Guinea pigs are incredibly popular pets here in the UK, and are particularly great for children. Often, though, they are left in hutches which are too small for them or that don’t meet their other needs. In this blog, I’ll be showing you what each guinea pig hutch should include, in order to create the perfect home for your furry friends!
- The hutch should be large enough for your guinea pig to exercise in and high enough for them to stand on their hind legs. However, bear in mind that guinea pigs are not very agile and they make poor climbers. This is why, when giving them space, it is better to do so horizontally than vertically. You can do this by attaching a run to their hutch and giving them plenty of tubes and piping to run about in.
- Guinea pigs in the wild are prey animals, so you need to make sure that they have somewhere to hide. Again, pipes and tubing are a good idea in their run, but you should make sure that part of their hutch is covered. You will also need to ensure that your guinea pigs’ hutch is secure and safe from predators such as foxes, cats or dogs.
- Guinea pigs are very intelligent, so their hutch should always have plenty of things for them to do to stop them becoming bored. Wooden toys that they can chew on are a great idea, such as fruit tree or willow sticks. However, don’t use plastic toys as they might harm your pets.
- It is very important that you choose the right place for your guinea pig hutch to go. They like routine, so it should be placed somewhere fairly quiet. Also, the hutch should not be exposed to weather such as bright or direct sunlight, heavy rain or strong winds. You will also need to make sure that the hutch doesn’t become damp, so one on raised legs is a good idea.
- Check the bedding inside the hutch regularly, especially after periods of rain. If any of it is damp, you should change this immediately. Soiled bedding should be changed fairly often and you should make sure that there is always enough bedding to keep your guinea pigs warm.
Follow these tips, and you’ll have the perfect
guinea pig hutch and your pets will be very happy indeed! That said, we’d love to hear any tips that you guys might have for creating the perfect home for your furry friends. Simply leave a comment below or chat to us on
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