If you’re thinking of adopting guinea pigs, it’s important to learn about their care and the cost of that care first! Guinea pigs are often seen as cheap “starter pets,” but nothing could be further from the truth.
It can cost up to $120 to adopt two guinea pigs. Since they’re social animals, this is the bare minimum. Start-up costs can range from $190-$400+, and monthly costs can range from $75-$270+ depending on your budget and preferences.
In this article, we’ll talk about how expensive guinea pigs can be and how to save money while caring for your cavies.
Pet Guinea Pig Costs Breakdown
| Start-up costs | $ (approx.) |
|---|---|
| Adoption fees | $0-$60 per pig |
| Enclosure | $70+ |
| Cage accessories | $30-$70 |
| Reusable bedding (optional) | $15-$50+ |
| Grooming supplies | $25 |
| First aid kit | $50-$125 |
| TOTAL START-UP COSTS (Approx.) | $190-$400+ |
| Recurring costs (monthly) | $ (approx.) |
|---|---|
| Food (for two guinea pigs) | $60-$100 per month |
| Disposable bedding (if you don’t opt for reusable bedding) | $80-$100 per month |
| Cleaning supplies | $5-$10 per month |
| Enrichment | $5-$50 per month |
| Treats (optional) | $5-$10 per month |
| TOTAL MONTHLY RECURRING COSTS (Approx.): | $75-$270+ |
| Other costs | $ (approx.) |
|---|---|
| Veterinary costs | $0-$500+ per year |
| Pet insurance | $0-$15 per month |
How Much Do Guinea Pigs Cost to Adopt?
Adoption fees for guinea pigs can range from free to $60. Keep in mind that guinea pigs must be kept in pairs or groups, so you should budget to adopt at least two.
How much you pay for your guinea pigs will depend on where you adopt them from. It’s not uncommon to find guinea pigs being rehomed for free, even though it’s recommended to charge an adoption fee whenever you rehome a pet.
We recommend adopting your guinea pigs from a shelter, rescue, or rehoming situation. A reputable breeder is another option, but please never adopt from a pet store! This is the equivalent of adopting a dog from a puppy mill.
Start-up Costs
Buying a Guinea Pig Cage
Most pet store cages are both expensive and unsuitable for guinea pigs. Please keep in mind that the bare minimum cage size for two guinea pigs is 7.5 square feet, while the recommended size is 10.5 square feet or larger.
Many piggy guardians, including myself, agree that even the recommended cage size is too small for many pairs. Males, especially, benefit from more space.
There are pre-built cages that meet the minimum, including the Midwest guinea pig cage. However, I recommend building your own C&C (cubes and Coroplast) cage instead as it’s cheaper and more flexible.
A C&C cage can be built to any size or shape and can be modified if you move house or want to upgrade your piggies’ enclosure.
The cost of a C&C cage will vary depending on the size of the cage, but a set of cubes goes for around $40 and a large sheet of Coroplast costs around $30.
Cage Accessories
Cage accessories for guinea pigs can be very cheap or even free, but you can also spend a ton of money on them! It depends on your budget, preferences, and where you shop.
Here are the costs of some basic accessories:
- Water bottle (one per pig): $7-$15 each
- Food dish (optional): $5-$10
- Hay bag (optional): $8-$15
- Hides (at least one per pig): $8-$20+ each
- Toys: $5-$10 each
Food dishes and hay bags are optional because you can opt to scatter feed veggies and pellets and keep a hay pile for your piggies to eat from and burrow in. This is actually preferable, in my opinion, as it provides added enrichment.
Avoid objects that are unsafe for guinea pigs, including treats that contain yogurt or seeds, salt licks, and objects with holes your guinea pig can get their head stuck inside.
Many hay racks are unsafe as they either have holes so small it’s difficult for your piggies to eat hay, or large enough for them to get their heads stuck. Look for hay racks or bags with holes that your guinea pig’s whole body can fit inside.
