Guinea pigs are domesticated tailless rodents that usually grow no more than a foot long, weighing in at about three pounds. Their small stature keeps them low to the ground, and their feet are tiny.
This appearance doesn’t give much of an indication of their physical abilities. Despite their appearance, it is quite impressive what guinea pigs can do because they can move quite well.
Can guinea pigs climb to higher places? Guinea pigs can climb, but the construction of their body doesn’t allow them to climb surfaces that have a high inclination. They do best on solid and flat surfaces, and they can climb with the help of low inclined ramps to higher places in the cage.
This article will let you learn if guinea pigs can climb, should you let them roam or do they like to stay in a cage, ways to help them to climb in higher places, and some of their behaviors around their animal pen!
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Do Guinea Pigs Climb?
Despite their small size, guinea pigs are very active creatures. In the proper environment, guinea pigs love to play and explore, especially with their cage mates.
Since guinea pigs can only “hop” (not really a jump), they rely on inclines to climb. Unlike hamsters and mice, guinea pigs are unable to grip most surfaces. Adding low-incline ramps with steps and tunnels, caves, and other hiding places make the perfect habitat for guinea pigs.
Should I Let My Guinea Pigs Roam?
You don’t have to always keep your guinea pig locked in its cage. Veterinarians encourage you to let your pet roam free. Several guinea pig cages come with an attachment to create a playpen area outside of the cage.
Playpens allow your pet to explore areas outside of their home, satisfying their curiosity and indulging their sense of play.
Some owners let their pets roam free throughout their homes. For the safety of your piggie, make sure to eliminate any hazards that could injure your pet.
Other household members could accidentally step on them, or other animals can attack them. You should monitor their free-range explorations to prevent harm to your guinea pig.
Limiting their movements to a particular part of your home helps you observe your pet’s activities, ensuring they don’t get into something that may hurt them.
Related: What Guinea Pig Cage Size Is the Best? (Proper Accommodation)
Do Guinea Pigs Feel Safe in a Cage?
For the most part, guinea pig owners leave their pets in their cages. Your guinea pig may even prefer to remain in its home, showing no interest in a playpen or free-range exploration.
Your guinea pigs may feel safer in their cage, especially close to their cage mates. This is completely normal behavior: as prey animals, guinea pigs usually feel safer in a confined space separate from animals or humans they may perceive as a threat.
How to Help Guinea Pigs Climb to Higher Places? | A Helpful Guide
So, what do you need to create the perfect living space for your piggy? If your guinea pig spends most of its time in its cage, you need to give them enough room to play and socialize.
Guinea pigs need a spacious enclosure with one or multiple levels, about 7.5 square feet per animal. This gives them enough space to be active without becoming too cramped.
As much as guinea pigs love to play, most owners will only include a hay rack and a sleeping den, but this limits your pet’s activity. The perfect items to have in your guinea pig’s cage, in addition to their food and water sources, are:
- Sleeping den with a flat top.
- Ladders and ramps with stairs at a low incline.
- Tunnels and caves for them to hide and play.
This equipment allows your guinea pig to be as adventurous as possible. You will notice your guinea pig’s activity increase, leading to a happier and healthier guinea pig.
Sleeping Den With a Flat Top
The safest way for guinea pigs to climb is at a low incline. Since their bodies are so low to the ground, their tiny legs do not have an extensive range of movement.
Items with steeper inclines are impossible for guinea pigs to climb without injuring themselves. Keeping materials in your guinea pig’s cage with no more than a 30-degree incline is the perfect slope for them to climb safely.
Although they have trouble with higher angles, guinea pigs love to climb ramps and steps. They like to find a place higher than the ground to sit and observe their surroundings.
They even use climbing as a way to hide from their cage mates during playtime. Guinea pigs can jump up to 20 centimeters high, enough to climb on top of a sleeping den.
Most guinea pig cages come equipped with a detachable sleeping den with a flat top. Also, most sleeping caves have a small low-incline step ladder, which helps them climb to the top. This is the best sleeping space for a guinea pig because they can jump on top and use it as a place to sit.
Low-Incline Ramps and Stairs
While most guinea pig cages are only one level, some larger or custom-made models have two or more stories. Low-incline ramps, stairs, and ladders help your guinea pig explore the several spaces available to them in their cage.
If you have a single-story cage with a playpen attachment, you can use ramps to help your guinea pig climb out into their play space.
Ramps
Ramps with a small slope are the best way for your guinea pig to climb to higher or lower surfaces. Guinea pigs cannot grip high-incline surfaces and will avoid using them. If you have space in your cage, long, low ramps are an excellent addition to your guinea pig habitat.
