Guinea Pig Hutch

What do you think is the most important aspect in keeping your guinea pig happy? If you answered the guinea pig hutch, you would be absolutely correct!

Take notes here because this article will explain exactly what you need to look for and buy when searching for you new guineas hutch. Hutch is just a fancy word for cage, but it sounds more relevant to a guinea pig.

Now to you, the human buyer, the hutch may not be much more than a wire cage that sits lonely in the back of the room. But to your new pet, this is his hutch, his home and place where he will be spending a good amount of time.

When you walk into the pet store in search of your new guinea pig hutch, the first thing you'll need to consider is the size. It doesn't have to be a gigantic hutch but it should be able to fit two or three guinea pigs comfortably. By comfortably I mean that multiple guinea pigs should be able to run around and play without being confined and laying in each others feces...yuck!

When selecting a hutch, the bigger you can get, the better off you and your little guineas will be. You'll also want to buy a hutch that has a solid bottom. You should pass on any cages that have wired floors. I believe that a plastic bottom is the most common of guinea pig hutches. If you can find one that slides in and out easily, that would be a definite bonus.

Another thing I always look for is the size of the door. Make sure that you are able to get your hand in there and be able to maneuver things around without too much trouble.

A good rule of thumb for the actual size of the guinea pig hutch is about seven and a half square feet for one, or around ten and a half for two. These are standard measurements to consider. And remember if your guinea doesn't have room to play, it will get overweight, which means health problems and an unhappy guinea pig.

The best kind of bedding you can supply for your pets new cage is called Timothy hay. This is safe for your pet. They also love to play in it and even eat it. I wouldn't consider any other choice for bedding. In fact, the wrong bedding can harm your guinea pig!

Besides the bedding, you may want to consider some hiding spots and play things for your pet. PVC pipes, balls, rocks, and even bricks are all things that guineas love to play and sleep in.