Toupée Army Guinea Pigs ૮₍• ₓ •₎ა

05/06/2024

You can never have too much hay 😅

23/03/2024

Boredom – keeping your guinea pig amused

Do your guinea pigs have toys and things to play with to keep them amused? Or have you never really thought about giving them something to play with? Have you provided environmental enrichment to allow them to exhibit normal behaviours, such as running through tunnels or burrowing in hay? All of these things are important for guinea pigs.

Why do guinea pigs need toys?
It's readily accepted that cats and dogs need toys to keep themselves amused, but most people never think of giving their guinea pigs toys to play and interact with.

Guinea pigs are intelligent and social animals, and as well as enjoying the company of other guinea pigs (and sometimes people), they need a lot of mental stimulation in order to keep their body and mind active and in peak condition. They can also be very shy and nervous, especially of the unknown, so having familiar items around them and places to hide, will make them feel more comfortable. Toys encourage guinea pigs to display and undertake their natural behaviours, such as nibbling, throwing objects, and skipping and jumping, which helps to keep them fit and occupied. Bored guinea pigs are likely to sit around more, gaining weight and may start to chew on items that they shouldn’t, such as the hutch or run.

What sort of toys can guinea pigs have?
Guinea pigs can have a wide and varied variety of toys. Toys made of strong, non-toxic plastic, cardboard, willow and wicker are ideal, although make sure that you inspect all the toys regularly for any sharp edges or dangerous holes which they could get a foot or their head stuck in or which may cause them an injury. It is also important to make sure the guinea pigs are not chewing and ingesting parts of any toy made from plastic or cardboard which can prove dangerous. If this is found to be the case, they must be taken away immediately.

Shop bought toys
If you look in any pet shop they will have a selection of toys that have been designed especially for guinea pigs and other rodents. These will include rattles, balls, chew blocks, tunnels, etc. However, you don't have to stick to guinea pig toys, some toys made for cats, dogs and birds are also equally suitable for guinea pigs, as are baby toys which are always tough and non-toxic.

Feeding balls/cubes which are designed to keep dogs amused are also great for guinea pigs – being so food orientated; guinea pigs will do anything for food! These allow the guinea pig to play, whilst exercising and being rewarded with food. All or some of the guinea pig's daily food ration can be placed in the feeding ball in the morning to allow them amusement over the course of the day.
There are also a lot of online rabbit and guinea pig toy companies so if you are unable to get to a pet shop you can shop online for your guinea pigs’ toys.

Home-made toys
As well as buying toys, everyday items found around the home, that would otherwise be thrown away can make ideal toys for guinea pigs.

The inner cardboard tubes from kitchen rolls and toilet rolls make good objects for guinea pigs to, tear and throw around. However, if the guinea pig tries to swallow any of the cardboard then the tubes should be taken away. The tubes can be filled with hay and some of the guinea pigs' pellets or small pieces of vegetables can be hidden in the hay.

Large cardboard boxes that are filled with hay or shredded paper, with food items hidden inside them will provide a guinea pig with hours of fun as they scramble around in the box, nibbling the hay and searching for the food. Join boxes together and cut holes in them to make a maze system for your guinea pigs to explore, and also so they can hide away if they feel scared.

Give your guinea pigs tunnels to run through and hide in. Plastic drainpipes make good tunnels or those designed for guinea pigs can be purchased in pet stores and from online shops.

Dangerous toys
Any item which can be swallowed, either whole or if the guinea pig chews the toy, is dangerous and shouldn't be given. Likewise, items with sharp edges, those which may be poisonous or toxic should never be given. If you are in any doubt as to the safety of a toy, then it is always safer not to give it and to give them something else.

Replace the toys when they become worn or old, but be careful not to replace them all at the same time, as guinea pigs like familiarly with scent, and if everything is removed that smells of them, it will make them feel insecure.

21/03/2024

The Toupée Army currently has 12 wiglets available.

