To raise healthy guinea pigs, diet, hygiene, love and exercise all have their part to play. Exercise for guinea pigs is something that is easily overlooked because guinea pigs are small and don't seem to need as much exercise as other pets like dogs for instance. Many families who have guinea pigs live in small apartments, so it can be a challenge to find a suitable space where we can let our pets roam freely.
If your goal is to encourage your guinea pigs to exercise more regularly, here are some ideas that you can implement:
1. House your guinea pigs in a bigger cage. The more space they have to run around, the more movement you can expect them to make. A roomy cage is ideal because it gives them the space they need to get some exercise.
2. Regularly schedule floor time where you take them out of their cages to roam around freely. If you have a backyard, you can create outdoor guinea pig enclosures and let your guinea pig run around inside it. If you live in an apartment, choose a part of the house that is easy to clean and safe (with no exposed electricity cables), such as the laundry room or the bathroom, and let your guinea pig explore freely. To help make them feel secure in the larger space, remember to put a place where they can hide - a paper bag, or a small cardboard box that's turned upside down, with escape holes on the sides will do.
3. Encourage exploration and movement by placing food and healthy treats. Your guinea pig will love the treasure hunt, and they will get a good amount of exercise from running around.
4. Another way to encourage movement is by using appropriate and safe toys.
Many objects around the house can be recycled to make suitable toys. For example, old socks, small stuffed toys, toilet paper spools, small balls like tennis balls and golf balls, cardboard boxes of various shapes and sizes, and even just crumpled pieces of paper. Put the in their cages, or scatter them around during floor time.5. Play with your guinea pigs. We often find that the more involved an owner is, the happier and healthier pets are. This is because the more time you spend with your pets, the more you will realize the things that they need, and the bigger the likelihood that these needs will be met. When you play with your guinea pigs regularly, then that's one way of encouraging movement and social interaction. It's exercise that's fun for both you and your pets.