The Best Guinea Pig Bedding: Guide & Reviews 2022

Most guineas spend a lot of time in their cages, but some pet owners prefer their guinea pigs to free-roam. Either way, guinea pigs would need an excellent bedding material that is not only very absorbent but soft and comfortable too. As a responsible pet parent, you’re more likely to search for the best bedding for your little furry pet than almost any other accessory.

When choosing the best guinea pig bedding for your rodents, you’ll have to consider something that can control the odor, and wouldn’t pose a threat on your pet’s health. There may be a lot of bedding that you can choose from for your guinea pig, but not all of them are created equal. Don’t worry, we’ve done the legwork for you and found the best and safest beddings for guinea pigs on the market today. We reviewed a large number of different beddings for comfort, safety, price, availability, and even eco-friendliness, and surveyed customers, veterinarians, and pet-care experts and summarized our findings below.

Why Should You Use a Guinea Pig Bedding?

If you have taken care of small animals before, you’ll likely agree that bedding represent a potentially pricey but important aspect when it comes to pet ownership. They need to be safe and comfortable for your pet, but also cost-effective since it will need to be changed regularly. However, when you are deciding on what’s the best bedding for your guinea pigs, it is important to remember that if you choose the right bedding for your pets, you can drastically cut down the costs in some areas of pet care, such as visiting a veterinary to treat or prevent certain illnesses.

There’s a simple reason why you should only choose the best item for your guinea pigs, and that is to ensure that your pets are feeling safe, comfortable, healthy. In the wild guinea pigs (also called Cavies) live in grassy habitats where they can rest, socialize, nest, and forage safely. Captive guinea pigs therefore require an enclosed area in a cage with deep bedding that is similarly soft and makes them feel secure and happy.

If you fail to provide your pet with soft places to nest, tunnel, burrow, hide, and rest, your guinea pig wouldn’t thrive well during captivity.

5 Types of Guinea Pig Bedding

If you’re new in taking care of guinea pigs, your first question would most likely be, “what kind of bedding is the best for my pet?”. It is important to know that only several types of bedding are safe and suitable for guinea pigs, therefore you’ll have to carefully consider your options. The best options consist of wood shavings (usually pine and/or aspen), fleece, cloth, and paper.

Now here’s a brief guide that you could read to know which type of bedding that is suitable for your little rodent:

Pine Shavings

If you consider using pine shavings as your pet’s bedding, then make sure that the pines are kiln-dried, soft, and natural. The great thing about pine bedding is that they are economical, highly-absorbent, and very easy to find as they are available in most pet shops. However, the natural pine oils could cause illness or irritation in both pet and owner, not to mention they could also get stuck on the cage or towels. Because they are completely naturally derived, they are very eco-friendly.

Aspen Bedding

When using aspen as your pig’s bedding, make sure that the aspen is soft, dry, and completely free from additives. They could be pricier than pine bedding and less absorbent, but they still provide for your pet’s needs and help like other wood/plant-based beddings are good for stimulating their natural behaviors such as burrowing and nesting.

Paper Bedding

The use of old recycled papers has recently emerged in the industry and a lot of pet owners has taken a liking to it. This is because the use of papers as bedding is surprisingly very absorbent, soft, great in controlling odor, and many of are homemade. However, it is important to buy processed recycled paper to ensure that potentially toxic inks and chemicals have been removed. Because of the extra processing required, they tend to be a bit more expensive. In addition, if they are allowed to repeatedly get wet and dry they tend to become brittle and a bit dusty to use.

Fleece Bedding

Fleece bedding has become one of the most favorite type of bedding among guinea pig owners. One of the reasons why a lot of guinea pig owners prefer using fleece bedding is mostly because of how cute their pets look when they’re burrowing and nestling in soft fleece. It is also the warmest of beddings so great for guinea pigs that live in colder climates.

A quality-made fleece bedding for guinea pigs features a soft fleece on its upper layer, the middle part should be made of absorbent cotton, and the lower layer should also be made with fleece or it could be waterproof.

