Can Guinea Pigs Chew on Toilet Paper Rolls

Cavy with wood chew toy

Shortly after Piglet and Hammy were welcomed as the first arrivals to the HappyCavy Forever Home, The Humans realized one thing they forgot to buy: guinea pig toys!

New guinea pig keepers often go through a flurry of activity in the days leading up to a new piggy's arrival. There's a seemingly endless list of things to do: shopping for supplies, planning and building (or buying?) a C&C cage, and seeking out that perfect pattern of cute, comfy fleece bedding. "But what about my toys?" your new guinea pig wheeks with baited breath.

Fortunately for your wallet, guinea pigs are easily amused. It doesn't take a specialty toy or super-spendy accessory to keep your guinea pig happy. It just takes a little searching, just a few minutes of shopping, and possibly some clever DIY-creativity to get the perfect play-thing your guinea pig will love and enjoy.

Perhaps you have a new guinea pig, or your current guinea pig has tired of his or her toys. Whatever the case may be, here's a list of inexpensive, fun, and super-simple toys that are sure to inspire and amuse your guinea pig. We've even ranked them for you to make the treasure hunt easier!

Do you have a favorite toy for your guinea pig? Share your ideas in the comments section! We've love to hear them!

Cheap & Easy Toys for Your Guinea Pig

"FUN FACTOR" KEY:

= The MOST fun
= Definitely fun
= Usually fun
= Sometimes fun
= Ho-hum

Almost-Free Guinea Pig Toys

Ping Pong Balls

Guinea pig ping pong ball toy

Rating: | Pros: Cheap, colorful
Cons: Cavy may tire easily of toy

Ping pong balls are an excellent toy alternative to expensive "specialty" toys you'll find at big-box stores like PetSmart or PetCo. You can find ping pong balls at any sporting goods store and even local department stores. Often available for just a few bucks, ping pong balls come in different colors and patterns. They're easy to wash and will last nearly a lifetime.

Caution: If your guinea pig likes to chew, keep an eye out for excessive wear. If you're seeing them biting the plastic quite a bit, it's a good idea to remove the toy.

Mirrors [link]

Guinea pig mirror

Rating: | Pros: Cheap, easy to find
Cons: May get dirty easily

If you had a face as cute as a cavy's, wouldn't you enjoy staring at it in a mirror of your own? The Humans have kept a mirror in the HappyCavy House for quite some time. Now used as "Dot's Mirror", the mirror hangs at the end of Dot's ramp. She loves looking at herself as she walks down the ramp, and it even seems to encourage her to use it. Pick up a small, vanity mirror at a local dollar discount store or online and attach a simple "mount" to hang from the cage. You're cavy may just fall in love with his or her new mirror toy!

Children's Wooden Blocks [link]

Wood chew blocks

Rating: | Pros: Helps keeps teeth trimmed
Cons: Easy to damage

If your piggy is a chewer, this is the toy for you. Children's toy blocks are perfect guinea pig safe toys as they are generally made from non-toxic materials and are bright, colorful, and double as cage decorations when not being used for play. Plus the chew blocks provide a natural rough material for your guinea pig to keep his or her teeth trimmed.

Find pet-safe wooden blocks online or in the children's section of your local department store. Just be sure to remove if your guinea pig begins to chew too much. You don't want any upset stomachs!

Crumpled Up Newspaper

Rating: | Pros: Simple, costs no money Cons: Must use soy-based ink

Crumple up a few pieces of soy-based ink newspaper and place conspicuously around your guinea pig's cage. Newspaper is perfect for chewing, rolling over, and even sleeping on! Just be sure that the newspaper you use is made with soy-based dye or ink, which is safe for guinea pigs to play with.

Cardboard Boxes

Cardboard box hidey

Rating: | Pros: Free, easy to customize Cons: Easy to damage

Guinea pigs are naturally burrowers and will love the chance to explore and hide in over-turned cardboard boxes, length-wise cut oatmeal containers, and empty soda cartons. Just cut a few holes to provide an entrance and you've got yourself a free hidey! The Humans use over-turned boxes for floor time, as they provide a welcome chance from plastic pigloos and can be chewed and knocked over easily!

