As a pet owner, you must provide your adorable little guinea pigs with cozy, high-quality bedding. You have a number of good options for this, but mulch is not the best option. We are aware that mulch makes excellent bedding for small animals, but it is not the best option for your guinea pig.
MUST READ: How Often Should You Hold Your Guinea Pig
Mulch lacks a number of characteristics that make for good bedding, such as comfort, padding facilities, ease of maintenance, and others. Mulch is therefore a bad option for bedding for your little ones. However, you need not worry. There are many types of bedding options out there, and by exploring each one in more detail, you can choose the best one for your pet. Therefore, without further ado, let’s check them out.
Why is mulch a bad option for bedding?
While we discuss mulch in common, it is also important to take into account the components of mulch. Almost any bedding will be appreciated by your guinea pig as long as it is cozy and doesn’t obstruct their normal routine. However, if they have poor bedding choices, they could quickly stop feeling comfortable and develop illnesses and discomfort. This is primarily due to the bedding’s use of unsuitable materials for your guinea pigs.
Mulch should only contain certain ingredients, so be very careful when using it. Your guinea pig will undoubtedly say no to any ingredients like wood shavings that come from softwood trees or sugar cane. Picking up mulch, which is a collection of different materials, won’t help you clearly determine which part caused your guinea pig problems.
Additionally, there is a possibility that the mulch contains dust particles, sharp sticks, and other objects that could be harmful for your guinea pigs to live with. In the beginning, mulch may provide a touch of natural bedding and comfort for your guinea pig; however, if the mulch is not properly prepared and laid, it may result in shoddy bedding.
What other types of bedding should you not use?
There are other bedding options that, like mulch, you must permanently avoid. The bedding you use for your guinea pigs’ cage should be the best choice for their comfort, health, and cage environment. So long as you avoid using the following materials in the bedding, your bedding selections should be good:
Softwood tree chips, such as those from cedar and pine
You should spend time learning about the traits and medical conditions of your pets before choosing the bedding. As you are now aware, guinea pigs have delicate respiratory systems. Since no pet owner wants to see their pet develop respiratory problems, anything that could have an adverse effect on their respiratory system should be avoided.
MUST READ: 5 Of The World’s Rarest Guinea Pig Color
Your guinea pigs’ respiratory system can easily be harmed by the oil, duat, and other particles in bedding made of pine and cedar chips or shavings. If there are any chemicals used to kill insects present in the shavings, it may also affect the livers of your guinea pigs, causing allergic reactions. Therefore, it is best to refrain from giving your guinea pigs bedding that contains cedar and pine chips or shavings.
Straws
Do you think it’s a good idea for your guinea pig to sleep on a bed made of straws that might have sharp edges? Absolutely not! Straws are a bad idea because they come with sharp ends and because they put your pigs in an unsafe environment.
If you provide a bedding made of straws, the guinea pigs’ excretions won’t fall from the cage or be as easily absorbed. If your guinea pig enjoys chewing on fresh hay, it doesn’t necessarily follow that they will like sleeping in dried hay, such as straws. Straw is just as bad for your guinea pig’s bedding as pine and cedar shavings, so don’t use it.
Corn cobs
Now that you are aware of the drawbacks of using softwood chips and straws as bedding, let’s move on to another popular but subpar option: corn husks. Since they are extremely susceptible to mold growth and can result in serious intestinal issues when consumed by your pet pigs, corn husks are not a good choice for bedding for guinea pigs.
Similar to respiratory conditions, intestinal conditions can have a negative impact on your guinea pigs as well, so you should avoid them.
Cat litter that clumps
Clumping cat litter is just as bad as the other options you’ve considered. Here, the chemicals in the cat litter make it a bad choice for beddings, in contrast to other situations where the natural component plays a role in making them a bad choice.
Despite the fact that some guinea pig owners use cat litter because of its ability to absorb moisture and mask odors, this choice is unwise due to the chemicals it contains. Consider your options carefully before choosing clumping cat litter because the chemicals can have a negative impact on your guinea pigs’ health.
How to Choose Safe Bedding for Your Guinea Pig?
You might now be unsure of how to choose a safe bedding option for your guinea pigs, like the majority of pet owners. Once you are aware of the four key factors that go into choosing safe bedding, the process is simple. Make sure the following qualities are checked off when shopping for bedding.
Absorbing quality
This one is a no-brainer because your guinea pig uses the bedding you select for all purposes, not just as a bedroom. The bedding also serves as a bathroom, so it should have absorbent properties to get rid of your pets’ urine and feces. Your pets’ environment will become unsafe if your bedding lacks an absorbing quality.
Free of chemicals
There should be no chemical components in the bedding you select. Guinea pigs are notorious for sampling anything and everything in their near area. There is a chance that your guinea pig will taste and become ill if you introduce bedding that contains chemicals. Therefore, choosing chemical-free bedding will enable you to provide a safe environment for your pets.
Dust-free and without sharp objects
Make sure to check that the bedding, whether it be one you make yourself or one you buy in a store, doesn’t contain any components that can become sharp particles and cause dust. Always check the bedding to make sure there are no components that might hurt your guinea pigs.
Resistant to mold and mildew
Mold and mildew may cause respiratory issues in your pets when they begin to accumulate in their cage. By selecting bedding that is resistant to mold and mildew, you can both help yourself and your pets stay safe while avoiding this issue.
Some of the best bedding choices for your guinea pigs
There are some excellent options for guinea pig bedding that have the aforementioned characteristics. Below, we’ve provided a few of the most popular options to aid you in your search. Look them up.
Fleece liners
This is one of the affordable, eco-friendly bedding options you can rely on for your guinea pig. It is extra absorbent and hypoallergenic, making it a great option for bedding. It is also dust-free, and some collections might even have a waterproof bottom.
Aspen comforters
Undoubtedly, aspen bedding is both well-liked and a good option for bedding. Given that it has no chemicals, is dust- and odor-free, and is chemical-free, your guinea pigs will enjoy lying on it.
Unscented, large strand paper pellets
This environmentally friendly and pet-friendly bedding is a great option for your guinea pigs as well. The bedding can provide your guinea pigs with a fine bedding and has excellent absorbent properties. It does not contain any chemicals, and cleaning it is not difficult.
Natural paper for bedding
Another excellent option for bedding is natural paper, which is both safe for your guinea pig and environmentally friendly. They provide a stable and inviting bed that your guinea pig will enjoy lying on.
Conclusion
Mulch is not the best option for guinea pig bedding, but there are other, better, and easier options available. It doesn’t take much to provide your guinea pig with a cozy and secure environment. You can provide your guinea pig with top-notch bedding if you have the right understanding of your pet’s characteristics and behavior and explore the best options.