What Type of Housing is Good for Guinea Pigs?
As a general rule of thumb, three to four square feet for one pig, and add an additional one square foot per cavy after that (if they are in the same cage). I'd rather give you the link to Seagull's Guinea Pig Comendium for fantastic build-your-own-housing ideas, since space is usually a factor in every household.
The basics: DO NOT USE CEDAR OR RAW PINE SHAVINGS. These have aromatic oils that create respiratory problems in pigs. The other options are CareFresh®, Yesterday's News®, or Kiln-dried Pine. The latter is the cheaper alternative. Change the cage every three to four days to prevent odors. Choose a spot out of the sunlight and close to everyday activities.
On average guinea pigs live anywhere from five to eight years depending on diet and living conditions. They are a very healthy animal.