Initial Bedding Costs
Bedding is another cost that varies drastically in price. Paper bedding costs around $20-$25 per bag, and will need to be replaced weekly.
Fleece liners cost anywhere from $24-$50+ depending on where you buy from, or if you make your own. Custom liners from small businesses cost the most but may give you the best quality if you don’t want to make them yourself.
Perhaps the cheapest bedding option is chenille bath mats. They cost as low as $7, but you’ll need multiple to line your cage. They can be used by themselves or in addition to fleece.
Grooming Supplies for Guinea Pigs
You’ll need the following supplies to groom your guinea pigs:
- Brush or comb, depending on fur length
- Nail clippers (human or cat clippers work well!)
- Scissors or clippers to trim longhaired piggies’ fur
- Cotton pads and coconut oil to keep skinny pigs’ fur moisturized
- Guinea pig shampoo in case your piggies need a bath (this should happen very rarely!)
Many of these items can be purchased at the dollar store if you’re short on cash, and will still likely last your piggies’ entire lives. The costlier items will be guinea pig-safe shampoo and a pair of clippers if you want to shave their fur.
If you forego the clippers, the above supplies can cost as little as $25.
Supplies for Guinea Pig Health Checks
Guinea pigs should have weekly health checks at home, which include recording their weights, checking them for common signs of illness, grooming their coats, trimming their nails as needed, and boar cleanings as needed.
You’ll want the supplies for this, as well as some first-aid items in case of emergency. Here are some things you’ll want to have on hand:
- A kitchen scale that measures in grams – $10-$40+
- Q-tips (useful for boar cleanings and cleaning ears) – $4-$8
- Coconut oil (see above) – $1-$12
- 1 & 5 ml syringes and a pill cutter (in case your guinea pig is prescribed medicine from the vet) – $11-25
- Critical Care or a similar product (in case your guinea pig stops eating) – $10
- Tweezers – $1-$5
- Gauze – $5-$15
- Plastic gloves – $5-$10
I also recommend keeping any extra prescription items from the vet in your emergency kit, so long as they aren’t expired. Don’t use them without the advice of your veterinarian, but they can save you money if you’re prescribed that medication again.
For instance, I keep pain medications and antibiotic ear ointment in my pets’ emergency kit as these things are prescribed often. I also regularly sort out any expired products and keep a note of what I have for reference during future vet visits.
How Much Do Guinea Pigs Cost Monthly?
Food
Your guinea pig needs unlimited hay, a cup of fresh vegetables, and ⅛ cup of guinea pig pellets daily.
You can expect to pay at least $30 for timothy hay (more for orchard grass), and a small bag of pellets from Oxbow costs around $12.
The price of vegetables will vary depending on your location, with some people paying as little as $20 a month and others spending as much as $80. Typically, you can expect to spend $40-$50.
The average piggy owner will spend around $80-$100 total on food each month.
Bedding
If you use reusable bedding only, you won’t have monthly bedding costs. But for disposable bedding, you may pay as much as $20-$25 per week, or $80-$100 per month.
Cleaning Supplies
Cleaning supplies you may need for your guinea pigs include:
- A homemade vinegar and water solution to clean the cage and items: $3-$5 for a bulk container of vinegar (should last longer than a month)
- Spray bottle: $1-$10
- Unscented laundry detergent: $5-$20 per container (should last two or more months depending on size)
Please keep in mind that guinea pigs have very sensitive respiratory systems, and cannot tolerate harsh or scented cleaners. You should also keep candles, air fresheners, and other scented products outside of the room.
Enrichment
We all love spoiling our pets, so enrichment costs can get out of hand quickly! However, an average expense would be buying a few toys and cage accessories monthly.
You may choose to buy puzzle toys such as treat balls or snuffle mats, chew toys such as willow balls, or new tunnels or hides to make the cage more interesting.
