Thank you for considering adopting a guinea pig! There are so many piggies in need of new homes, so it is wonderful to adopt rather than buying one from a pet store.

We've put together a list of recommended supplies to keep your guinea pig happy and healthy.

1. Guinea Pig Enclosure 

At DPR, the majority of our guinea pigs are housed in the MIDWEST Guinea Habitat: 



Or the KAYTEE Open Living Small Pet Habitat:

 

We like these cages because they are waterproof, easy to clean, easy to pick up the guinea pigs, and they give the flexiblity to combine multiple cages. We often put two or three cages together with the built-in ramp in between, and they love the extra room! Roofs can be added to these cages if you are concerned about other animals in the household bothering the piggies. You can also connect a play yard to it and open up the door for exercise time. Small Animal Pet Playpen /Exercise Pen:




2. Bedding

On the bottom of the cages, we use the GuineaDad Fleece Liners:

These liners are our favorites! They fit perfectly in the cages, are very easy to clean, and the piggies all love to burrow in the pouch area. We spot clean every day, and we change out the liners once a week. We just throw them in the laundry (it's nice to have two so they can be changed out without needing to wait on the laundry.) Regular fleece blankets work as well if you are trying to stick to a budget! 

If you opt for disposable bedding, defiintely no wood shavings as they can be very harmful to your piggies lungs. Instead, choose a paper bedding, such as CAREFRESH Small Animal Bedding



3. Hidey House

Another essential is a hidey house! Guinea pigs feel happy, safe and secure when they have a cozy little house to sleep in. We usually put two in each enclosure - a plush one and one they can chew on.
 YUEPET Guinea Pig Cave Beds 

This one is our favorite plush bed - it washes very nicely in the laundry and keeps its shape. 

KAYTEE Woodland Get-A-Way Small Pet Hideout

We use one like this to prop open the pouch in the GuineaDad liner to make it easier for the piggies to go in and out of the pouch area. Some of the guinea pigs really enjoy chomping on wooden ones like this, and it's great for their teeth. There are also houses made out of twigs that are a favorite. As you get to know your new guinea pig, you'll see which houses they like the best! 


4. Food - Hay, Pellets, Veggies/Fruit

The main part of a guinea pig's diet is HAY! They should have access to unlimited Timothy Hay all the time. If you're adoping a baby guinea pig, they can have Alfalfa Hay as well as Timothy Hay. Alfalfa Hay has more calories and is good for growing piggies, but should not be given to adults as it can cause obesity. And please remember - no Hay feeders - these can be dangerous and discourages them from eating as much hay as they need. We put a big pile in a large litter box designed for guinea pigs, and they love burrowing in it and grazing all day. It also makes for easy clean up! 
KAYTEE Natural Timothy Hay:


Litter Box: 


They should also have pellets available, such as  OXBOW Essentials Adult Guinea Pig Food All Natural Adult Guinea Pig Pellets:

We'd recommend getting a sturdy ceramic, low sided bowl to keep their pellets in so they don't tip it over too easily. 

It is also important that guinea pigs have fresh fruits and veggies every day. This gives them the Vitamin C and other essential nutrients they need to stay healthy. Plus they LOVE salad time and will squeal with excitement once they figure out the routine! We feed our piggies Romaine Lettuce and Bell Peppers every day. There are other fruits and veggies that are great for them to have in moderation, such as a slice of banana, apple, carrot, cucumber, strawberry etc. 
For a detailed list of what fruits and veggies guinea pigs can eat and how often, please visit our page: 
What to Feed Your Guinea Pig

Don't forget a water bottle! Guinea pigs should have fresh water available to them at all times. They prefer to drink out of a water bottle like this rather than a bowl of water. We recommend getting two different types of water bottles - some guinea pigs are picky about which ones they like, and it also provides a back up in case one of the water bottles malfunctions.
KAYTEE Chew Proof Small Pet Water Bottle:



5. Toys! 

It's important to have some toys for your guinea pig to chew on and keep their teeth healthy. Here are some favorites! 

NATURALS BY ROSEWOOD Trio of Fun Balls Small Pet Toy:


KAYTEE Perfect Chews Guinea Pig Toy:


OXBOW Enriched Life Timothy Apples & Stix Small Animal Chew Toy:



6. Carrier

Lastly, you'll want to have a way to safely transport your guinea pig. We generally just use hard-sided cat crates since we have a lot of those at the rescue. A carrier that opens from the top will be easiest to put your guinea pig in and take them out. We have had guinea pigs chew through cardboard carriers and mesh carriers! 

We hope you have found this list useful! Thank you for choosing to adopt a guinea pig!