They will help your pet climb safely. You may even find that your guinea pig will play on them more often than anything else, competing with their cage mates for access to the ramp.
If you have a taller cage, you can create a multi-story cage by attaching untreated wooden boards above the bottom. To connect the stories, you can add shallow ramps to help your guinea pig climb between the levels.
This creates more playroom for your pets, especially if you have limited space in your home and you can’t invest in a larger cage.
Many guinea pig cages come with a playpen attachment, which hooks to the sides of the cage. The pen surrounds the entrance to the enclosure, giving your guinea pig a safe place to play while you are cleaning their cage or giving them some time outside of their home.
A ramp is a great way to help them climb in and out of the cage into their play area.
You can buy ramps at any pet store, but it is much easier and cheaper to make them yourself. If you design your own ramp, make sure you use natural materials that didn’t have exposure to chemicals.
Most owners opt for wooden ramps, but this material can irritate the delicate pads on the bottoms of your guinea pig’s feet.
Applying a soft material that guinea pigs can hold, such as a towel or a strip of carpet, will help them climb wooden ramps with ease. Before installing your new ramps, make sure that your guinea pig can fit through the ramp comfortably.
Having a wide enough space for them to climb will make them feel more secure. They will be more willing to use it if they feel comfortable on the surface.
- Size: Approx. 3.94" x 15.75"(W * L). Package including: 1 x ladder. Help them form a good habit of playing in their own home. Hamster ladder easily bends to fit a variety of shapes and sizes to reach elevated areas; Encourages exploration and exercise.
- A fun toy for gnawing, swinging and climbing. Flexible bendable ladder fits most cages. Made of wooden sticks,bendable. Can be attached in different shapes. Natural wood is safe, full of natural smell.Very good hamster cage decoration.
- 100% natural wooden hamster toy bridge, hamster biting toys,rat chew, safe for chewing to satisfy her instinctual urges and help keep incisor teeth trimmed. Wooden bridge is recommended for snakes, lizards,dwarf hamsters, mice, rats, sugar gliders and similar-sized small pets.
- Small pet hideout twig tunnel, your furry friend will use as a warm, wooden hamster toys gives critters a sense of safety and security, cozy nest.
- Pets can sleep under the hamster toy bridge and can safely chew the bridge. Pets love to hide and play in this large sized twig tunnel. Promote exercise and help to develop coordination and balance skills.
Stairs
If you do not have enough room in your guinea pig’s cage for a ramp, stairs are another option. Guinea pigs are quite good at climbing stairs, and some owners train their pets to climb the stairs in their homes.
When installing a staircase in your guinea pigs’ cage, ensure that each step has enough space for your pet to sit down before climbing to the next stair.
As with ramps, low-incline stairs are best. Measure the angle between the stairs to ensure that they do not measure more than 30 degrees. Also, make sure that each step is relatively close together to make climbing more comfortable for your little guinea pig.
As long as your guinea pig feels comfortable using the staircase, they will use them to climb throughout their cage.
Related: Top 4 Best Large Guinea Pig Cages to Buy in 2022: Reviews and Guide
Can Guinea Pigs Climb Out of Cages?
The chances are that your guinea pig will prefer to live in the safety of his cage. Many owners can leave their pet’s cage open without any fear of their guinea pig climbing out.
Your pet may be curious and approach the edge of their cage if the door is open, but their short bodies and tiny legs prevent them from climbing out without a ramp or another flat solid surface to assist them.
Why Won’t My Guinea Pig Climb to Higher Surfaces?
Guinea pigs will not walk, climb, or jump on surfaces if they do not feel safe. Including ramps and stairs with enough space for them to maneuver comfortably will help your guinea pig feel more secure during climbing.
If your guinea pig still doesn’t climb, there is nothing wrong with your pet. They will find different ways to play and explore safely.
Summary
Now, we know that guinea pigs can climb but with the help of ramps and stairs. They have very sensitive bodies and tiny legs, so you need to make a safe environment for your guinea pig.
Also, most of them won’t even try to climb higher places, and there is nothing wrong with this behavior. Your guinea pig just needs to feel safe and happy, so you can help them by making or buying a good cage with a lot of safe horizontal space.
Don’t opt for cages with multiple levels; they are not designed for guinea pigs. But still, you can find some cages that have multiple levels with a climbing degree that is not that steep so that a guinea pig can use it. Note that those cages are very rare.
Related: Can Guinea Pigs Jump and If They Can, How High?
List of Sources
Furry Friend or Delicious Dinner?: Domestic Guinea Pig — Cavia Porcellu