Can Guinea Pigs Live Indoors?

Keeping Guinea Pigs in an Apartment

Living in an apartment or flat can feel quite restrictive for an animal lover. So, having a little herd of guinea pigs can be a great option. Guinea pigs’ main requirement is space, so you’ll need to be able to provide a room exclusively for them, or section off a larger room for their cage.

Open areas can make them quite nervous, so they’ll need plenty of shelter for them to hide. Having multiple levels can be good for them too. Guinea pigs naturally want to run around and climb, so having a more intricate and multi-levelled enclosure will be super enriching for them.

Their enclosure should also be out of the way of direct sunlight and some place that can easily be kept dry. Avoiding hot areas like radiators or heated floors is recommended too as guinea pigs are sensitive to heat, and these can lead to potential burns you’re if not careful.

Having their main area somewhere that’s easy to clean would be ideal too.

Keeping your cleaning equipment nearby will make it much easier to go in an wipe down surfaces and sweep up.

Do Guinea Pigs Prefer to Live Inside or Outside?

Guinea pigs can thrive in both inside and outside environments but tend to prefer being inside. They can stay much more comfortable inside, and don’t need to worry about getting their fur wet or hurting their paws in a muddy garden. Being inside can also help them feel safer and less exposed to predators and weather conditions.

There’s no doubt that your guinea pig would enjoy some outside time too! Having an area where they can spend time outside safely while the weather is warm and dry can work well.

Do Guinea Pigs Make Good House Pets?

Guinea pigs make wonderful house pets.

They love to spend time with their humans and can really benefit mentally from being around you.

Keeping them as indoor pets is ideal! They have great guinea pig hygiene, meaning you don’t need to worry about them causing huge messes around your home, and they can even be litter trained so there’s little chance of you accidently walking in poop. Even then, it’s always recommended to keep a good cleaning spray at hand just in case they do make a little mess.

Keeping guinea pigs as inside pets also gives you the opportunity to monitor their health. If one day your piggy falls ill, it’ll be much easier to notice the symptoms and get them treatment.

Do Guinea Pigs Smell?

Guinea pigs shouldn’t smell much at all which makes them a great pet to keep around the house. Guinea pigs frequently groom themselves, and each other, preventing strong odours from spreading around the home. You can also bathe them if you notice a smell coming from them, but not too often as it can strip the coats of their natural oils.

If you do notice a strong smell coming from your guinea pigs or their main area, then there may be something wrong. You may need to clean their cage more often or thoroughly, or maybe something in their diet isn’t right. They could also be struggling to groom themselves, so it may be a good idea to monitor them to see if they’re experiencing any physical discomfort.

Once you have discovered the cause of the problem, it should be easy to fix. Male guinea pigs do tend to smell more often than females due to oily build up, but a simple bath every now and again can solve this problem; there is nothing wrong with a little guinea pig cleaning!

Can I Let My Guinea Pigs Roam in the House?

Guinea pigs love to spend time with their human companions, so letting them roam around the house can be a great option.

To begin with, you will need to make sure the area they roam is safe. It would be best to remove any objects that are likely to be knocked and fall. Guinea pigs are super speedy; this opens up the potential for them to accidentally run into furniture or get caught under your feet.

You should also make sure there aren’t any electrical wires on the floor they can nibble on.

You can place some of their own toys around to redirect them away from wires.

Guinea pigs can be quite sensitive, so if you’re going to have them free roaming completely, then it would be a good idea to make sure there isn’t too many loud noises around that could spook them.

It would also be wise to maintain the temperature around your home. Guinea pigs are prone to heatstroke and can be quite uncomfortable in temperatures over 26°C.

Indoor vs. Outdoor Cages

Indoor and outdoor cages can both be great options for your guinea pigs. There are many advantages to them both.

Outdoor cages may be best for you if you have other larger animals such as dogs or cats. While these animals can often get along just fine, as a prey species, guinea pigs may never feel truly safe or comfortable in the home with other animals around. Guinea pigs would feel less overwhelmed from the loud noises that are most likely occurring inside.

Outdoor cages can also be easier to provide outside enrichment, as guinea pigs can come and go as they please as long as their run is safely connected to their hutch or inside spaces.

On the other hand, indoor cages are a great choice too. It’s much easier to maintain the condition of indoor cages. Your guinea pigs wouldn’t be exposed to the outside weather and are protected from potential predators.

They often require extra cleaning to make sure there isn’t an excessive build-up of bacteria or smells. With indoor cages your guinea pig will be closer to you on a day-to-day basis, allowing you to create stronger bond.