By using this kind of fleece bedding, your pet’s liquid waste will flow through the top fleece layer, then get absorbed by the middle layer to keep your pig warm and dry. The lower layer’s waterproof bottom would prevent the liquid from spreading everywhere in your pet’s enclosure. This is a great high-end bedding but does tend to be a bit more expensive that other bedding types.

Cotton Cloth Bedding

Like the fleece and paper bedding, the cotton cloth bedding can also serve as an affordable, economical, and effective kind of guinea pig bedding that is homemade. You can use any bedding like towels, cotton cloths, fleece/cotton cloth. The great thing about this bedding is that it is soft, affordable, absorbent, and reusable.

The downside is that you’ll have to manually scoop out your pet’s solid waste, it might need daily maintenance, and it might not be as odor absorbent like the other products. It also doesn’t allow quite as easy burrowing so you’re guinea pig may also like wood or paper bedding as well so they have something deep to burrow in. It also tends to be a bit heavier than other types of bedding.

Top 10 Best Guinea Pig Beddings

Now that we’re through on how to choose the best product for your pet, we can now take a look at the best bedding for guinea pigs in the market. Depending on what you think your pet needs, as long as you know how to weight the pros and cons of each product, you would surely make the best decision when it comes to choosing good bedding for your little friends.

Now here are the best, safest beddings for your pets:

Best Overall Bedding – Small Pet Select Paper Bedding

This bedding was the most preferred by experienced guinea pig owners and vets we surveyed. Aside from being highly absorbent, it is also warm, dust-free, and inexpensive. When it comes to guinea pig beddings, Pet Select items is one of your best choices. The shredded paper is relatively fine, making it perfect for burrowing in, and is also made from unused and unbleached paper making it completely safe for your pet.

The bag may look small (which is great for cheap shipping) but it will expand three times its original volume, so each bag is good for several cage changes before you need to restock.

Bed Bedding for Cold Climates – CareFresh Small Pet Bedding

If you live in a cold climate you should invest in super cozy fleece or fluff bedding so your pet stays warm and happy. Most bedding for small animals are usually made of wood shavings or paper, but this particular bedding from CareFresh is much different from the other products as it’s made from ultra soft and warm “comfyfluff”, which is not usually found in most common beddings in the market.

Unlike papers or shavings that have been reused and recycled, this product is made from scratch specifically for guinea pig beds so there is no worries about potentially harmful chemicals or inks. The company makes their bedding materials by using natural and raw fiber directly from the source. It’s not only warm but also has exceptionally good absorbency and odor control. It is also dust-free making it easy to handle for owners and not irritating for your pets eyes and lungs.

Best Reusable Bedding – Piggy Bedspreads Fleece Bedding

If you’d rather not have to continually buy bedding a reusable bedding that you can wash is a great option. This fleece bedding from pet care company Piggy Bedspreads is not only washable but is also very stylish and will help bring color to any pet’s dull cage. Like other fleece bedding products it is intended to be reusable – just wash thoroughly and dry and it’s ready to go back in the cage. We found it easier to clean than other reusable bedding products. It’s a bit more expensive but well worth the investment since it significantly decreases the amount of money you’ll need to spend on replacement paper or wood bedding. We also love the design, as it not only looks great but is also designed to effectively absorb your pet’s urine, water waste, and other liquid waste from top to bottom.

In addition, they are also less messy compared to other beddings as you’ll only have to wipe off the urine off its surface. But make sure you wash the fleece once a week though.

Best Bedding for Odor Control – Purina Unscented Paper Pellets

Got a cage that seems to smell no matter how much you clean it? If so, this product is for you. This is actually a cat litter but Purina is so good at designing pet waste products many owners have decided to repurpose it for guinea pig bedding. Purina is one of the best brands of products that you can choose from for your small pets. Unlike other paper beddings in the market, this product comes in a pellet-like shape which is enough to provide comfort for your pigs.

