Let’s start with a little-known fact:
Most cages sold for guinea pigs are too small!
And unfortunately, we have heard many stories of people with depressed guinea pigs, merely because they were living in guinea pig habitats that were too small.
For that reason, we have decided to write this article outlining the best guinea pig cages out there…
… for the sake of you and your guinea pig If you’re in a hurry, you can find our pick of the best guinea pig cages right below the cut.
Below this, you’ll find an extensive guide on how to set up your guinea pig cage.
After researching more than 30 different kinds of guinea pig (and rabbit!) cages, we have found the best, large guinea pig cages that we can recommend to all guinea pig owners out there.
These cages are simply the best options, and large enough to host two guinea pigs.
1
The Midwest guinea pig habitat plus is hands-down, the best option for most guinea pig owners out there. There is a lot to love about this c&c cage and here’s our main reasons for loving it:
Large: The guinea habitat plus is approx. 10 square feet in total, with the main area being 8 square feet and the ramped, care area being 2 square feet. It is thus more than large enough for two guinea pigs
Easy to clean: Come with removable, leak-proof and washable canvas bottom. In addition, the bottom provides protection for the sensitive feet of the guinea pig. When cleaning, you can use the divider to keep the pigs in the care and/or the play area, while you clean out the other area
Expandable: Looking to get more guinea pigs or just want to give your current pigs even more space? No problem, as you can easily expand the guinea habitat through the wire gates
Easy to use outdoors: Can easily be detached from the bottom canvas and used outside. Your pigs will love this during the Summer
Removable top: You can choose whether to have the top on or not. If you have cats or dogs, this is a good idea, while you can safely remove it if you have no other pets in your house
From an animal care standpoint there is no argument for not getting the c&c cage. The main reason most don’t get this is needing a more typical cage that is easier to move.
Key Features |
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Expandable |
There is a divider inside the cage to separate the play area from the litter area |
Has a removable wire mesh top |
Huge play space for your pet |
Pros |
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The expandable feature lets you get another pet without any problems if their space is big enough |
Easy to remove and clean PVC canvas bottom will save you time in cleaning the habitat |
Has big enough space for your pet to roam around |
Cons |
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Because of its size, it can eat up a lot of floor space in your home |
2
If you’re looking for a traditional indoor cage, our budget pick is from Midwest, the same company that makes the Guinea Pig Habitat Plus we reviewed above.
Here’s why this is a great cage:
Large: Yes, same reason as above, as this is the number 1 criteria for a guinea pig cage. This one comes in just shy of 8 square feet at the bottom, but also provides extra ground floor space in the feeding area, which brings us to…
Lots of accessories: The cage comes with a hay rack, food bowl, water bottle and the elevated feeding area. This makes it a one-stop shop and makes sure you don’t forget to get anything.
Option for extra space: In addition to the cage, you can get a wire extension and/or a wooden hutch extension, both of which brings the total area up to approx. 11 square feet
Easy to clean: The two side doors span the full width of the home, making it easy to clean. In addition, there is a large top door if you just want to take your piggies out for play-time.
Easy to move: The cage is quite sturdy and easy to move (especially compared to the c&c cage).
Key Features |
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Expandable |
Has an elevated area for feeding |
With huge front doors |
Comes with food and water bowl and hay feeder |
Pros |
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Can be extended to make an even bigger space |
Accessories included saves you time and money |
Huge front doors minimize cleaning time |
Elevated platform gives your pet a private space underneath |
Cons |
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Plastic ramp may hurt your guinea’s feet but you may purchase covers separately |
3
Amazon themselves has recently entered the world of guinea pig cages and they’ve done so with great success.
It comes with many of the same attractions as the Midwest home for Pets above, being the same size, having the same accessories and being easy to clean and move. In addition, both are very easy to assemble.
Instead of repeating ourselves we want to point out a few differences between the two cages instead.
The Amazon cage cannot be expanded in the same way the above cage can. As such, if you think you might be getting more piggies in the future, go for the Midwest cage.
The Amazon cage has a larger feeding area. This has a couple of advantages. Having a larger feeding area in itself provides more space, both on the top and the lower deck and many pigs like the added privacy of a larger hideout below.
Key Features |
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Has a deep base |
Comes with accessories such as water and food bowl, and hay feeder |
Huge top and front door |
Pros |
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Has the basic needs a starter cage has to have |
Easy maintenance with the help of the two doors on top and in front |
Deep base keeps beddings inside |
Cons |
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Does not meet the recommended size for guinea pigs (30” x 36”) |
Plastic material may become painful for the guinea’s feet |
4
Summary:
We don’t consider this cage as a starter cage. It is more of an immediate-need-for-a-cage type of situation and should be replaced as soon as possible. Because of the very limited amount of space, it is not recommended that this habitat be the permanent and long time cage of even one guinea pig because it limits its movement which is against their natural character.
It will be an effective quick fix since it comes with the basic accessories such as the water bottle, food bowl, hay feeder and the platform that will serve as the feeding area. There is also a space underneath the platform to serve as the private space for your pet.
Cleaning this cage will be easy since it is just a small cage and the door on the front opens the full width.
