There’s a cause guinea pigs are known as “pigs.” They aren’t particularly clear animals!
It’s not likely their fault–who might be clear once they poop over 100 occasions a day? It’s as much as us to provide them a clear, odor-free atmosphere.
In case your guinea pigs scent, you probably must clear their cage extra usually. Guinea pig cages ought to be spot cleaned every day and deep cleaned 1-2 occasions weekly. You may additionally must change their bedding sort, as some don’t take in odors effectively and can go away the cage smelly.
On this article, we’ll speak about if all guinea pigs scent, why your guinea pigs scent unhealthy, the right way to maintain a guinea pig cage from smelling, and extra.
Why Do My Guinea Pigs Odor Unhealthy?
In case your guinea pigs scent unhealthy, you probably want to wash their cage extra usually or use a special bedding sort. Whereas guinea pigs do have a particular scent, it shouldn’t be overbearing.
The cage shouldn’t scent closely of urine or feces. If that is so, it’s doubtless been manner too lengthy since their final cage clear!
Do Male or Feminine Guinea Pigs Odor Extra?
Male guinea pigs are inclined to scent extra as a result of their grease glands are extra lively. Whereas all guinea pigs have a grease gland, males use theirs extra to mark territory.
Males additionally have a tendency to wish boar cleanings as they grow old, and this course of is sort of smelly! If you happen to don’t clear them sufficient, the piggies themselves may start to scent.
One other factor to observe for is spraying urine. Females appear to spray extra often, however males’ spray is stinkier.
It would find yourself on the perimeters of the cage, and even exterior of the cage on the partitions or flooring. Tall cage partitions can stop this from occurring and make clean-up simpler, whereas wiping the partitions of the cage throughout every deep cleansing helps to scale back scent.
Methods to Maintain a Guinea Pig Cage From Smelling
1. Spot Clear Every day
Guinea pigs poop over 100 occasions a day, and so they urinate loads as effectively! Which means us piggy guardians must do loads of cleansing to maintain their cage comfy for them to dwell in.
At the very least as soon as a day, spot clear your guinea pigs’ cage by sweeping or vacuuming up any poops. Examine for dirty bedding, and take away and exchange it as wanted.
This could take simply 5-10 minutes. If you happen to’re additional delicate to odors or the cage is in an space the place you spend loads of time, you may need to spot clear 2-3 occasions a day as a substitute.
2. Deep Clear 1-2 Instances Weekly
All the cage ought to be cleaned 1-2 occasions every week. Precisely how usually will depend upon the kind of bedding you utilize, how cleanly your guinea pigs are, and the way your cage is ready up.
Full cage cleans include:
- eradicating the entire bedding from the cage,
- sweeping or vacuuming up any stray poops or hay, and
- wiping the underside of the cage with a guinea pig-safe cleaner, akin to a vinegar and water combination.
3. Examine the Backside of the Cage
The underside of the cage can maintain onto loads of odor if it’s the flawed materials, otherwise you aren’t cleansing it totally.
First, ensure you’re cleansing the underside and sides of the cage each time you do a full cage clear. Even if you happen to don’t see any mess, it would start to scent like urine if it’s not cleaned every time.
Subsequent, test that you simply’ve used the precise materials. Plastic cage bases are standard as a result of they aren’t absorbent. Whereas wooden cages look good, they have to be sealed or lined with a water-proof layer, in any other case they’re going to soak up odors.
4. Strive Totally different Bedding
Some bedding varieties are smellier than others. As well as, totally different folks have totally different preferences. Some declare fleece is smelly, for example, whereas others despise paper bedding.
This could be on account of consumer error, private preferences, or just totally different expertise with totally different manufacturers.
First, test that you simply’re utilizing a secure, authorized bedding for guinea pigs. It ought to include a prime layer that wicks away moisture, a backside layer that absorbs the moisture, and a water-proof layer on the backside.
One solution to check that is to pour a small quantity of water onto the bedding and see what occurs. The water ought to run via the highest layer and it ought to dry shortly.
Some examples of fine bedding for guinea pigs embody fleece, chenille tub mats, paper bedding, and aspen shavings.