It’s great because it is unscented and was the most effective bedding that we tested at absorbing odor, to the point where you couldn’t smell anything. As for its moisture absorbency, it can absorb liquid to up to three times its weight. Meaning, there wouldn’t be wet and puddle zones in your pet’s enclosure. They are also 100% non-abrasive and paw-friendly.

Best Budget Bedding – Vitakraft Fresh World Bedding

This is the best cheap bedding we tested for those budget-conscious pet parents. This product is paper-based, and was both inexpensive and much softer and comfier than other budget brands we tested, making it the perfect bedding for your pets who love to nestle and have a good rest while not breaking the bank.

This is a great buy for your little rodents.

Best Bedding for Messy Guinea Pigs – Healthy Pet Critter Care Pet Bedding

If your guinea pig loves to spread his water everywhere or if you have problems with too much liquid build-up or odor in your enclosure, this natural bedding from Healthy Pet, made up of recycled wood pulp, is the best option to keep it under control very economically. It can absorb three times its weight in liquid and we also found it great at controlling odor, meaning that you won’t have to change your pet’s bedding as frequently as some of the less absorbent materials.

It has a texture like soft cardboard so may be a bit stiffer than the usual paper bedding, but this product isn’t too harsh on your pet’s little feet. The one minor drawback is that since this product is made from wood, the bedding could be a little dusty.

Best Eco-Friendly Bedding – Kaytee Clean & Cozy White Bedding

If you are looking for a white, unbleached, eco-friendly paper as your pet’s bedding, then this product from Kaytee is the one that you are looking for. It is made of natural paper and it is 100% biodegradable. Therefore, not only does this product provide comfort for your guinea pigs, but it also helps protect the environment.

In addition, it is made of great quality at a great price making it really convenient for pet owners who are on a budget. Also, keep in mind that this product expands when removed from the packaging. We had lots of positive feedback from owners about this product, making it one of our more popular options.

Best Granule Bedding – Kaytee Soft Granule Bedding

Some guinea pigs just seem to love to dig in more granular type bedding more than anything else. If this describes your pet, then this fantastic bedding from Kaytee would be your best bet. This bedding is made out of papers in a granule form. Since it is made in smaller granules, it will provide really soft and comfortable bedding for your guinea pigs.

Usually, this product is made from wood fibers that have been converted into a soft and highly absorbent litter, as well as bedding for small animals. It features great odor control, it is very absorbent as we have mentioned earlier, compostable, and 99% dust-free for your convenience.

Best Confetti Bedding – Carefresh Confetti Bedding

Some guinea pig owners love the look of confetti bedding as it is so soft and comfortable for your pet. If you’re one, this is the best confetti-style bedding available – you’ll love using this colorful bedding from Carefresh. While this is bright and colorful, you don’t need to worry about potentially toxic inks and chemicals in it as it has been specifically designed for pet use and is completely chemical-free and the inks used are all from natural sources.

This product is also 100% biodegradable so is easily disposable, and is also one of the most affordable confetti bedding options we’ve reviewed. In addition to its amazing comfort and being environment-friendly, it also provides confetti-like colors for your pet’s visual appearance in their enclosure.

Best Bulk Bedding – RentACoop Hemp Bedding

Hemp beddings isn’t a really a popular choice for guinea pig beddings, but they do provide a safe, comfortable, and affordable bedding for your guinea pigs. In fact, it is a great option for non-toxic, compostable, and pet-friendly bedding for your little rodents. This is a great choice for guinea owners who are looking for bedding that is both safe and affordable.

If you are one of those people who care about the environment, then you might want to consider using a hemp bedding for your pets. Not only are they safe and soft, but they also have a great smell, very absorbent, all-natural, and free from insecticides and pesticides that could cause harm to your pet’s health.

Conclusion

So, there you have it, the listed products above are some of the best guinea pig bedding that could keep your pet warm, cozy, and comfortable during captivity. Using the best bedding would also keep them happy and healthy, which would help prevent frequent veterinary visits.