Girls 🩷
Gabby - brown & gold short hair (Pending)
Gloria - black short hair
Geri - black & brown Abyssinian
Gail - brown agouti short hair
Erika - lilac & cream Abyssinian (Pending)

Boys 💙
Fergus - grey crested short hair
Felix - brown agouti rex (Pending)
Finn - chocolate long hair
Freddy - black Abyssinian
Davey - black & gold short hair
Danny - black & gold Abyssinian
Claude - black & gold short hair

Guinea pigs are social animals and must never be kept alone. If you are only wanting to get one, you will need to show proof that you have at least one other guinea pig already.

Their diet consists of 4 varieties of hay, a mixture of fresh vegetables and we rotate through several brands of commercial foods including Cavy Origins, Peter’s, Barastock and Oxbow so new owners shouldn’t have an issue with changing brands.

They have been drinking water from both bowl and bottle, and have been raised outside to allow flexibility with your housing arrangements.

Please feel free to message for more information.

18/03/2024

Today we did our sexing and separating of the babies. Out of 16 babies, can anyone guess how many boys and girls? They will all be looking for new homes, profiles will come later this week.

12/03/2024

😅

08/03/2024

Baby Thelma Update!

Little Thelma is thriving after a rough start to life. She’s bonded with Camilla, and has been nuzzling up to Camilla’s babies watching them when Camilla goes to eat. Hard to believe how tiny she was when she arrived Hayley Rose Galbraith

07/03/2024

Born grumpy 🥰

05/03/2024

Look at this absolute cutie born today!

01/02/2024

Left the Guinea pig food on the ground unattended for 2 minutes and we’ve helped ourselves to a carrot and pineapple 🤦‍♀️

24/01/2024

Baby Thelma has hit 100g! She’s finished her antibiotics and is as curious and feisty as ever

20/01/2024

The Toupée Army currently has 13 wiglets available.

Alfie, Andy and Arlo are 7 week old boys born on 5/12/23, looking for a new home. They are happy to live together, but can be separated.

Bianca, Bonnie, Bronwyn and Brooke along with their brothers, Bruno and Benji are all 3 weeks old (born 28/12/23 and 30/12/23). Bruno and Benji are currently living the bachelor life with Alfie, Andy and Arlo and would be happy to head off to a new house with any of them.

Chloe, Clyde, Cleo and Chester (born 7/1/24) will be ready for new adventures from the 28th of January. These four are still with their mum in the colony along with Bianca, Bonnie, Bronwyn and Brooke.

Guinea pigs are social animals and must never be kept alone. If you are only wanting to get one, you will need to show proof that you have at least one other guinea pig already.

Their diet consists of 4 varieties of hay, a mixture of fresh vegetables and we rotate through several brands of commercial foods including Cavy Origins, Peter’s, Barastock and Oxbow so new owners shouldn’t have an issue with changing brands.

They have been drinking water from both bowl and bottle, and have been raised outside to allow flexibility with your housing arrangements.

Please feel free to message for more information.

19/01/2024

Baby Thelma went to the vets today. We believe she may have aspirated as her tiny lungs are very crackly. She’s been started on a huge dose of antibiotics (0.03ml!). She’s still as feisty as ever, and sadly still showing no love or interest in Cordelia and the rest of the army. She is starting to show interest in solid foods, but not water so supplementry syringe feeding will continue. Fingers crossed that the antibiotics work and she continues onwards and upwards.

17/01/2024

Mamma Cordy took to her, but poor little Thelma just couldn’t work out what a ni**le was or how to latch. It was suspected that she was taken from her mum straight from birth, and her behaviour with Cordy suggests that’s what happened. She won’t accept even a ni**le tip over a syringe, despite her being syringe obsessed. So now she’ll be handfed a slurry of divetlac and cavy origins to ensure she’s getting enough vitamin c. She’s 100% people orientated and didn’t really care for the other babies.

12/01/2024

10/01/2024

These three boys from my November litters have had every one of their buyers fall through. So today they moved into their very own bachelor pad.

07/01/2024

Cordy had 4 baby wiglets today 🥰

05/01/2024

This weeks babies from Spike & Dishmop.

01/01/2024

Myrtle, Merkin & Camilla’s first litters of wiglets!

31/12/2023

Introducing the piggies!
Charlie and Camilla are purebred rex
Myrtle and Merkin are Abyssinian
Dishmop is a Coronet
Spike is an American Crested
Cordelia is an American