Minimum guinea pig cage size is too small?

[onlychildandhamster]

I just upgraded my hamster's enclosure- a guinea pig wooden cage that measures 150 cm by 60 cm by 45 cm.. Which I read is apparently the minimum cage size for 2 guinea pigs. Having seen my Syrian hamster in this new cage, I don't understand how this size is suitable for guinea pigs? I never had guinea pigs (though I have considered them before and read up a lot about them before); but my hamster utilizes every bit of space in the cage. And a guinea pig is 4 X the size of a hamster and is active for 20 hours a day. Plus there are two of them. Are guinea pigs less active than hamsters?

 

[Pound Shilling & Pig]

A 150 cage is generally thought to be the minimum size big enough to allow two piggies to display their natural behaviours and live comfortably but bigger is always better. Sadly there are no laws enforcing this and most cages sold in petshops are a lot smaller resulting in many piggies living their lives in little prisons.
I think relative to their size hamsters need more space as they are busy animals who have evolved to cover large distances in search of food. On the other hand as grazing animals piggies have evolved more to mooch about on grassland, nibbling as they go.
There are members on here who have both piggies and hamsters who might be able to explain the differences better from their personal experiences.
@Eriathwen

 

[Sweet Potato]

Not a hamster mum but as I understand it hamsters are awake exploring throughout the night and maintain energy throughout this time and need a lot of space and toys to keep them entertained throughout this time. Guinea pigs tend to sleep/ lounge about a lot then have a few minuites of energy then back to lounging and eating so need a few hides so there's multiple sleeping options and a bit of empty space to run about when they have the zoomies. I'm guessing because hamsters are a foraging species they travel long distances routing around in the wild and thus need a lot of space to fulfill these natural behaviours in captivity whereas as a grazing species Guinea pigs in the wild would spend most of their time eating everything close to a good hiding spot thus less space per inch of body size.

That said most bare minimum sizes for small pet species are too small you also have to consider that that cage is well above the bare minimum for a hamster and a good cage for a Guinea pig should be above bare minimum aswell. I have my 2 piggies in a 3x4 ft cage with a 1x3 ft loft and my pet snake is in nearly double the recommended minimum. Sadly we still have a long way to go with welfare standards but if these bare minimum standards were too high people who currently keep their hamster in a cage the size of a shoe box would be put off and rather than going as big as they can would pass off people promoting good standards as extremists for being so far from the norm but those of us who know know when it comes to cages bigger is always better.

 

[Sweet Potato]

Also great cage! I would advise a adding a dig box 8inch or deaper for more enrichment and to alow natural digging behaviour. The size is amazing though and it looks like you have a great range of toys! I'd love to see hamster pictures if you felt like showing off your baby.

 

[Swissgreys]

I agree with your thoughts, and as a hamster owner the minimum recommended size here is at least 120cm.
However equal importance is given to depth of substrate for hamsters, as digging is a very important natural behaviour for them, and I have seen this with all of my hamsters.

Your cage looks good, but I strongly second the advice to at least add a digging tower your you guy.
Digging and foraging and running on their wheel are all very important, and I would aim for a minimum substrate depth of at least 20-40cms.

Guinea pigs on the other hand have a very different activity style and level.
They do need more space than most pet shop minimum cage sizes, but all on one level is what offers them the best use of space.
Additionally they don't need to dig or run in the same way that hamsters do.
They need different enrichment like large hay piles.

As both a hamster and piggy owner I would say the size difference in their cages is definetly not proportional, but guinea pigs do need a lot more space than most pet shop cages offer.
Actually in the UK I think this is also true of hamster cages. Good on you for finding a large alternative.

 

[onlychildandhamster]

I agree with your thoughts, and as a hamster owner the minimum recommended size here is at least 120cm.
However equal importance is given to depth of substrate for hamsters, as digging is a very important natural behaviour for them, and I have seen this with all of my hamsters.

Your cage looks good, but I strongly second the advice to at least add a digging tower your you guy.
Digging and foraging and running on their wheel are all very important, and I would aim for a minimum substrate depth of at least 20-40cms.

Guinea pigs on the other hand have a very different activity style and level.
They do need more space than most pet shop minimum cage sizes, but all on one level is what offers them the best use of space.
Additionally they don't need to dig or run in the same way that hamsters do.
They need different enrichment like large hay piles.

As both a hamster and piggy owner I would say the size difference in their cages is definetly not proportional, but guinea pigs do need a lot more space than most pet shop cages offer.
Actually in the UK I think this is also true of hamster cages. Good on you for finding a large alternative.

I have added more bedding now;but I probably do need a few more inches? Where do i get this digging tower?

 

[Sweet Potato]

I have added more bedding now;but I probably do need a few more inches? Where do i get this digging tower?

I'm pretty sure you can cut a hole towards the bottom of a storage container then fill the container with bedding to make one but I've never seen one that's not home made

 

[onlychildandhamster]

Also great cage! I would advise a adding a dig box 8inch or deaper for more enrichment and to alow natural digging behaviour. The size is amazing though and it looks like you have a great range of toys! I'd love to see hamster pictures if you felt like showing off your baby.

 

[onlychildandhamster]

I agree with your thoughts, and as a hamster owner the minimum recommended size here is at least 120cm.
However equal importance is given to depth of substrate for hamsters, as digging is a very important natural behaviour for them, and I have seen this with all of my hamsters.

Your cage looks good, but I strongly second the advice to at least add a digging tower your you guy.
Digging and foraging and running on their wheel are all very important, and I would aim for a minimum substrate depth of at least 20-40cms.

Guinea pigs on the other hand have a very different activity style and level.
They do need more space than most pet shop minimum cage sizes, but all on one level is what offers them the best use of space.
Additionally they don't need to dig or run in the same way that hamsters do.
They need different enrichment like large hay piles.

As both a hamster and piggy owner I would say the size difference in their cages is definetly not proportional, but guinea pigs do need a lot more space than most pet shop cages offer.
Actually in the UK I think this is also true of hamster cages. Good on you for finding a large alternative.

What is the minimum standard for guinea pigs in Switzerland?

I have never seen a commercial hamster cage that was 120 cm in the UK (other than the pawhut which is 115 cm). The biggest commercial plastic purpose built hamster cage is 100 cm and that was my old cage. If you want a bigger cage, you have a few options:
1. Mesh a 120 cm guinea pig cage
2. Ikea detolf
3. Mesh lid for old aquarium (DIY)/ there is also a company that sells tanks with mesh lids, but they are very pricey and they would charge me extra for delivery as I live outside their delivery zone.
4. wooden cage from independent business- there are two companies I know of.
5. DIY own cage

 

[onlychildandhamster]

added more bedding

 

[Engel]

I too own both hamsters and guinea pigs and agree with everything above. That cage is a lovely size. I'd add some tunnels into the deep part like burrow entrances. Also some sprays to encourage natural foraging behaviour. Flax and Dari have been a hit with my Syrians, most turn their nose up at millet, robos will give anything a go though. Have you got a sand bath? Of not, that could be something to add. As it's heavy put it on stilts or directly on the cage floor.

Here in the UK 80x50cm was considered the absolute minimum for any hamster, however now it's shifting to 100x50cm with 120x60cm being preferred, especially for female Syrians.

I owned hamsters before pigs and the cage size shocked me. My robo is in a 'guinea pig' cage and can't imagine 1 pig living in it let alone 2! My pigs live in cages easily 4x the size. Mind blowing really.