodgreen: How to house your guinea pigs, Humane World for Animals: Guinea pig housing requirements and bedding options and 5 more on

A good guinea pig cage setup is one level of at least 1 m² (10.5 sq ft) for two, with a solid floor and 5 to 8 cm (2 to 3 in) of soft bedding or a fleece liner. Put a hay kitchen and water at one end, one hide per guinea pig plus one spare, and leave the middle open to run.

How to set up a guinea pig cage

Set the cage up fully before your guinea pigs come home, so they arrive to food, water and somewhere to hide. Here is the order that works.

  1. Choose the room. Pick a calm room that stays around 17 to 20°C (63 to 68°F), away from radiators, sunny windows, draughts and outside doors, as the RSPCA advises. Keep it out of the kitchen and away from cats and dogs.
  2. Build the base. Use a solid, waterproof floor at least 1 m² (10.5 sq ft) for two. The Humane World for Animals says wire floors, glass tanks and plastic tubs are not acceptable.
  3. Add the bedding. Lay 5 to 8 cm (2 to 3 in) of paper bedding, or fleece over an absorbent layer. Our guinea pig bedding guide compares the options.
  4. Make a kitchen. At one end, add a big hay pile or rack, a heavy bowl for veg and pellets, and water. Guinea pigs eat and toilet in the same spot, so this is where most mess will be.
  5. Place the hides. The RSPCA says to give one more hide than you have guinea pigs. Spread them out, and choose hides with two doors so nobody gets cornered.
  6. Add tunnels and chews. Woodgreen suggests open-ended hides and tunnels throughout. Add willow or fruit-tree sticks to chew, and scatter some forage in the hay.
  7. Leave the middle open. Keep a clear run down the centre so they can zoom and "popcorn". A cage packed with accessories is a smaller cage.

What goes in a guinea pig cage

  • Solid base cage of at least 1 m² (10.5 sq ft) for two
  • Paper bedding or a fleece liner with an absorbent layer
  • Hay rack, hay box or simply a big pile, refilled daily
  • Heavy ceramic bowl for veg and pellets
  • Water bottle, bowl or both
  • One hide per guinea pig, plus one spare
  • One or two tunnels
  • Willow, apple or pear sticks to chew
  • A thermometer at guinea pig height
  • Dustpan, brush and a washable mat for under the cage

Find hides in our pick of guinea pig hides and houses and toys in the best guinea pig toys and cage accessories.

Guinea pig cage layout ideas

The best layout splits the cage into zones, the way guinea pigs use space naturally: eat and toilet in one place, sleep in another, run in between.

Zone Where What goes there Why
Kitchen One end Hay, bowl, water Most droppings and wee land here, so it is easy to spot clean
Bedroom Far end Hides, a fleece cosy, tunnel Quiet, dry place to sleep away from the busy end
Runway Middle Open floor, maybe one tunnel Space to run and popcorn
Lookout Side nearest you A low hide with a flat roof Lets confident guinea pigs watch the room

Layout for a long cage (two boars)

Put a hay pile and a hide at each end, with water at both. Each boar can then eat and rest without walking past the other, which helps keep the peace.

Layout for a square or L-shaped cage

Put the kitchen in the corner nearest the door you clean from, hides in the far corners, and leave a clear loop around the middle.

If you use fleece, try a paper-bedding "kitchen" tray under the hay. Metropolitan Guinea Pig Rescue notes it catches much of the mess, so the fleece stays clean longer. Some bedding will still get kicked out.

Housing guinea pigs indoors

Indoors is the easiest place to keep guinea pigs well. Woodgreen lists the upsides: guinea pigs kept indoors tend to be more confident and hand-tame, health problems are easier to spot, and they stay dry, warm and safe from predators. The Humane World for Animals advises against outdoor hutches altogether.

The downsides Woodgreen lists are finding a quiet room, keeping cats and dogs from stressing them, less grazing and possible hay or bedding allergies in people. You can solve most of these with a room door that shuts, fresh grass picked daily and dust-extracted hay.

Avoid the kitchen, which the Humane World also rules out, and rooms that swing between hot and cold, such as conservatories. The RSPCA says the ideal room is 17 to 20°C (63 to 68°F), and that some parts of centrally heated homes get too hot. Our guinea pig temperature guide explains safe ranges.

Large indoor cages for guinea pigs: the main types

Type Good for Watch for
C&C cage (grids and a plastic base) Any size, easy to extend, recommended by many rescues Needs a lid if cats or dogs can reach it
Large playpen with a waterproof base Big floor for little money, opens fully Low sides; cover the floor with a washable liner
Ready-made indoor cage Simple to buy and set up Most are too small; tapered bases shrink the floor
Converted shed or Wendy house Groups of four or more, says Woodgreen Needs a mesh door for air, insulation and protection from heat and cold

Check sizes with our guinea pig cage size guide, and see our pick of the best guinea pig cages for ones that meet them.

