Guinea pigs love to play and there are lots of toys for guinea pigs that you can choose from to keep them happy. There are also different types of toys for guinea pigs that can fulfil different needs for your guinea pigs. For instance, there are exercise toys, feeding toys and enrichment toys. Combining all three can help you to enhance the lives of your guinea pigs.
So, here are some of the best toys for guinea pigs you can buy for your little ones.
1. Hay!
It’s easy to get caught up with the idea that you need to have lots of brightly coloured toys around your piggies enclosure but if you’re providing your piggy with copious amount of hay constantly then you’re already providing them with a lot of entertainment. Hay is also good for hiding in, giving piggies a sense of security and protection. We like to make sure our piggies always have a big bundle of hay available.
Be sure that you provide good quality hay for your piggies. Timothy Hay is often recommended, but others can offer the nutritional balance that Timothy does as well. Just watch out for some of the lower quality options that are available which are often lower in nutritional value.
We find piggies can be so different when eating their hay. Some like to sit on it and ‘bag’ their share from their friend. Others like to stretch out and munch! And some piggies are so excited they popcorn around before digging in.
2. Wooden Stick Bridge
These are a firm favourite of our piggies providing shelter, security and the opportunity to gnaw. We buy the medium size even for our adult guinea pigs. They last quite a reasonable length of time and are easy to brush clean.
Our two males who live together are so funny with their tunnels. Sometimes they play together; one will sit on the tunnel and hold it down while the other has a good chew. And other times it’s like a fort stood vertically with Noddy behind it, the other one will be opposite in a different position with Toffee behind it!
Babies and young adults love being able to hide under the tunnels. Sometimes Mum will tell them to stay there while she has some time out.
Guinea pigs will use the bridges as climbing frames. Punky loves to sit on her bridge and survey the surrounding area. She will even do this when pregnant, so sometimes we have to take the bridge out of her enclosure for safety.
3. Trio Of Balls
One of our most beloved piggies, a Teddy called Ted, loved to push these around, and then destroy them! They were great for chewing. Our matriarch, Martha is also a fan of these balls. They cost only a few pounds for three balls and they last about 1-2 weeks, depending on how much your piggy likes chewing them!
4. Wicker Toys/Furniture
We have bought wicker tunnels and toys in the past that are enjoyed but can be a challenge to keep clean. They are good toys, but you may need to replace them regularly.
5. Log With Seeds.
A wooden log with a treat inside has been a great option for our boys living together. It takes a long time to get to the goodies. We find that some good old gnawing can let some male tension out!
6. Fleecy/Soft Hide
You can also buy a fleecy/soft hide. There are two types: one with a solid structure and another which is more like a pouch. Ted loved his soft, sofa-like pouch especially when it made a crinkling sound. Some guinea pigs will sit on top of a pouch whereas others will find them lovely and secure inside. Our guinea pigs live on fleece and love to make dens in it!
Conclusion
There are many excellent toy options for your furry friend to have some fun. Above are some of our recommendations and some hints to avoid disappointment. If you have some toy recommendations, let us know in the comments below.
