Since you shouldn't be shopping for anything at any pet store that sells animals, where are you going to buy your pet supplies? Make a statement with your pocketbook and support some of the many businesses out there that have chosen a responsible business model! These local stores are for San Francisco Bay Area people. Below are some links to other national sources.

Just starting out? These are your first two guinea pigs? Here is our version of what your shopping list should look like. First get everything ready, THEN get the guinea pigs!

Cage
1 sheet of Coroplast
1 box of grids
1 bag of cable ties
1 folding work table
(to hold the cage, if you don't already have one) See Cavy Cages for more cage-making info.

Accessories
2 16 oz. water bottles (we prefer the clear plastic kind, as it's much easier to see the water level)
1 heavy ceramic food bowl (not too large)
2 wooden hidey houses
1 'pigloo' with the opening cut larger
2 cat pads to make into cavy cozies--one at a time in the cage--the other used to alternate during laundering
1 large fiddle sticks for a play/hidey area

Not all of these will fit in one 2x4 grid cage, but this allows you to change the interior around a bit as well as have some floor-time options or items for an optional second level.

Bedding
2 50-liter bags of CareFresh (pre-buy more if possible and the price is good)
1 bag of Aspen shavings (or kiln-dried pine) IF you must cut the cost of the CareFresh

Hay
1 25-pound box of Timothy 2nd Cut hay from either APD or Oxbow. If you have to buy hay in a store, look for the 40-oz bags of Oxbow hay that some stores carry.
1 bag of Alfalfa hay only IF you have guinea pigs under 4 months old or a pregnant or nursing mother.

Grooming Items
Pair of cat nail clippers (we like the small, gray-handled variety)
1 small container of Kwik-Stop for dipping paws into when you accidentally cut the quick of the nail

Pellets
1 bag of PLAIN good quality, guinea pig pellets. Preferably packaged in paper (vitamin C degrades in light) and date stamped (do not buy pellets older than 6 months from date of packaging). No nuts or seeds.

Fresh Food
This is not a complete list, but just what we usually buy here at Cavy Spirit. These are the food items that our cavies get pretty much every day. They are fed fresh food twice a day (morning and evening):
Romaine Lettuce
Italian parsley
Carrot 
Apple

Provide a variety of fresh, dark greens and some other veggies, high in Vitamin C, low in calcium and oxalic acid. One small piece of fruit of day, maximum.

In addition, these foods are either added or substituted frequently:
Dandelion greens*
Red chard
Swiss chard
Kale
Cilantro
Grapes (seedless)
Cantaloupe
Cherry tomatoes
(*Dandelion greens are a huge favorite of every guinea pig and can be found in the greens section of your grocery store)

In addition to those regular foods, the following foods are also substituted or added for variety:
Escarole
Collard greens
Spinach (occasionally)
Green beans
Corn (inner husks and the cob)
Celery
Cucumber
Watermelon (including and especially the rinds)
Beet greens
Orange wedges
Strawberries
Blueberries
Red bell pepper (although good for them, many of our guinea pigs don't care for it. The red variety has a much higher vitamin C content than the green)

Experiment with what your cavy likes. Just because they turn their nose up at something one day, doesn't mean they won't find it tasty the next. You have to keep trying with new foods. We believe variety is important.

What NOT to buy
Hay Racks. If you've made a C&C cage, you'll have extra grids available. They make great hay racks.
Yogurt Drops. These 'treats' are just too sugar-laden.
Seed & Nut Treats. Too fattening as well as choking hazards.
Vitamin Drops for the water. That is not the way to provide vitamin C for your guinea pigs. See the Care page on why.
Exercise Balls & Wheels. See the Care page on why.
Toys. Most of them are a waste of money. See the toy page on Cavy Cages.

hits since 9/2001
 Page updated 04 Sep 2002