You may be keeping both dogs and guinea pigs as pets. And at a point in time, you will possibly have used some dog materials for your cavies.
Of all these items, can you use puppy training pads for guinea pigs?
Here’s a simple answer – Yes, you can use puppy training pads for guinea pigs. However, ensure you clean them regularly to maintain good hygiene in your cavies’ cage.
Not doing this can make your guinea pigs sick as a result of living in a dirty environment.
One main function of the puppy training pads is to teach your pets the right place to defecate and urinate.
But come to think of it, are there any other benefits of using puppy pee pads on guinea pigs?
Keep reading to find out!
Table of Contents
Are Puppy Pee Pads A Good Idea?
Yes, puppy pee pads are a good idea for guinea pigs. Although there are disadvantages to using these materials, the benefits outweigh them.
Check out the 6 advantages of using puppy pads for your cavies:
1. Most puppy pads are affordable and often last long.
2. They absorb urine and hardly smell.
3. Puppy pads are easier to wash or dispose of compared to litter boxes.
4. You can use it for other pets like cats.
5. It ensures your floors are not constantly stained.
6. Whether the rain is falling or the sun is shining, your pets can relieve themselves comfortably indoors.
Can I Use Pee Pads In My Guinea Pig Cage?
Yes, you can use pee pads in guinea pigs’ cages. It is safe, easy to use, and can create a comfortable environment for your cavies.
Not only do they absorb moisture fast, but they are also easy to get rid of.
Also, you’ll hardly smell an unpleasant odor, especially when you use quality pads, because of the materials used in making them.
In addition, you don’t have to keep replacing the pads if you buy washable ones!
But always ensure the pads are well taken care of and kept dry as much as possible.
Using Puppy Pads For Guinea Pigs (What To Do)
While puppy pads are safe for your guinea pigs, you need to learn how to use them. So, if you’re a first-time cavy owner, it is better to train your pets early.
By doing this, they’ll know where to pass out waste thereby relieving you of the stress of cleaning.
Here are 5 simple things to do when using puppy pads for guinea pigs:
1. Select A Convenient Place In Your Home
Choose a spot in your house that is convenient for your guinea pigs and comfortable for you.
For example, the bathroom floor is better because you’ll be able to clean it easily. Place your guinea pigs’ cage in the chosen spot with the puppy pads in it.
2. Create A Consistent Schedule
To ensure your cavies learn fast, you need to create a schedule and be consistent with it.
At the early stage, you’ll have to invest enough time to ensure your guinea pigs follow your order to the latter. Fortunately, they are smart animals that learn quickly.
If your guinea pigs are outside the cage and want to relieve themselves, take them to the pads.
And throughout the day, monitor the times they may want to urinate or defecate and take them to the chosen spot.
With time, you wouldn’t need to follow these small pets around again because they’ll know where to go.
3. Always Monitor Your Guinea Pigs’ Behavior
There are signs guinea pigs make whenever they want to relieve themselves. If you don’t know these signs, you need to study your pets well.
By this, you’ll know when they’re feeling uncomfortable and carry them to the pads quickly.
They’ll quickly get trained if you follow this method.
4. Maintain Good Hygiene
No matter how busy you are, always change or wash your cavies’ puppy pads. Just so you know, guinea pigs love chewing everything they find in their environment.
They may begin to chew on soiled puppy pads which can make them sick in the long run. Also, they could damage the material from constantly chewing on them.
5. Reward Your Guinea Pigs
Try to give treats to your cavies whenever they move to the chosen spot to relieve themselves. Consider chewable toys, little fruits, or hay – their favorite.
One major aim of doing this is to let your guinea pigs associate using the puppy pads with treats.
Since they are intelligent creatures, they’ll know that their behavior is a good one and therefore continue.
Recommended Reading: Can Guinea Pigs Be Litter Trained?
How Long Should I Use Puppy Pads For My Guinea Pigs?
Normally, you should constantly change disposable puppy pads if your guinea pigs are too much in a cage.
But if you use a washable pad, try to wash it at least twice weekly.
Allowing your cavies to stay for long pads soiled with urine can affect their general health.
