Sadie 

Why do they have to be smooth bottom trays?

A picture is worth a thousand words: 

Guinea pigs kept on wire floors can contract bumble foot. A very painful condition that causes the feet to swell. Vet's are unsure what causes bumble foot exactly but it is found ninety-nine percent of guinea pigs kept on wire bottom floors. Once a guinea pig contracts Bumble foot, they can have it again off and on again all their lives. So avoid wire bottom floors please.

What Kind of Cage?

There are a lot of cages out there on the market. Take into consideration before you get a guinea pig what your budget for this pet is going to allow in the way of housing. 

Cages typically start at $39.99 and then go up. 

More space is better. There are folks out there that will tell you that you need to have 7 square feet per guinea pig. Well that would be nice but it is not always practical. I personally would like to live in a mansion but the reality is I can't. But for a guinea pig having anything under 24" X24" is just plain cruel.

DO NOT AND I REPEAT DO NOT BUY THOSE CAGES THAT ARE 24"L x 16"W x 14.75" MOST ARE SET UP AS A KIT ~THIS IS TOO SMALL!

30"L x 17"W x 15.75"H is a place to start if you have one guinea pig. 

The more piggies the more space. The smaller the space the bigger the mess so keep that in mind as well. 

What NOT TO USE and Why:

DO NOT ATTEMPT to convert rabbit cages by removing the wire floors or wire dog crates. The litter will just get kicked out because the pan is to shallow. And you are going to spend hours cleaning it up.

Aquariums are NOT recommended. Guinea pigs will chew the sealant out of the corners of aquariums. Aquariums are also poorly ventilated and tend to retain heat in the summers. They are also very heavy to man handle to clean. 

Do not use plastic dog transport crates, because your guinea pig will not get the proper lighting that he/she require which is 10 hours per day. 

Do not use untreated wood boxes. They will absorb urine and eventually turn in to a toxic environment for your guinea pig. 

If you start out with the proper equipment and the right cage you will be able to enjoy your guinea pig rather then spend time fussing with the environment!

Check out this site for really good proven cages that will save you money while giving you maximum space:

www.cavycages.com 

Here are a few commercial cages you can also purchase if you are not into building your own:

My First Homes, Small Animal Kingdoms, Super Pet Cages, the list goes on.

Check out your local PETsMART or go to www.petsmart.com