A question we are often asked is how much will the total cost be? Remember not just the cost of the cavy, but caging, food, water bottle, bedding, etc. In this article we are going to try to give a basic outline of costs, remember you can always spend more or less depending on what you choose.
- Caging- This is tricky because it can be home made and cheap or a high end store bought cage. Most cages of the right size, 3ft by 2ft for one cavy, are going to run about $60.00- $80.00. This is a standard store bought plastic bottom with a wire top cage. The ones that comes in the starter kits are too small! Bigger is always better.
- Food- A 2.5 pound bag of cavy food at the pet store is about $7.00. A 24 oz. package of timothy hay will run about $5.00. Dark green veggies 1/4-1/2 cup a day will be about $2.00 a week or less.
- Water- Water bottles are a must– no bowls please. This will run about $4.00.
- Food bowl- Almost any heavy low shallow dish will do. You probably have something in your own cupboard that would work but if not it will run about $5.00.
- Bedding- Pine is cheapest but some people and animals have trouble with it. A paper product bedding will cost more but for some people it may be their only option. The cost is about $20.00 for a 2-3 week supply.
- Sleep sack- Do not over look this. If you are purchasing a skinny pig they must stay warm. A ferret sleeping bag will work or you can purchase one from your breeder. Once home if you are handy with a sewing machine these polar fleece sacks are easy to make. Cost is $10.00-$15.00
Add it all together and without the cavy we are looking at $118.00. With the cavy it will run about $218.00 total cost. This is much less than many pets, but still a lot of money and it should be considered before you pick out your cavy. The cage is the bulk of the cost. There are some great home made cage designs on the Internet that work well and are very affordable. Most of them can be made by following the simple directions and can be built by just about any one. Purchasing a new pet is always a big responsibility and knowing some of the major costs ahead of time can help made this process easier.