Guinea pigs are a preferred pet and are sometimes cheaper to look after in comparison with cats or canine. That being mentioned, it really useful to accommodate guinea pigs in pairs or small teams that means guinea pig homeowners are nonetheless confronted with a lot of prices resembling meals, bedding, insurance coverage and doubtlessly vet payments.
Our information covers methods guinea pig homeowners can get monetary savings on a lot of areas resembling meals, bedding, upfront prices and extra.
In the event you’re wanting a extra in depth information on proudly owning guinea pigs, make sure you take a look at our Final guinea pig information!
Purchase in bulk
In case you have adequate area and an acceptable location, you should buy in bulk to save cash.
An instance of that is hay which types a big a part of your piggie’s weight loss plan..
It’s advisable to retailer hay in a cool and dry location, which is out of daylight and permits for air to flow into across the room. Ideally you need to maintain it off the bottom and you want to make sure that the placement if free from mice and rats.
Not all hay comes pre-packaged so you might have to observe further storage pointers, which you’ll normally study extra about when shopping for hay.
It’s additionally value noting that hay does nonetheless have a shelf-life so make certain you’re shopping for hay with this in thoughts.
Wonky fruit and veg
As a part of their weight loss plan, your piggies ought to take pleasure in quite a lot of greens and may also take pleasure in fruit as an occasional deal with.
Many supermarkets provide “wonky” fruit and greens. These are sometimes not fairly as completely colored or formed as their non-wonky alternate options. Wonky fruit and greens are sometimes cheaper due to this fact buying these over non-wonky fruit and greens generally is a fast and simple approach to save cash.
Contemplate organising repeat orders
In the event you’ve not obtained the space for storing to buy objects in bulk, you might want to arrange repeat orders. Many large pet store chains and on-line retailers will let you arrange a reoccurring orders which can typically prevent wherever from 5-10%.
Inside this, retailers provide the pliability to have your repeat order delivered on a periodical foundation to fit your wants and plenty of provide straightforward cancellation however we advise checking this completely earlier than finishing your buy.
Insurance coverage
Getting guinea pig insurance coverage is an effective way to get assist and canopy any surprising vets payments.
ExoticDirect gives the choice so as to add further pets to 1 coverage, which is beneficial for guinea pig homeowners as piggies needs to be saved in pairs or small teams.
You must keep in mind that insurance coverage comes with Phrases and Situations which it is best to learn fastidiously earlier than taking a coverage out.
Click on right here to study extra about Small Mammal Insurance coverage, together with guinea pig insurance coverage.
Swap to reusable bedding
In the event you’re utilizing single use bedding resembling paper-based bedding or wooden shavings, you might want to take into account reusable bedding within the type of guinea pig fleece.
Particularly designed for piggies, guinea pig fleece is a reusable bedding possibility which may merely be washed and reused time after time. It’s offered in quite a lot of locations resembling pet retailers, on-line retailers and guinea pig particular retailers.
Completely different guinea pigs have totally different preferences, so you might need to be cautious and check out them with a small quantity of fleece to make sure they prefer it earlier than comitting to it as their solely bedding possibility.
No matter bedding kind, it is best to goal to spot-clean your piggies cage on daily basis and do a deep clear twice every week. For extra details about guinea pig bedding and cleansing steering, view our final guinea pig information right here.
Swap up your piggies structure
Guinea pigs require enrichment and leisure inside their setting. To save lots of this turning into expensive, take into account switching up their structure occasionally relatively than buying new objects for it.
Merely switching the placement and angles of things will be an effective way to supply them with new methods and locations to discover.
Moreover, sturdy cardboard containers generally is a good addition and may create new locations on your piggie to discover however maintain a watch out for chewing as cardboard can typically be a little bit tempting on your piggie to chew.
In the event you’re ever unsure about whether or not an merchandise is secure on your piggie, maintain off on introducing it and search assist from a vet to be secure.
Upcycle
Following on from the earlier level, you may simply create enjoyable and enriching environments and toys on your piggie with objects you’ll have in any other case thrown away.
Cardboard tubes and containers make nice toys for piggies as they will simply be filled with hay and meals to supply an entertaining, foraging alternative on your piggie.
Different nice concepts embrace making hides on your piggies from plastic storage containers, or taking a wiffle ball and stuffing it with hay or meals on your piggie to roll round and play with.
There are limitless alternatives for do-it-yourself piggy toys however you want to train warning. All the time maintain a detailed eye in your piggies, particularly in the event that they’re avid chewers and by no means give them something that’s damaged or something that containers tough or sharp edges. In the event you’re ever unsure, seek the advice of with a vet for his or her reccomendations.
Guarantee your piggies are precisely sexed
Guinea pigs will be sexed from round 2-3 weeks of age with most pet retailers promoting them once they’re round 6-8 weeks previous.
With this in thoughts, it is best to make sure that you get guinea pigs of the identical intercourse to make sure you keep away from any undesirable pregnancies. Pet retailers ought to have the ability to precisely intercourse guinea pigs however when you’re ever unsure, it’s value checking along with your vet.
Guaranteeing you solely get same-sex pairs or teams will stop any undesirable piggie pregnancies due to this fact saving you cash.
Child guinea pigs are cute, however expensive. Guaranteeing your piggy is accuratley sexed to forestall undesirable pregnancies.
Buy seasonal fruit and veg
Shopping for recent produce when it’s in season and avoiding out-of season greens and fruit is an effective way to save cash.
You ought to be feeding your piggie quite a lot of fruit and greens as commonplace however making certain you persist with what’s in season e.g. tomatoes in summer time and carrots in winter will be an effective way to make sure you’re not overspending by buying greens and fruit which is out of season.
Take into consideration your leftovers.
Guinea pigs require a portion of greens on daily basis and fruit needs to be fed as a deal with a number of instances every week.
Along with this, sure greens resembling tomatoes ought to solely be fed a couple of instances every week, relatively than day by day.
With this in thoughts, when you solely personal a small variety of guinea pigs, it’s most likely value feeding guinea pigs leftovers of things relatively than buying a pack of one thing on your guinea pig if the entire pack gained’t be used.
This clearly means popping the objects apart on your piggy forward of cooking them. Guinea pigs ought to by no means be fed something that’s been cooked as a part of a human’s weight loss plan. In the event you’re ever uncertain if a fruit or vegetable is secure to be fed to your piggie, seek the advice of along with your vet.