Just like cats and dogs, guinea pigs also need enrichment to keep them happy and healthy – and providing pet-safe activities like this for them to enjoy is a great way to do that. Not only will your piggies be using their brains to work out how to play with these DIY gifts, but they’ll also be getting a reward in the form of their favourite feeding hay and vegetables!
We’ve got two homemade Christmas gifts for guinea pigs – a Hay Christmas Cracker and a Hay Wreath. Both crafts only require a few materials (many of which you may already have at home for your piggies) and should go down a treat with your small pets.
Let’s get started!
Hay Christmas Cracker
What you’ll need:
- A square of brown paper (why not recycle brown packaging paper from those online shopping orders?)
- Feeding hay
- Dried herbs or forage (optional)
- Natural raffia (optional)
Step one: Brown paper
Take your square of brown paper and lay it out on a flat surface like a table.
Step two: Hay
Take a handful of your guinea pigs’ favourite hay and place it in the centre of the brown paper.
Step three: Add forage
To get your piggies extra interested in the cracker, you can place a small amount of their favourite treat (including dried herbs, forage, guinea pig pellets) on top of the hay.
Step four: Roll up the paper
From here, roll up the paper to make a sausage shape, keeping everything inside.
Step five: Twist or tie ends
Now, you can tie up the ends using the raffia (if you have it) or just twist up the ends and give it to your fuzzy friends! They should enjoy pulling the hay out of the cracker and foraging for the good bits inside.
Hay Wreath
What you’ll need:
- Long-stranded feeding hay
- Natural raffia
- A small amount of their favourite vegetables or herbs
Step one: Hay
Take one to two handfuls of your guinea pigs’ hay and twist it into a long sausage shape.
Step two: Raffia
Cut a piece of raffia approximately three times the length of your hay and wrap it around your hay bundle to hold it together.
Step three: Pull together
Pull the two ends together to form the wreath shape and tie the ends of the raffia together.
Step four: Add vegetables or herbs
Thread a small amount of your pets’ favourite vegetables or herbs under the raffia to make it more enticing for them.
Now you can hang the wreath from your pets’ cage or lay it on the ground for them. Just like the cracker, they should enjoy pulling the hay out and snacking on the treats you’ve put in for them. Remember to supervise your guinea pigs with this one.
Find out what hay and vegetables are safe for your DIY guinea pig Christmas crafts with our guide on your guinea pigs’ diet.