Do guinea pigs need lofts and ramps?

No. Guinea pigs are not climbers, and Metropolitan Guinea Pig Rescue recommends a single floor because a fall from any height can cause serious injury. If you add a loft, the ramp needs sides, the upper level needs walls all round, and it does not count toward floor space. The same rescue suggests removing high feeding ledges, because the space under them is poorly ventilated.

Guinea pig cage setup mistakes to avoid

  • Wire floors, which can hurt feet and cause sores
  • Glass tanks and deep plastic tubs, which trap stale air
  • Cedar or pine shavings, straw or cotton wool fluff
  • Only one hide for two guinea pigs
  • Plastic igloos in warm rooms, which Woodgreen says can get very hot
  • Filling the floor with so many accessories there is nowhere to run
  • A spot in direct sun, by a radiator or in a draught
Never put a guinea pig cage in a conservatory or a sunny window in summer. The RSPCA says temperatures above 26°C (79°F) can cause heatstroke, and a glass room can get far hotter than the rest of the house on a mild, sunny day.

Adding a run or play area

Even a good cage benefits from a run. The PDSA recommends an exercise area of at least 2 × 1 m (79 × 39 in) with tunnels, shelters and hides, and Woodgreen suggests a 182 × 122 cm (6 × 4 ft) run. Joining the run to the cage lets them choose when to explore. See guinea pig floor time and playpens for safe setups, and keep the cage fresh with our cage cleaning routine. For everything else, start at our complete guinea pig care guide.

Guinea pig cage setup questions

What should I put in a guinea pig cage?

Deep bedding or a fleece liner, a big hay pile or rack, a heavy bowl for veg and pellets, water in a bottle or bowl, one hide per guinea pig plus one spare, a tunnel or two and some safe chews such as willow sticks. That is all they truly need. Leave plenty of open floor so they can run.

Where should I put my guinea pig cage in the house?

In a calm room that stays around 17 to 20°C (63 to 68°F), the RSPCA's ideal range. Keep it away from radiators, sunny windows, draughts, outside doors and loud speakers, and out of the kitchen. Raising the cage off the floor helps in a draughty room. A living room lets them hear you and get used to everyday noise.

Do guinea pigs need a second level?

No. Guinea pigs are not climbers, and Metropolitan Guinea Pig Rescue advises single-level cages because falls can cause serious injuries. A loft can work for a confident pair if the ramp has sides and the upper level is walled all round, but it never counts toward floor space.

Should guinea pigs have a water bottle or a bowl?

Either works and many owners offer both. Bottles stay clean but need checking that the ball flows, and Purdue's vets suggest checking them more than once a day. Bowls are a more natural way to drink but collect hay and bedding, so use a heavy ceramic one and refresh it often. The RSPCA says to check water twice a day.

How do I stop guinea pigs kicking hay and bedding out of the cage?

Use a base with sides at least 15 cm (6 in) deep, which most C&C cage bases have, and put the hay where they cannot push it against the bars. A hay box with a lid, or a hay pile in a cardboard box with a door cut out, keeps more of it in. A washable mat under the cage catches the rest.

Can I put a guinea pig cage in my bedroom?

You can, but many owners regret it. Guinea pigs are awake on and off all night, rustling, eating hay, drinking and chatting, so a light sleeper will hear them. Bedrooms are also often warmer or colder than the rest of the house. A quiet living room usually suits both of you better.

Sources

Read next

Guinea pig cage size: how big it really needs to be

Two guinea pigs need at least 10.5 sq ft (about 1 m²) of floor on one level, such as 76 × 127 cm (30 × 50 in). Boars and bigger groups need more.

Best bedding for guinea pigs: what is safe and what to avoid

Use dust-free paper bedding 5 to 8 cm (2 to 3 in) deep or fleece over an absorbent layer. Aspen is fine. Avoid cedar, pine, sawdust, straw and corn cob.

Best guinea pig hides and houses

Give one hide per guinea pig, each with two exits, made of wood, hay or fabric rather than plastic, and big enough to turn round in.

Guinea pig care: the complete guide

Keep at least two together, give them about 1 m² (10.5 sq ft) or more, unlimited hay, fresh veg and vitamin C every day, and a yearly vet check.

Best guinea pig cages: what to buy and what to skip

The best cage gives a pair at least 10.5 sq ft (1 m²) of solid floor on one level. A 5 × 2 grid C&C cage is the easiest way to get there.

Guinea pig enrichment: toys and boredom busters

Give space, a guinea pig friend, hides and tunnels, safe chews, food to forage for and at least an hour of floor time a day, and rotate it all weekly.