Furniture/Toys
A cavy needs entertainment! That said - a few things are unnecessary or dangerous.
Cavies are explorers, not players. They prefer searching, sniffing, climbing and hiding to actually playing. They get bored of simple surroundings and like a change of environment from time to time. See "Environment" in the drop down menu from Cavy Care.
As prey animals, cavies require places to hide to feel safe. I strongly suggest purchasing an igloo for your furry friends. They have a lot of fun climbing atop them, curling up inside them and popping their heads out to sniff for food. Putting treats (apple, carrots) atop the igloo encourages stretching which is good for any animal. Covering them in hay also seems to appeal to them, though be sure not to do this if it's too hot.
There are a few good options for cavy furniture. Below I show my uses of things I bought, found and made.
Note: Do not offer your cavies a running wheel or ball. They are not rats. Running in a wheel or ball will injure their spine. They may look cute and the balls/wheels may say safe for cavies, but this is a lie.
Cavies are explorers, not players. They prefer searching, sniffing, climbing and hiding to actually playing. They get bored of simple surroundings and like a change of environment from time to time. See "Environment" in the drop down menu from Cavy Care.
As prey animals, cavies require places to hide to feel safe. I strongly suggest purchasing an igloo for your furry friends. They have a lot of fun climbing atop them, curling up inside them and popping their heads out to sniff for food. Putting treats (apple, carrots) atop the igloo encourages stretching which is good for any animal. Covering them in hay also seems to appeal to them, though be sure not to do this if it's too hot.
There are a few good options for cavy furniture. Below I show my uses of things I bought, found and made.
Note: Do not offer your cavies a running wheel or ball. They are not rats. Running in a wheel or ball will injure their spine. They may look cute and the balls/wheels may say safe for cavies, but this is a lie.
A blue igloo from Pet Barn - Chadstone
It is a good idea to move your cavies around - I personally shift them between hutches so sometimes they're in huge ones, sometimes large and sometimes medium sized hutches. This way they all get a chance to have plenty of room from time to time, get different toys and get to explore new areas. I am sure to clean the hutches to be sure there is no contamination - and treat any cavy who might have mites very carefully; not putting others with or close to them. Moving also gives them a chance to try the different toys. As I have more than a few cavies, I don't have as much room as I'd like, so I shift them around and they all get to experience new sights and things to do.
An old terracotta tunnel - do not use in direct sunlight - indoors only!
Left overs at construction sites gave me plenty to work with when I was young, and I still use some of the things I found. Here is one of the pipes my cavies love. I find they help when introducing two boars - as the smaller can hide if he's being bullied or mounted by the larger.
A home-made ramp, donated to me by Mr. Ponchos' previous owner
You don't have to buy or find things. You can also make them! This ramp was made and given to me when I took in his cavy who had lost a friend and who he couldn't care for anymore. All of them absolutely love it.
Stark and her bubs in their veggie shelf tub.
Above is an image of a veggie shelf I have turned upside-down and popped in the hutch. They can be bought in three packs from K Mart and the Reject Shop for under $5 and are great value. The cavies enjoy climbing atop them, hiding under them, and the larger boars even like to knock them around to show off their strength.
Other toys I find perfect for cavies are logs, rocks and outdoor tiles. Be sure that anything you put in the hutch is safe - not treated wood or covered in chemicals. Happy to hear what you use to entertain your little ones! If you have a picture, I'll even put it up if you like. Send them in :)
