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Finding an apartment can be a stressful and time-consuming experience, and renting with guinea pigs makes this even more difficult. Some landlords are very forgiving on their pet policy, but others have very strict rules that make it very tricky for renters.
You wouldn’t think that renting with guinea pigs would be a problem as they are caged animals. However, there are many reports of renters having apartment applications rejected or having to pay pet fees.
In this article, I will cover everything you need to know about renting with guinea pigs, and what you can do to convince a landlord to allow pets.
Do Guinea Pigs Make Good Apartment Pets?
In general, guinea pigs are more suitable apartment pets than larger animals are. Unlike larger pets such as cats and dogs, guinea pigs won’t take up that much space as they won’t need free rein of an entire apartment. Additionally, guinea pigs groom themselves regularly and won’t smell bad so long as you clean their cage frequently.
Minimum Cage Size Requirements
Guinea pigs can be kept quite happily in a cage in a designated area of an apartment, given that the apartment itself is big enough. Particularly small apartments aren’t as suitable however, as guinea pigs do have minimum space requirements that need to be met to keep them happy and healthy. These requirements are:
| Number of Guinea Pigs | Minimum Cage Size (cm²) | Minimum Cage Size (ft²) |
| One Guinea Pig | 7200 cm2² | 7.75 (ft²) |
| Two Guinea Pigs | 11520 cm2² | 12.4 (ft²) |
| Three Guinea Pigs | 14400 cm2² | 15.5 (ft²) |
| Four Guinea Pigs | 18240 cm2² | 19.63 (ft²) |
Storage Space
You also need to consider if an apartment has enough room to store all their bedding, hay, food and other bits. If you are fairly competent at D.I.Y you can build a custom storage area to go under their cage. The easiest way to do this is by building a C&C cage and using panels to create an underneath storage area.
Enough Space for Floor Time
Guinea pigs will also need the occasional floor time where they can run around more freely than they can in their cage. This could be a problem in small apartments, so make sure there is enough room first as guinea pigs do need floor time.
You will also need to guinea-pig-proof the floor space to prevent damage to the apartment and of course; losing them. This can be easily done with an indoor run and a waterproof tarp to protect the floor.
Do Apartments Allow Caged Animals?
When searching for an apartment you should first find out what the landlords’ pet policy is. If you manage to find an apartment that allows pets they will have no issues with you moving in with guinea pigs. However, actually finding an apartment that allows pets isn’t all that easy, as more and more landlords are including a ‘no pets policy’ in the tenancy agreement.
But does a ‘no pets policy’ include caged animals such as guinea pigs? The answer unfortunately is; it depends. The animals that are included in a ‘no pets policy’ is at the discretion of the individual landlord.
The good news is that most landlords are only really concerned with animals that are likely to cause property damage and excessive noise. This generally means that cats and dogs are banned, but the policy doesn’t always extend to caged animals. Again, this all depends on the landlord and how strict their policy is.
Most property listings only mention cats and dogs in their pet policy, so it’s not always clear whether caged animals are allowed or not. If you do find an apartment with a ‘no pets policy’, check with the landlord or estate agency to find out whether this includes caged guinea pigs.
Do Apartments Charge for Guinea Pigs?
Most landlords that allow pets will include some form of pet fee in the tenancy agreement. This fee is usually an additional deposit on top of the security deposit, but can sometimes be additional monthly rent.
But do these fees apply to guinea pigs? When you look at apartment listings online, the pet information usually only mentions cats and dogs. Therefore, to find out if the landlord of an apartment charges for guinea pigs, you will need to directly contact the estate agency or landlord.
Unfortunately, the decision to charge for guinea pigs is at the discretion of the landlord and the local laws.
How Much Do Landlords Charge For Pets?
If your landlord does decide to charge you for your guinea pigs, it’s good to know how much you can expect to pay. There are generally two types of pet fees you may be expected to pay. The first and most common fee is a pet deposit. But you may also be required to pay additional monthly rent.
Pet Deposit
Most landlords that demand pet fees will ask for a one-off pet deposit. This deposit is an addition to what you will pay for a security deposit. On average, a pet deposit will cost anywhere between $300-$400.
Generally, a pet deposit fee is not refundable even if no pet damage is caused, although certain state laws require this deposit to be refundable. States such as Hawaii, Montana, and California have made non-refundable pet deposits illegal.
Additional Pet Rent
Some landlords will decide that an increased deposit is too much to expect from a tenant, and instead will opt to simply increase the monthly rent. This is known as ‘pet rent’. Pet rent on average will cost between $10-$50 extra per month, but can sometimes be even more. Some landlords will even charge this rate for each pet.
Should You Mention Your Guinea Pigs?
So you’ve found the perfect apartment and are ready to move, but the landlord tells you that absolutely no pets are allowed. You only have a couple of guinea pigs though, so should you mention them, or try to sneak them in?
Yes, you absolutely should mention your guinea pigs to a landlord. Honesty upfront will save you from a lot of stress in the future, as well as potential financial and legal difficulties.