Bear in mind to by no means use scented bedding, as this may trigger respiratory points on your guinea pigs. Keep away from dusty bedding for a similar cause.
5. Use Extra Bedding
One other widespread drawback with disposable bedding is that folks don’t layer it deeply sufficient. Bear in mind, urine wants to have the ability to soak via the highest layer and be held within the backside layer.
Disposable bedding ought to be at the least 2-3 inches deep and packed in firmly. Press the bedding down together with your arms till it’s compact earlier than measuring.
Any much less, and it gained’t be capable of do its job successfully. This creates odors and will also be hazardous to your guinea pigs’ well being.
6. Add a Litter Field
Guinea pigs can’t be totally litter educated. Nevertheless, a litter field usually reduces the mess all through the remainder of the cage.
Arrange a litter field by first discovering a container that’s massive sufficient for your whole guinea pigs to suit inside comfortably alongside a pile of hay. It ought to be shallow and straightforward to climb into.
Place guinea pig secure bedding of your alternative on the underside, after which give your piggies a pile of hay to eat.
Guinea pigs poop and pee whereas they eat, so the field will seize all of that–maintaining the remainder of your cage cleaner for longer.
Bear in mind to wash the litter field a number of occasions every week, in any other case this space will nonetheless grow to be smelly!
7. Add a Kitchen
Another choice, if you happen to don’t need to use a litter field, is to arrange a “kitchen” area as a substitute. This is similar idea–it retains the hay, and thus the poops and pees, in the identical place.
As a substitute of utilizing a field, a liner is used to maintain clean-up straightforward. This has the additional advantage of not interfering together with your guinea pigs’ operating area.
8. Add Pee Pads
If you happen to use fleece liners, pee pads are a life-saver! They significantly scale back your laundry.
Pee pads are like fleece liners, solely smaller. They’re usually used underneath hidey homes, in tunnels, close to the hay, and different locations your guinea pigs spend time.
When these areas get moist, you’ll be able to merely exchange the pee pad as a substitute of the complete liner. Your cage will be capable of go longer and not using a full clear, with out sacrificing cleanliness or making it scent.
9. Trim Your Guinea Pigs’ Fur
Lengthy-haired guinea pigs just like the Texel breed are inclined to get dirtier, and thus smellier, than short-haired piggies.
If you happen to discover their fur is accumulating particles, both use pet fur clippers or scissors to trim your guinea pig’s fur brief. Repeat round as soon as a month or as-needed to maintain the fur from dragging on the bottom.
Be very cautious to not lower your guinea pig on this course of. Use pet clippers with security guards or rigorously place your fingers between their fur and the scissors.
10. Give them a Bathtub
Guinea pigs shouldn’t get common baths. But when it’s been some time and the guinea pigs themselves are smelly, they may want some washing up.
Keep away from human soaps, particularly something with a perfume. As a substitute, use a shampoo made for guinea pigs that will probably be light on their pores and skin and delicate respiratory techniques.
Keep in mind that guinea pigs ought to be bathed as little as attainable–not quite a lot of occasions a yr. In the event that they’re getting smelly, it’s doubtless on account of improper bedding or cleansing. You’ll want to repair the underlying drawback in an effort to keep away from pointless baths sooner or later.
Issues to Keep away from for Your Pets’ Security
Keep away from Harsh Cleaners
Guinea pigs have very delicate respiratory techniques. Spraying harsh cleaners in or close to their cage may cause upper respiratory infections or pneumonia, that are lethal to guinea pigs.
Most individuals go for a mix of white vinegar and water to wash the cage. Spray the combination onto a rag or paper towel, then wipe the cage down.
By no means Use Scented Merchandise
Lastly, bear in mind to not use scented merchandise round your guinea pigs. It may appear apparent to make use of candles, air freshener, or different objects to masks the scent, however this may harm and even kill them.
Guinea pigs’ respiratory techniques are too delicate to deal with scented merchandise like this. As a substitute, use the above recommendation to get to the foundation of the issue.
I hope the following tips enable you maintain your piggies’ cage smelling recent and clear. Keep in mind that a urine or feces scent coming out of your guinea pigs isn’t regular! It implies that they want totally different bedding or for his or her cage to be cleaned extra usually.
