subject: Guinea Pig Fitness - How To Keep Your Guinea Pigs Contained, Safe, And Comfortable [print this page] Guinea Pig Fitness - How To Keep Your Guinea Pigs Contained, Safe, And Comfortable
Guinea pigs are mostly inactive animals, but they still need to be given frequent exercise to keep them fit, happy, and healthy. Although you can purchase all sorts of specially designed exercise equipment, the best thing to do is simply to let them run about in a large, open space. Here are 3 things you should always bear in mind when letting your pets exercise:
1. Keep Them Well Contained
As with most pets, guinea pigs tend to be quite inquisitive, and really love to investigate any area that they are allowed to roam about in. This is especially true if they are let loose to run freely, and if you aren't vigilant you may find that they've found a way to squash themselves into a tiny gap, leaving you with the frustrating task of attempting to persuade them to come back out!
Instead of allowing your pets to run about completely freely, it is usually a good idea to mark out your animals' exercise space. You can do this by setting up makeshift 'fences' made from household items like boxes and tables, or you could purchase a special run, which is ideal for this.
2. Protect Their Delicate Paws
Cavies have very delicate skin on their feet. This can easily be injured by sharp objects. When letting your guinea pigs out to roam around, be sure to keep their exercise space clear of all potentially harmful objects like nails, stones, and so on.
In order to protect your pets' feet from damage, it is important to be very careful to make sure that their running area has no loose or sharp items in it. To be on the safe side it is best to make sure it is a soft surface, such as carpet, newspaper, or grass, so that they have a soft surface to scamper around on.
3. Protect Your Pets' Safety
Most modern homes have wires trailing everywhere. As a matter of fact, we are so used to having them everywhere that it can be easy to forget that they are even there. But to a guinea pig, they constitute a delicious treat, and you will be amazed how fast they can eat through one. For safety's sake, make sure to keep your guinea pigs well clear of any wires and cables, as they could be seriously hurt.
You should also make sure that if you have any other pets, they should be kept in another room, in case they decide that your guinea pig would make a tasty treat!
