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When I was a kid, guinea pigs were routinely kept in aquariums and fed a diet consisting only of pellets. Now, many owners know that the poor little creatures need a lot more space and require daily hay and fresh vegetables to stay healthy.

Unfortunately, there are still a lot of small cages on the market. While they're not quite as bad as aquariums, they don't give guinea pigs nearly enough space to move around.

That was the main problem I found with the Ware Chew Proof Guinea Pig Cage, although it had some other flaws as well.

Guinea Pigs Need Space and a Friend

Two big guinea pig needs are enough space to move around and a friend. They're social creatures, so they do best with a buddy (same sex, please, as there's an overpopulation). The minimum recommended space is 7.5 square feet.

The Ware Chew Proof Guinea Pig Cage measures in at 13" by 31" by 12.5", which doesn't meet that requirement. It would be small for a single guinea pig, and downright cramped for two.

One other flaw in this cage is that it doesn't come with a shelf. I use two of the largest available Living World Deluxe Habitats for my two guinea pigs, which I have linked together to make one large living space. Those cages have shelves, which my girls love to hide underneath, and I hang the water bottles on top so they drip on the plastic rather than the bedding below.

Guinea pigs need somewhere to hide, so if you don't have a shelf or other spot built into the cage, you can use a pigloo or other hidey.

However, space is so limited in the Ware habitat that a hidey takes up too much valuable real estate.

Watch Out for Flying Bedding

You have many different bedding options when you have guinea pigs, from wood shavings to paper bedding to fabric. Although I currently use the latter, I use Carefresh or Kaytee Clean & Cozy in my guinea pigs' playpen.

If you want to use paper- or wood-based bedding in the Ware cage, your guinea pigs are likely to scatter it on the floor. The problem lies in the low walls, which allow the bedding to be easily kicked out when your animals are active.

One other thing I don't like about the tray on this cage is that it's metal. Granted, that's why it's chew proof, but it will also rust over time due to regular wear and tear from urine, cleaning, and water bottle drips. I find plastic to be much more durable, and I've never had problems with my guinea pigs chewing. If you give your piggies unlimited hay and appropriate toys, it's very unlikely they'll chew their cage.

Cheap Alternatives

One of the appealing things about this cage is that it's relatively inexpensive. That makes it a popular choice as a "starter home" for people who are new to guinea pigs. Unfortunately, "starter" all too often becomes permanent.

Larger cages can be quite expensive, but there's a good, cheap alternative. Make a cage out of storage grids and coroplast. This is known as a C & C cage. The cost of the material is negligible, and you can easily customize it and make it an appropriate size for your guinea pigs.

Even if you don't want to tackle a cage building project, you can find larger habitats for your guinea pig. My girls use every inch of their linked-together "Frankencage," and I can't imagine them in anything smaller. Look for something large that won't rust and has high enough walls to keep the bedding contained. If your cage meets those criteria, both you and your guinea pigs will be happier.