The Importance of Toys for your Pets
Does you Guinea Pig have any toys?
Toys are soo important for your pets for a number of reasons and should ALWAYS be provided and exchanged regularly.
Just imagine living in one room of your house and all you have is a bed, food and water. No TV, no internet, no games, books, not even able to leave for a different view. We would be bored, so is your Guinea Pig. So by enriching your pets enviroment with toys will make their lives much happier. It is especially important for animals kept in hutches or confined to their house when their natural environment is outdoors.
Both Guinea Pigs & Rabbits are intelligent and social animals, as well as enjoying the company of other Guinea Pigs & Rabbits (and sometimes people), they need a lot of mental stimulation in order to keep their body and minds active and in peak condition. They can be very shy and nervous, especially of the unknown, so having familiar items around them and places to hide will make them feel more comfortable.
Toys encourage our pets to be happy and alert, they will also display and undertake their natural behaviours, such as nibbling, throwing objects and popcorning, which helps keep them fit and occupied. Bored Guinea Pigs are likely to sit around more and may start to gain weight which can cause health issues and they may start chewing on items they shouldn't, such as their hutch or run.
If you have a selection of toys, rather than put them all in at once, change them about so they get a different toy to play with everyday to help keep their minds stimulated.
Lack Of Toys Can Cause:
- Depression
- Loneliness
- Boredom (then can cause bar/hutch chewing)
- Stress (Fur Pulling/ feet chewing)
- Bad Health : illnesses
- Long teeth
- Weight Gain
What Toys Can Guinea Pigs Have?
Guinea Pigs can have a wide and varied range of toys. You can buy them in most pet stores or get creative and make your own.
Toys made of strong, non-toxic plastic, cardboard, willow and wicker are ideal, although make sure you inspect all the toys regularly for any sharp edges or dangerous holes, which they can get a foot or their head stuck in or anything else that could cause an injury.
If this is found to be the case, they must be taken out immediately
Shop Brought Toys:
If you look in any pet shop they will have a wide selection or toys that have been 'designed' especially for Guinea Pigs and Rabbits. These will include rattles, balls, chew blocks, tunnels etc. However you do not have to stick to Guinea Pig toys, some toys made for cats and dogs are also equally suitable, as are baby toys which are also tough and non-toxic. (such as stocking blocks etc)
Feeding balls/cubes which are designed to keep dogs amused are also great for Guinea Pigs and Rabbits - being so food orientated, they will do anything for food. Most of your Guinea Pigs daily food ration can be placed in these feeding balls in the morning to allow them amusement over the course of the day.
Home-made Toys:
As well as buying toys, some everyday items found around the home that would otherwise be thrown away can make ideal toys for Guinea Pigs & Rabbits.
Inner cardboard tubes from kitchen or toilet rolls make great toys for them to tear and throw around. They can be filled with hay and small peices of vegetables for another great boredom breaker.
Large cardboard boxes that are filled with hay or shredded paper with food items inside will provide them with hours of fun as they scramble around searching for the food.
Join boxes together and cut holes in them to make them a maze system for your guinea pigs to explore and they can also hide away if they feel scared.
DANGEROUS TOYS:
Not all toys sold by pet shops are actually good for your pets and they should never be allowed to be sold.
We have seen Hamster balls recommended for Guinea Pigs. Guinea Pig & Rabbit leads and harenesses are completely unsafe. Some toys even contain actual sawdust inside the toy!
If you have any of these, please throw them out immediately!!
If you are in doubt as to the safety of a toy, then it is always safest not to give it and to get something else instead. Replace all toys when they become worn or old and replace with new and exciting ones.
We have a selection of suitable, safe and natural toys available to purchase in our retail shop.
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