Guinea pigs are the second most commonly kept pet rodent behind hamsters and guinea pigs keep seeing a steady increase in their popularity with each year that goes by.
With there being so many people out there who already have a pet guinea pig and a large number of people looking to add their first guinea pig to their family, we have noticed a large number of questions being asked each month and keeping guinea pigs.
One common theme that we see is people reaching out to ask how they are able to keep the costs of keeping their pet guinea pig as low as possible.
Due to a couple of social media influencers in the pet space talking about using bath mats for guinea pigs, we have seeing a large spike specifically for this over the last couple of months so wanted to publish our own article going over it.
Can You Use A Bath Mat For A Guinea Pig?
You can use a noodle bath mat with your guinea pig and they offer excellent protection due to their microfiber technology with many guinea pig owners using them.
Regular bath mats are not recommended for use with a guinea pig though and you specifically need to be finding one that uses some sort of fast trying microfiber technology.
Thankfully, you can usually find noodle bath mats for around $10 and they can last a long time between changes too helping to keep your costs as low as possible.
You also have to realize that in many cases, you should be able to remove the bath mat when its dirty, wash it with some type of detergent, then wash it again without detergent twice to remove the chemicals and then re-add the bath mat to your guinea pigs cage.
Why Do People use A Bath Mat For A Guinea Pig?
The reason that people use a bath mat for their guinea pig is due to the fact that it offers your guinea pig a much softer place to lay down and relax then if they were just laying on the wire bottom of their cage.
Noodle bath mates make an excellent cage base for most guinea pig cage setups and work well as a bedding substitute.
You can usually place your bath mat directly above your fleece and just leave your guinea pig to go about its business for the day without issue.
Are There Any Negatives To Using A Bath Mat For Your Guinea Pig?
The only real negative that we could find when using a bath mat for your guinea pig is the fact that you will need to be sure to change it out every few months or so.
This is due to the fact that over time, the oils and dirt from your guinea pigs fur will start to build up on the bath mat and if it is not cleaned or changed out, it could lead to some skin irritation issues for your guinea pig.
Pee and poop can also take its toll on the bath mat even if you clean it on a regular basis too meaning that you will have to switch them out for new ones every couple of months but they still tend to work out cheaper than bedding.
Some guinea pigs can chew on their bath mat too and although they tend not to eat the fabric, heavy chewers can quickly destroy a bath mat in their cage.
How Often Should I Change My Guinea Pigs Bath Mat?
To ensure that your guinea pig stays healthy and happy, we recommend changing out your bath mat every 2-3 months or so.
This will help to prevent any skin irritation issues from occurring and will also help to keep their cage feeling fresh and new too.
You may be able to get away with changing them out less often if you do not have a heavy chewer but its always better to err on the side of caution when it comes to your guinea pigs health.
What Type Of Bath Mat Do You Use For A Guinea Pig?
The type of bath mat that you should be looking for is one that uses microfiber technology as this will help to prevent any skin irritation issues while helping to deal with guinea pig pee efficiently.
These math mats are commonly referred to as noodle bath mats but sometimes they are just referred to as microfiber bath mats but they all tend to be similar to each other.
You can find these types of bath mats relatively cheaply online and they will last a long time before needing to be changed out.
How Do You Use A Bath Mat For A Guinea Pig?
To use a bath mat for your guinea pig, you will need to first find one that is made from microfiber and that is the right size for your cage.
You can usually find these bath mats for around $10 online and they tend to last a long time too.
Once you have your bath mat, you will need to place it directly above your fleece liner in the cage and then leave your guinea pig to go about its business.
You may need to trim the bath mat down to size if you have a smaller cage but other than that, there is not much else that you need to do.
Your guinea pig will be able to use the bath mat as a soft place to lay down and relax and it will also help to keep their fur clean and free from any oils or dirt.
You will need to change out the bath mat every few months or so but other than that, they are very easy to use and maintain.
Is A Bath Mat Better Than Other Guinea Pig Bedding?
A bath mat can perform just as good as bedding for a guinea pig while working out to be considerably cheaper in many cases.
The main advantage of using a bath mat over bedding is the fact that they are easier to keep clean and free from any oils or dirt which can cause skin irritation issues.
Bath mats also last a lot longer than bedding before needing to be changed out and they are very easy to use too.
The only real downside to using bath mats is the fact that some guinea pigs can chew on them which can quickly destroy the bath mat.
Overall, a bath mat is a great option for anyone looking for an alternative to bedding for their guinea pig and they are very easy to use and maintain too.
