BEDDING

Whether housed indoors or out the bedding requirements for guinea pigs is the same:
An absorbent litter to soak up urine, and a good supply of fresh hay to snuggle into and to eat.. The most important factor is cleanliness and freedom from damp.

Some people put a layer of newspaper on the floor of the hutch / cage before adding litter. This is purely a matter of personal preference. Some people find it makes cleaning out easier, others feel it simply adds another item to be cleaned out. Newspaper is in itself, absorbent and may help to draw moisture downwards away from the surface. Some owners of very longhaired cavies in particular keep them on newspaper alone as shavings or other loose litters tend to tangle into the coat. This is absolutely fine as long as the newspaper is changed VERY regularly (perhaps twice a day).

LITTER

Most people use a simple 1-2cm layer of woodshavings (NOT sawdust as it is too fine and will irritate eyes and lungs). The shavings must be softwood and definitely not cedarwood as this can be very harmful. It is best to use proper shavings sold especially for animal beddign as those gathered from a sawmill or timber merchant for instance will not be dust extracted and may contain splinters and pieces of unsuitable woods.

Alternatives to woodshavings are:
Shredded paper. This is fine and of course very cheap. but it is essential to ensure that it doesn't contain any staples or other sharp objects or pieces of plastic / cellophane such as from window envelopes.
Pulp based bedding. This is more expensive than shavings but is very absorbent and biodegradable Two products of this type are Carefresh (sold in most petshops) and Megazorb (available in large sacks from some equine supplies outlets)
Hemp based bedding such as Aubiose (available in large bales from equine and some larger pet supplies outlets) This is less dusty than shavings and seems to allow liquid to drain through, remaining dry on the top. A good layer of newspaper or other more absorbent material is best used underneath a layer of hemp chippings.
Cat litter. there are many types of cat litter - all of which are very absorbent. Some cavies may have a tendency to nibble some types of cat litter so a little experimentation and close supervision may be need to find the right one for your pets.

At Cavy Haven we use a mixture of approximately 1 part Megazorb and 2 parts Aubiose, mixed together to form a layer approximately 1cm deep. We find that this works extremely well for us but the whole issue of bedding is very much down to personal taste and what works best for you and your pets.

Whatever litter you choose, the most important thing is to keep it clean and dry. The frequency of cleaning out will vary according to how much fresh food your guinea pigs eat, how much time they spend in their hutch, and of course, how much liquid they ingest (either directly from water bottles or from fresh vegetables and fruit with a high water content).

HAY

It is imperative that guinea pigs have ready access to a good supply of fresh clean dry hay at all times. This will be welcomed as cosy bedding as well as being eaten in surprisingly large quantities. The very best option is to buy imported hay (eg. Oxbow Western Timothy Hay) because it is heat treated before import which destroys all microscopic undesirables such as parasites and fungal spores. British hay is not treated in this way and, because of its very nature and where it is grown, it will almost certainly contain high levels of microscopic contamination of this kind. Domestic guinea pigs are extremely prone to fungal infections and to infestations of mites - aquired from their hay.

STRAW

Farm Straw is very definitely NOT suitable for use as guinea pig bedding. It can be very sharp and therefore poses a significant risk of serious injury, particularly to the eyes. The animals will tend to eat it but it holds very little nutritional value, so, as it is tough to digest it will go some way to satisfying the appetite and therefore reduce the intake of other foods. This, could potentially lead to malnutrition.

Some people do use soft chopped straw as a bedding material - this is OK as long as a plentiful supply of hay and other foods are provided as well.

At Cavy Haven we do not recommend the use of straw at all - it does not serve any useful purpose and it just means an extra item to store and clean out.