THE RIGHT CAGE AND THE NECESSARY EQUIPMENT

Now that you've made your choice and picked the guinea pig(s) you liked best, you should get a good and, most of all, roomy home for it (them).

CAGE: The cage (for two animals) should not be smaller than 100 x 55 cm (40.8 x 22.5 inch). For a family with five to six members you should get a larger cage with 120 x 60 cm (49 x 45.5 inch) at least.
Terrariums and cages with a full plastic top are not suitable because of the bad air-circulation. 

TIP FOR PURCHASE: Everybody who wants to get a big cage for his cavy, should look for it in more than just one shop. Not necessarily do you have to buy everything in the same pet shop where you've bought the animal itself. Anyway it would be better to have the cage ready when coming home with the new pet! I have to admit that I do not really know how the situation is like out of Europe, but here in Austria it is usually cheaper to buy the cage in a home improvement center, sometime that even have offers, where you get the cage inclusive the whole equipment all in one.

TIP FOR CAGE IMPROVEMENT:

If you want make your animal even more happy, you can improve the cage by installing a second level.
This is easily made with a all natural wooden board. The width should be at least 15 cm or 6.1 inch and the length is according to the length of the cage. To fix the board you can use either  wire-staple or a small piece of wood fixed with a screw through the cage-top into the wooden board.
It you do that, it is not really necessary to buy a house for the pet anymore, because it can now walk on the board and hide underneath it as well.

SLEEPING HOUSE: In general it is said, that you need to buy one house per cavy.
Now, you should know that guinea pigs are magically torn to everything that is dark.
Therefore they spend most of the time in this house. I have found that my cavies are much more easy to handle and less nervous since they do not have this "luxury" anymore. 

If you have some craft skills you can also very easily make a wooden sleeping-house yourself.
Cavies not only like to lie in the houses to rest an sleep, but also to sit on them to enjoy the view. Use this and try to arrange the houses in a good way.

WATER DISPENSER: This equipment is important in every cage! A bowl for the water is not too good, because the animals either pollute the water with the litter or knock over the bowl.

FOOD BOWLS: The food bowls should be made from a heavy material, like ceramic or clay, plastic is not solid enough. The Animals tend to stand on the rim and too light or small bowls are knocked over then. You can also buy dispensers and bowls which can be fixed to the cage top, so the food stays clean and the animal has to stretch a little to get to it.

CHALK AND MINERAL STONE: These two utensils should be in every cage. Even with the best feeding the animal needs essential minerals and salts witch are not in the food alone. 

HAY DISPENSERS: Personally I do not think that they are a necessity, but as a matter of form I, at least, want to mention them. Give you animal only enough hey for one day, them it will eat it and not pollute it. (More see Nutrition)