It’s either they chew on the pads and eventually have stomach problems or get infected with bacteria.
What Bedding Is Safe For Guinea Pigs?
Nowadays, there are different beddings that your guinea pigs can use. However, each one has its benefits and disadvantages.
So you should choose the ones that suit your cavies’ needs.
When planning to get beddings for your cavies, take note of the following factors:
1. It should be free from dirt and dust to prevent respiratory illnesses in guinea pigs.
2. Ensure it doesn’t contain chemicals, dyes, and other toxic materials that can harm your pets.
3. Choose soft materials to make sure your guinea pigs are comfortable.
4. Lookout for absorbent materials to prevent unpleasant odor in their cage.
In addition, consider these 4 types of beddings for your guinea pigs:
1. Paper Bedding
Most cavy parents find this type of bedding a great option for their small pets. Not only do they absorb moisture well, but they also help to control odor.
Still, you need to be careful while buying paper beddings because some of them may contain dust. As you know, dust can expose your guinea pigs to the risk of respiratory problems.
So ensure you spend your money on quality materials, instead of quantity.
2. Wood Shavings
Aspen and Pine are popular wood beddings among guinea pig owners. But when comparing the two, Aspen is the best option despite being expensive.
It absorbs moisture perfectly, thereby ensuring your pets are in a dry environment. Besides, Aspen doesn’t contain dust, oil, or scents that may cause respiratory issues in guinea pigs.
Pine is also a good choice because they are highly absorbent and cheap. But they contain oils, which is not good for guinea pigs.
If you want to use Pine beddings, ensure the shavings are not too wet or hard to prevent discomfort.
3. Fleece Bedding
Another safe bedding option for guinea pigs is a fleece. It is sometimes made from cotton or polyester. While it is possible to use this material alone, you can also use it with paper.
One disadvantage of using fleece beddings is that it doesn’t absorb moisture completely. Still, the surface is always dry, making it comfortable for the guinea pigs.
Always clean the fleece beddings daily to prevent them from smelling.
4. Cloth
Towels, for example, can be used as beddings for your guinea pigs. Clean ones don’t contain dust, oil, and toxins.
Also, cloth beddings are cheap and soft, saving you from excessive spending and providing comfort for your cavies.
But you’ll need to wash the beddings all the time because they do not absorb moisture perfectly well.
Where Should I Buy Training Pads For My Guinea Pigs?
Usually, you should be able to buy puppy training pads in standard pet stores. Petsmart and Petco are great places to get quality pads.
Also, you can buy from online retailers like Amazon, Walmart, and Chewy.com.
How Do You Make A Guinea Pig Potty Pad?
Instead of buying puppy training pads for your guinea pigs, you can decide to do it yourself at home. It’s a form of creativity that is cost-effective.
Here are the things you’ll need:
- Fleece material
- Absorbent cloth like a towel.
- Sewing supplies (needles, thread, pins, ruler, measuring tape, scissors)
- Sewing machine (If available)
- Leak-proof material
Follow these simple methods to make your guinea pigs’ pads:
- Measure the size of your guinea pig cage with a ruler.
- Use scissors to cut the fleece material, absorbent cloth, and leak-proof material the same size.
- Ensure these materials are slightly larger than the cage so that removing them will be easy.
- Place the towel on the table, then put the leak-proof material on it with the outer side facing down.
- Cover both towel and water-proof material with the inner side of the fleece fabric.
- Hold the 3 materials together with pins, then sew with a machine or by hand using needles and thread.
- Finally, invert the bedding from the inside out.
If you’ve done everything well:
- Fleece fabric should be the upper layer
- The towel should be the middle layer
- Leak-proof should be the bottom layer
Final Thoughts
Puppy training pads are not for dogs alone, your guinea pigs can use them.
When shopping for potty pads, choose quality over quantity.
Puppy pads are a great idea for your small pets because they are cheap, hardly smells, are useful for other pets, and prevent floor stains.
Paper beddings, wood shavings, fleece beddings, and cloth are also great for potty-training your guinea pigs.
In your free time, you can always make the pads at home by following the simple method above.
Finally, always maintain good hygiene when using these pads for your cavies to ensure they remain healthy.
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