It may be that a landlord rejects your tenancy application upon finding out you have guinea pigs, but this is much preferable than the alternative. If you fail to be honest and smuggle in your pets, you will be under constant stress. What if the landlord decides to do a property inspection, or needs to go in to do some repairs?
If you lie about having no pets and sign a tenancy agreement that specifically states no pets, the law is on the side of the landlord. They may demand that you remove the pet from the property or face eviction. Additionally, as you would be in breach of the tenancy agreement you can be charged a lease violation fine. A landlord may even take legal action against you where a court can order you to pay for damages and legal costs.
The bottom line is that honesty is the best policy.
Tips For Renting with Guinea Pigs
Looking for properties and renting with guinea pigs can be quite stressful, especially if all you can find are no-pet properties. The good news is that most landlords are reasonable enough to know that guinea pigs are not going to cause issues that a dog or cat might.
Some landlords may even find it amusing that you are asking if you can keep guinea pigs, and don’t consider them a risk at all.
However, it won’t always be so easy and you will sometimes need to take extra steps to get the apartment you want. Below are some handy tips for people renting with guinea pigs.
1. Describe Your Guinea Pigs
There is a chance that a landlord doesn’t quite understand guinea pigs and how they are kept as pets. If you inform a landlord that guinea pigs are cage animals they may be a lot more lenient on their pet policy.
You can also explain how guinea pigs don’t chew things (as much) like other rodents, and that they don’t cause lasting odors. Perhaps the landlord is worried about pet fur and fleas. Tell them how you regularly groom them and use flea-treatments.
2. Provide Pictures of their Cage
This next tip goes along with describing your guinea pigs. What better way to explain them to a prospective landlord than with pictures? Show a landlord photo proof that your guinea pigs live in a nice sturdy cage where they won’t be causing property damage. If they can clearly see that your guinea pigs are contained, they may relax their pet-policy rules.
It would be a good idea to have a freshly cleaned cage for this picture. You and I know that guinea pigs are little pooping machines, but a picture with poop scattered everywhere will leave a bad impression with a potential landlord.
3. Make a Guinea Pig Pet Resume
You have a resume for yourself, why not make one for your guinea pigs? Okay so I know this one might sound a little over the top, but hear me out.
Whilst some landlords will have no problem with you owning guinea pigs, a strict landlord will more than likely ask questions about them. Lots of questions. It is these inquisitive landlords that you make the pet resume for as it will answer all their questions.
A pet resume obviously isn’t a record of job history, so what does one include? A good pet resume should include:
- A cute photo of your pet/pets
- Name, breed, age, sex, size, and weight
- Details on behavior and temperament
- Owners name, phone, and email address
- Reference details from a previous landlord
4. Pet References
A pet reference is a letter from a current or previous landlord, or a neighbor detailing the good behavior of your pet. People usually only bother to get pet references if they have a dog or cat. But if you go the extra mile and get one for your guinea pigs, it shows landlords how serious and responsible you are.
5. Find Pet-Friendly Apartments
You will make your apartment searching a lot easier if you only look for properties that are pet friendly. This does limit the number of apartments you can apply for, but it will make the whole process a lot less stressful and time-consuming.
Finding apartments that are pet-friendly is fairly simple. It will often say somewhere on a listing whether the property is pet-friendly or not. Also, estate agent websites often allow you to select search parameters that filter out what properties are shown to you. Often this includes a pet-friendly filter.
But by all means, continue to apply for apartments that aren’t listed as pet-friendly using the tips I have listed. The extra effort may land you the perfect apartment that you wouldn’t necessarily have found otherwise.
6. Have Everything in Writing
If you manage to convince a landlord with a ‘no pets policy’ to allow you to have guinea pigs, you need to get it in writing and have it signed by both parties. You need to be very cautious when signing a tenancy agreement, so read through it carefully.
Check that the pet policy section accurately reflects the verbal agreement you have made with the landlord. If there is no mention of allowance for your pet in the tenancy agreement and you sign it, your landlord can go back on the verbal agreement whenever they like.
7. Prepare for Rejection and Fees
The hard truth is that finding apartments that allow pets is a difficult process. You should be prepared to have landlords reject your application due to having guinea pigs, even after making the effort to convince them otherwise. Also, you shouldn’t be surprised if a landlord charges pet fees such as a pet deposit or additional pet rent.
8. Don’t Be Fooled By Renters Insurance
Some landlords may ask that you get ‘renters insurance’ to cover the costs of any damage caused by your pet. Do not be tricked into getting this for your pets. Renters insurance does not cover pet damage. Your landlord isn’t an insurance agent so the may not know this so try explaining it to them, but don’t press the point too hard.
However, renters insurance does cover you for a whole host of other things so you may want to get it anyway. Having renters insurance will also make a landlord more likely to accept an application. But if you don’t want to pay for insurance, don’t be fooled into getting it just for pet damage.
Karl is the founder of Guinea Pig Pals – a blog about owning and caring for guinea pigs. Karl has helped take care of many guinea pigs throughout his life as they were a family-favorite pet. He now owns two rescue guinea pigs that he and his partner have nursed back to health. Using his experience and knowledge, he has created this blog to be a helpful resource for new and experienced guinea pig owners alike.