Key Features |
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Includes water and feed bowl, hay feeder and platform |
Has deep plastic base |
Has a huge front door |
Pros |
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The deep plastic base keeps all the hay and bedding inside |
Easy cleaning and maintenance because of the huge front door |
Cons |
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This cage is too small for even one guinea pig |
5
Summary:
We love that the Tespo Pet Playpen can be very versatile. You can set it up as a playpen or you can also set it up to be the permanent habitat of your pet. However, you may have to purchase another set if you decide to make this a long-term home so you can make a roof. That is to make sure that your guinea pet cannot climb and escape.
The additional set, aside from using it as a roof, may also be used to make a second level to make a bigger space for your pet to explore. More space means more fun!
Key Features |
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A versatile item that can be set up however you prefer – playpen or habitat |
Meets the standard measurement of a guinea pig cage |
Provides the convenience to interact with the pet |
Pros |
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Can be extended and gives you the freedom to create a personalized home for your pet |
Provides plenty of room to roam around |
Cons |
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May take up a significant amount of floor space |
6
Summary:
This one is actually not a cage but a tool that can be useful for your cages especially if you have one that doesn’t have a good quality base or a base that has already deteriorated.
Coroplast is corrugated plastic. Based on research, it has been used as guinea pig cage material for more than 15 years already and so far, there has not been any report that it caused injury or illnesses.
This is a sturdy material that can easily be sliced and cut with a craft-knife, heavy-duty scissors or razor blade. The best characteristic of this product is, you can customize and cut it based on your desired shape and size to fulfil whatever you need and want for your pet’s cage.
Key Features |
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Can be cut without hassle and with just simple equipment |
Customizable |
Waterproof, solvent and stain resistant |
Pros |
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You can cut it based on your desired shape and size |
Has a long lifespan to help you save money |
Cons |
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Since this is made from plastic, it will be best if you cover it with fleece bedding/cover to protect your pet’s feet |
When getting a cage for your guinea pig, size matters. The American Humane Society has the following guidelines for cages:
Unfortunately, there are a lot of cages out there with a smaller size. In this article, you’ll see that all the cages we recommend are larger than what is needed for 2 guinea pigs.
If you want to house more than two guinea pigs, you should opt for c&c cages, as these are the easiest ones to expand.
The definition of a C&C cage is “cubes and coroplast”. The first C comes from the frame and wire portion of the cage is built from wire grids. Or in other words, the cubes.
The second C refers to Coroplast. This refers to the plastic sheeting on the bottom of the cage. This has some remarkable features including:
You can build a c&c cage yourself, however, it can be hard to get the material. Also, you want to make sure that both cube and coroplast are safe for your guinea pig, which can require a lot of research.
With that said, there are a few good options on Amazon and you’ll need the following:
If you're looking to make a DIY guinea pig cage, you'll need cubes and you'll need coroplast. Below are the best options we have found.
We recommend getting two of these to be on the safe side.
In terms of coroplast, it is very important you get the correct kind. The item below lives up to all requirements and will have more than sufficient floor space.
If you need a large guinea pig cage to house 4 or more guinea pigs, you’ll need at least 13 square feet of ground area for your piggies. It can be rather hard, if not impossible to find a classical cage this size, and you will have to go with a c&c cage instead.
Here you basically have two options:
Get 2 of Midwest Guinea Pig Habitats. This will provide at least square feet of play area and will be easy to assemble. Guinea Habitat Plus Guinea Pig Cage by MidWest w/ Top Panel, 47L x 24W x 14H Inches
Assemble a cage yourself. We recommend getting the Tesco Playpen and the coroplast for guinea pig care.
Back in the days, you often overpaid for guinea pig cages that were too small, of poor quality and hard to clean.
Back then, you pretty much only had the local pet store to rely on.
Luckily (for both owner and guinea pigs) that is no longer the case and today, there are a lot of good and cheap options out there.
However, if you are to invest in a properly sized guinea pig cage with at least 7.5 square feet of space, the truth is, that it is associated with a cost but a cost, that is affordable for most, and you should be prepared to spend more on guinea pig hay and food than you do for your cage.
With this said, our pick for a budget cage is the Midwest Home for Pets. It comes with a lot of value for the price, and the inclusion of hay rack, water bottle, food dish and the elevated area will likely save you a lot of money compared to cages without this build in.
There are many great reasons for having the guinea pig cage indoors. Here are a few of the reasons why we recommend having it indoors:
Temperature: Guinea pigs need a constant temperature of 60-75 degrees Fahrenheit. This is hard to provide outside.
Low and stable humidity: Guinea pigs like a low and stable humidity (they come from the plains in the wild). Fluctuations in- and high humidity is just as bad for a guinea pig as a high temperature. This means you should place the cage inside with stable humidity and not in a garage or close to laundry rooms or showers.
Draft free: Drafts are bad for guinea pig health and they can get infections from drafts.
Based on temperature, humidity and the risk of drafts, we recommend putting your cage inside, preferably in the living room. Here are the reasons why:
When you have gotten the large cage (which you cavy will love) it is time to figure out what to put in it. Here’s our checklist:
If you are unsure what to get, we have covered house accessories and toys here.
One of the things you simply must do as a guinea pig owner is cleaning the cage, and unfortunately, there is no easy way around this.
However, having a system in place and a cage that is well suited for cleaning helps. Here is the system we use for the C&C cage below:
We hope you’ve enjoyed this guide to the guinea pig case. As you can see, there are unfortunately a lot of (too) small guinea pig cages out there, but with our guide, you can easily bypass these.
If you have any questions, just ask them below and we’ll be around to answer them 🙂
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