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Guinea pigs are natural foragers, meaning they are born with a pre-programmed instinct to hunt and figure out new and more clever ways to get their food.
But, as many guinea pig keepers know, some cavies prefer naps over foraging. It’s like, “Why search for food when it’s sitting right there in my bowl just waiting for me?”
And while we would never discourage anyone’s desire — Human or guinea pig alike — to rest and relax for as long as possible, exercise and exploration are an important component of a guinea pig’s happiness and longevity.
A Curious Cavy is a Happy Cavy
So, in an effort to keep the HappyCavies fit and healthy, The Humans will sometimes hang up pieces of vegetables using some nylon string and clothespins. By creating this “Grab ‘N Go” Treat Exerciser, if you will, even the laziest guinea pig can be enticed to get up and get some exercise.
Exercise is good for guinea pigs because it promotes a healthy heart, a more resilient cardiovascular system, and stronger, leaner muscles. Plus, exploration and interaction with other guinea pigs helps to stimulate and excite the cavies, giving them something really worth popcorning about.
DIY Guinea Pig Hanging Treat Exerciser
To assemble this “Grab N Go” Treat Exerciser (or, more appropriately, the “Cavy Boredom Blaster“), The Humans use just three simple items:
- A piece of thin nylon string
- A few worn-out clothespins that provide a loose grip
- Thin vegetable slices
Cut vegetables like cucumber and carrot into super-thin long slices, along with small sprigs of parsley and cilantro. Cutting the veggie treats thin and length-wise, along with using worn-out clothespins, makes it easier for your cavy to grab the treats: you don’t need it to get any neck injuries!
Guinea Pig Hanging Treat Feeder Video
Get ready for a blast from the past!
The Humans shot this video several years ago. It depicts Bitsy, Piglet, and Hammy sniffing out and grabbing yummy pieces of cucumber and carrot from inside the HappyCavy Forever Home.
It’s really special for us to get to see Bitsy and Piglet in a video again!
We hope you enjoy! 🙂
How Do You Encourage Your Guinea Pig To Exercise?
Share your ideas in the comments!
Hello happycavys i have three wonderful piggys(mother and her two girls) and my solution for exercise is having a plastic bag butching it up, as soon as they hear that they super excited and jump all over the place.i then give them there fresh piece of apple:)
this wont WORK!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
That’s a great suggestion, Nellie! We sure do love the sound of plastic 🙂
That’s a great idea!! My piggies can tend to be a little lazy…
Glad you found this helpful! Now exercise those lazy guineas! 😀
Hello happycavys I was wondering if I should use this exercise tip? One of my piggies is pregnant and the other is about 6 weeks old both girls She was pregnant when I took her home.
Hi, Kimber! Questions about pregnancy are best directed to your family vet, there are far too many variables involved in cavy pregnancy to give an accurate opinion. But as for your 6 week old girl, she probably won’t need too much encouragement to stay active, young guinea pigs generally have loads of energy already! 😀
This is a good idea, my old pigs liked it! My two new girls haven’t tried this yet, but I do hide their pieces of carrot and cucumber etc. In various places, including on this top of tunnels or hideys. They love it!
Thanks! Threaded cucumber onto the string, Toast managed to nibble a bit of carrot, but Bramble got all huffy because she could just not find where toast got the treat from!
My piggies enjoy going through a Cavy-Safe guinea pig exercise course, otherwise known as GPEC Lol they love running up the ramp sliding through the tunnel, and they especially love “The Forest” where I’ve stationed Cavy-Safe tree twigs and the love searching for little treats, but porky’s so bulky he just knocks down all the twigs and finds the treats!
Another thing is where I’m in the room and I’ve tied and apple to a string then I have the cavies chase it down! They love running for it, Hershey however, has a special little way of waiting until Porky gets the apple then runs up and starts eating, occasionally he will chase after the apple, but Porky is always, and if any of the two need the exercise, it would be Porkers!
Kitchen roll paper is something my boy likes to nibble I’m guessing that this help’s him wipe his bum when he has done his droppings lol. Still lol aside I feed him Savoy cabbage sliced thin carrot 1/4” pieces of celery thinly cut parsnips thinly sliced salad peppers not the chilli ones and dried dandelion and green oats and dried natures salad along with guinea pig nuggets I also feed my boy a small helping of kale curly leaf but have found that this gives him an upset stomach so will have to stop feeding him this food once in a while I feed him fresh cut grass washed first like with dogs and cats its a medicine