For a few months we have been considering adopting a new furbaby. Last week we decided to go ahead and bring home a new and very adorable guinea pig which Kinsley has named Ariel (because obviously we are obsessed with The Little Mermaid)! Before bringing her home, Kinsley and I did a lot of research to make sure Ariel would be safe and comfortable in our home. Guinea pigs generally need about 7.5 square feet to run around in, which means their cages can be pretty large. There are small options on the market targeted to guinea pigs, but these rarely reach the minimum requirement and guinea pigs can outgrow them rather quickly. Other than that, guinea pigs are relatively easy to care for. Before bringing one home you need essentials such as a water bottle, a food bowl, a hay rack, a hide house, chew toys, paper bedding, and timothy hay. Thankfully our go-to brand, Kaytee, had everything we needed to get Ariel all set up and ready for her new home!

The Cage:

We went with the Deluxe My First Home Giant Habitat since it exceeds the size requirements for a guinea pig. It measures 47.5″ L x 24″ W which means Ariel will have 8 square feet of living space! That means if we want to get Ariel a friend in the future, this cage will easily fit them both and we won’t need to upgrade! The Deluxe My First Home Giant Habitat is the largest 1-piece base designed by Kaytee and includes an extra large top and front doors to provide easy access. My favorite part about this cage is the a height adjustable comfort shelf and safety ramp. We place Ariel’s food and water on the upper level of the cage, so she is used to crawling up to second level homes. Although I assumed this cage would be difficult to assemble due to its size, it took me less than 10 minutes to have completely set up. There were no tools required and everything snapped together perfectly. This habitat does come with caster wheels, however we opted not to use them. Since we have other animals in the home, we chose to set the cage on top a large table to keep it off the floor. If we had a way to keep Ariel secluded from the other animals, the wheels would have been a great option. We saved them for the future.

The Bedding:

We chose to go with the Kaytee Extreme Odor Control bedding since it has a full 14-day odor control guarantee. On average, cages should be cleaned at least once a week and spot cleaned every 2-3 days. This bedding is not only safe and comfortable, but it also absorbs 6 times its weight in liquid to help keep Ariel dry. Upon first use I noticed that the smell was not overpowering, and Ariel seemed to adjust to it quite nicely. The pet store we adopted her from used pine bedding, and she seemed to prefer this bedding overall.

Feeding:

Although there are a ton of options as far as food and timothy hay on the market, we chose to stick with the pet store’s suggestion to continue feeding Ariel Kaytee Timothy Complete Guinea Pig food and Kaytee All Natural Timothy Hay. We also decided to feed her Kaytee All Natural Timothy Hay Plus Carrot since we know she is a fan of carrot snacks! Kaytee Timothy Complete Guinea Pig Food was created by animal nutrition experts to ensure proper nutrition. It is a a pelleted food made with timothy hay and essential vitamins necessary to keep guinea pigs happy and healthy. Guinea pigs are actually unable to manufacture their own Vitamin C, so I was thrilled that Kaytee Timothy Complete Guinea Pig Food contains long-lasting vitamin C! Kaytee All Natural Timothy Hay Plus Carrot was by far the biggest hit with Ariel. It combines the benefits of timothy hay with the flavor and texture of dried carrots. It is high in fiber to support digestive health and lower in protein and calcium to support urinary health.

Playtime:

Guinea pigs love “floor time” and it is recommended that they get out of their cage to play about 3 times per week for at least an hour. Not only can guinea pigs gain a lot of weight if they aren’t active, but floor time can also help shy guinea pigs feel more confident in their surroundings. The Kaytee Pet N Playpen is the perfect size for “piggy-proofing” the room! Each connectable wire panel is 29″ high, 18″ wide and has 1″ wire spacing. It is very easy to assemble, as the pieces simply snap together in place. This playpen also comes with a protective plastic mat to prevent any messes! Once we are done playing, we can simply unsnap the sides and fold back into storage. The Kaytee Comfort Harness & Stretchy Leash is also a great option for play time! It is designed to  is designed to comfortably fit any small animal’s body shape for a snug fit. The the e-z snap buckle is extremely secure, and the stretchy stroller leash ensures your pet cannot get away from you while also preventing any injuries your pet might get while being walked.

Ariel is adjusting to her new home quite nicely, and we can’t wait to watch her grow. These Kaytee products have certainly helped her get more comfortable in her surroundings, and I am so glad we were able to get these products! Kaytee doesn’t just cater to guinea pigs, but they actually carry a wide range of animal products. Whether you own a small animal like a guinea pig, a bird, or even chickens, Kaytee has you covered!