CLEANING

 

In the beginning I had some troubles finding the right way of cleaning the cage.

If you use newspapers as a padding, you can roll them together with dirty litter. Asking me, I would only recommend this for tough people, because the newspaper is soaked with urine and all together is quite smelly. 

Now I've found my way, which I consider as the "easiest".

I do not use newspapers anymore, because my cavies used to eat them. With the help of a plastic dustpan I clear the litter away into the trash-bag.

This is even  more easy using a frame with top for the trash-bag. You can buy this in every home improvement center.

When the cage-bottom is empty, you should rinse it with warm water (best under the shower).

Clean the cage then with a not too aggressive household cleaner (please read the inscriptions! On the most cleaner it is written if you can clean cages and bowls with them). Afterwards rinse thoroughly with hot water.

Now dry with a dish towel and add fresh litter and that's it!

 

ATTENTION: At the first rinsing there will still be excrements and litter in the cage-bottom, please do not pour this first water into the drain of your shower, otherwise it will be clogged up soon. If possible pour the water into the toilet, but be aware not to leave to much or rough litter into the toilet, because this can also be clogged up. Try to get as much litter as you can into the trash-bag!

 

TIP: During the rinsing of the cage-bottom you can place the top on the floor and let the animals stay in there, now you do not risk to step on a guinea pig while carrying around the cage-bottom. 

 

 

 

HOW OFTEN DO I HAVE TO CLEAN THE CAGE?

 

Well, that's a good question. Lots of books say that the cage has to be cleaned two times a week.

I think that, counting in the mentions cage-size, this is not really necessary.

According to the number of animals in the cage, I consider it quite sufficient to clean the cage every one to two weeks.

If you are one of the lucky, who has "trained" cavies, which always pee in one corner of the cage, you can only clean this corner more often and leave the rest a little longer. According to my experience those animals are quite rare!

Once in a month you should thoroughly rinse the cage- top, 'cause the litter and hay makes it quite dusty with the time.

Food bowls, drinking bottles and the other interior should not be forgotten also.

If you take bowls for the green fodder, you should clean it after every use, the water dispenser should be rinsed before every refilling, but at least once a week, the bowl for the dry feed and the rest of the interior should be washed during the "cage-cleaning".



Guinea pig hygiene overview

 

Clean daily:

 

Clean every one to two weeks:

 

Clean every month:

 

These are only general instructions!

The times can vary because of the following factors: Cage-size, number of Animals, way of feeding, temperature, etc.).