Litter Training: Potty Training

[NJdudette]

I adopted two guinea pigs this past weekend and are a bit new to all of this. I'm in the process of building a C&C cage because I realized the store bought one is just too small. In doing some of my research I've noticed a lot of talk about litter boxes/potty training guinea pigs and was wondering how this is done since mine seem to poop all over the cage.

[heartpiggies]

Do you have litter all over the cage? Try reducing it to a smaller area. This will decrease the amount of litter you have to use/buy as well as the area where the pigs go to the bathroom (making it easier to clean). I think the best way is to set up a "kitchen" area for your pigs. Use coro, tupperware type boxes or something similar to create a separate space where you can put the pigs' food, hay and water. Line the bottom with litter. The pigs will naturally do most of their business here, while they are eating and drinking. You can use fleece or some other soft fabric to line the rest of the cage. My boy is very good about using his "kitchen" area to go potty except that he does continue to poo where he sleeps. I think all piggies do? Maybe they can't help it

[akstrohm]

Pigs will train themselves only if they want to. They often cannot be perfectly trained.

Just put a litter box in the area your pig uses the most. It helps if the rest of the cage is fleece so there is a distinction between the litterbox and the rest of the cage.

[AutumnGuineaPig]

Try buying a Guinea Pig litter box and putting lot's of litter in it that is not harmful or toxic for the Guinea Pigs. Try putting some of their poo in the litter box so that they smell it, and see if they decide to use it.
Good luck!!!

[Duffinvt]

My girls tend to use the opposite end of the c&c cage from the kitchen. They go in their pigaloos or behind them. I call that the potty area. Almost all pee is over there and I put a smaller piece of fleece over one towel in that area and change that often. And small pieces of fleece over wash cloths under the pigaloos. The big piece of fleece in the rest of the cage gets changed once a week.

[NJdudette]

Right now they're still in the store bought cage and I have fleece lining the bottom of the cage. Due to the size limitations it's sort of impossible to dedicate an area to the "kitchen" and put litter down, but it is something I will try once my new cage is completed. I'm hoping to have it finished this weekend.