Small Stuffed Toys

Guinea pig safe stuffed toy

Rating: | Pros: Super-cute!
Cons: Difficult to find pet-safe stuffed toys

The best part about stuffed animals is that you can find some really cute ideas and colorful designs online and you can usually find a stuffed toy in any price range. A lot of guinea pigs love to snuggle and sniff the toy, while others may not show any interest at all. But even if your cavy isn't enamored with a new stuffed toy, you can always save it for floor-time to give them something different in their environment to explore.

Caution: If your guinea pig likes to chew, be sure to watch how your guinea pig plays with the stuffed animal. If you're seeing excessive chew marks or ripping out of stuffing, it's a good idea to remove toy from the cage. You can remove the stuffing and replace with hay if you're piggy likes the toy but also likes to chew.

Fruit Tree Branches / Chew Sticks [link]

Guinea pig chew sticks

Rating: | Pros: Helps keeps teeth trim
Cons: May not be that exciting

Did you know that apple tree branches can be eaten fresh off the tree? Just stay away from cherry, peach, apricot, plum, redwood branches, and fruit trees with pits, all of which are poisonous to guinea pigs. No fruit tree? You can pick up some super-cheap guinea pig chew sticks here.

Only Use Pesticide-Free, Unsprayed Wood

Be sure to ONLY give your guinea pig outdoor products that are unsprayed and untreated. Pesticides and insect sprays can cause serious damage to your guinea pig's health!

Cozies, Cuddle Cups, and Tunnels

Guinea pig cuddle cozy

Rating: | Pros: Cute, colorfu, cozy
Cons: Cost may be prohibitive

Fleece and cloth accessories are a no-brainer for fun, colorful, and cozy play-times! There are hundreds of options to choose from, with a multitude of colors, styles, and sizes. Shop around! Some of our favorite accessory shops are Spiffy Pigs, Piggie Popshop, and Cozy Cavy.

Free Guinea Pig Toys

Clean Socks Stuffed With Hay

Rating: | Pros: Free, easy Cons: Once the hay is gone…

What to do with that sock missing its pair? Or how do you put an old, worn-out sock to good use? Turn it into a guinea pig toy! It's no secret your guinea pig loves hay. So stuff that sock full, throw it in their cage, and watch the curious sniffing and cautious approach turn into a full on fun war.

Egg Cartons Filled With Hay

Guinea pig egg carton hay toy

Rating: | Pros: Free!
Cons: Once the hay is gone…

Sensing a theme? If it can hold some hay, it can probably be put to use as a toy for your guinea pig. You can cut the egg carton in half or, if you have a large family of cavies, keep it whole. Just stuff the carton with some hay, close it as best as you can, and let the games begin!

Toilet Paper Rolls & Paper Towel Rolls

Paper towel spool toy

Rating: | Pros: Free! Cons: Damages easily

Instead of throwing used paper towel and toilet paper rolls into the recycle bin, toss 'em in your guinea pig's cage! Like the wooden blocks, having a chew toy helps your guinea pig to keep their teeth trimmed and is be a practical way to prevent your cavy from chewing up other materials inside his or her cage. The best part? It's free!

Caution!

Many guinea pigs like to chew on cardboard and used paper rolls. If you see your guinea pig eating a paper product in their cage, remove immediately as doing so can cause digestive issues.

Additionally, your guinea pigs SHOULD NOT eat the glue on used paper rolls. Remove any glue from a roll before giving it to your guinea pig. If all glue cannot be safely removed or cut off, then discard the roll and do not give to your guinea pig.

Bonus points: Stuff some hay into the empty rolls to kick the fun up 10 whole degrees!

Old Towels or Blankets to Burrow

Rating: | Pros: Free! Cons: Needs laundered regularly

Take those old, ratty dish rags and give them a good washing. Then place in your guinea pig's cage in different arrangements and areas. Guinea pigs love to burrow, and they love to snuggle, making old towels the perfect household item that doubles as a totally free, and totally upcycled, guinea pig toy.