This may cost anywhere from $5-$10 for a couple of new toys, to $50+ if you purchase a large haul of items! Most people’s budgets will fluctuate from month to month.
Treats
Treats are another area that ranges widely, but make sure not to overdo it! You want your piggies to be able to eat all of the treats you buy, and you don’t want to be feeding them an unhealthy diet.
A bag of guinea pig-safe treats typically costs $5-$10, and is typically going to be plenty for the month!
Veterinary Costs for Guinea Pigs
Guinea pigs shouldn’t see a regular small pet veterinarian, aka a dog and cat vet. These vets often don’t see many guinea pigs and don’t have the education or experience necessary to treat them.
Instead, bring your guinea pigs to an exotic pet vet. These vets tend to be more costly since they have the same education as dog and cat vets, and they underwent extra schooling to learn about exotics. It’s important to be prepared for that cost.
Your guinea pig should see the vet:
- As soon as possible after adoption
- Yearly during their young adulthood
- Every six months in their senior years
- Whenever you notice changes in behavior or signs of illness
The cost of veterinary care will vary depending on your area and your individual vet. It will also depend on whether your guinea pig becomes ill or even develops a chronic condition.
Some piggies never have to see a vet outside of wellness visits, but most will get sick at some point in their lives. I recommend keeping an emergency fund for your piggies’ vet expenses or purchasing pet insurance.
Can You Get Pet Insurance for Guinea Pigs?
In the United States, Nationwide is the only insurance provider that insures guinea pigs. They offer a variety of plans with different coverage and deductibles.
The more you pay for your plan, the more it’s going to cover. I personally haven’t found wellness coverage to be worthwhile, but if you don’t have a large emergency fund, then emergency coverage is ideal.
Alternatively, you can set aside the money you’d pay to the insurance company and start your savings fund that way. If you choose to do so, I highly recommend starting this fund before adopting your guinea pigs. You just never know when something might happen!
Tips for Saving Money on Your Guinea Pigs
- Buy in bulk when possible. Hay, pellets, bedding, and more can be purchased in bulk, usually for cheaper prices. Just make sure you don’t buy more than you can use before it expires, or you might end up wasting money instead of saving.
- Reusable bedding is cheaper over time. If you can, I highly recommend spending more in the beginning to avoid lifelong disposable bedding costs, even if it means waiting an extra month or two before adopting your guinea pigs.
- Shop around for hay. It can often be bought in bulk from farm stores or even directly from local farms for a small fraction of the price! You may have to try a few sources in order to find quality hay this way, but its worth it for the money you’ll save.
- Try making DIY toys and hides. Use shipping boxes to make hides and stuff toilet paper rolls with hay–your piggies won’t know the difference between these and more expensive items.
- Seek second-hand items. People who are no longer keeping guinea pigs may give away old items for free or cheap. Be sure to clean and sanitize these items thoroughly, though, especially if you don’t know whether the former piggies had any contagious ailments.
- Shop sales. It may seem obvious, but taking advantage of sales can save you a lot of money long-term! Personally, I like to stock up on pet items when I find a good sale, so long as they aren’t the type of thing to expire before I can use them.
Are Guinea Pigs Expensive Pets?
Many people claim that guinea pigs are expensive when compared to other pets, such as dogs and cats. Personally, I haven’t found this to be true. Their feeding and vet costs are similar to cats in my experience, and lower than the costs to care for large dogs.
The costs of fresh veggies can also add up quickly, as can quality guinea pig pellets and hay. Your primary expense for any animal will be veterinary costs, which can run into the thousands if your piggy has a health crisis.
Please remember that all pets can get sick, and veterinary costs can add up very quickly. This is especially true for specialists, such as exotic pet vets, and for emergency care.
Overall, it’s important to budget for your guinea pigs’ care. Some people only consider start-up costs, but these are often the cheapest part of owning a guinea pig. You’ll also need a monthly budget, money for routine vet care, and either pet insurance or an emergency fund in case of injury or illness.