Bringing your Guinea Pig Home

What do I need?

Hutch:

Every guinea pig needs a cosy home, a place they can call their own, where they can feel safe. This is why choosing a hutch is such and important purchase and there is so much to consider in buying the right model for your guinea pigs and for you.

So, what makes a good hutch?

Firstly the hutch needs to spacious, with enough room for your guinea pigs to stretch their legs. The hutch must have two separate compartments - a day area with plenty of light, where your guinea pigs can eat and play; and a sleeping compartment that is enclosed, sheltered and allow your guineas to cuddle down in privacy at night time.

All hutches should be adequately weatherproofed if they are to be positioned outside. Although guinea pigs have snug coats they don't like to live in a draught and certainly don't want to get wet and cold so make sure you position the hutch in a sheltered place. The more sturdy and insulated the hutch the better and if it doesn't already have legs make sure you raise the hutch off the ground so the floor doesn't get damp.

Guinea pigs should not be left outdoors during the depths of winter. Bring the hutch into an outhouse, unused garage or consider keeping them in a suitable cage in your house.

 A Hutch Hugger or Hutch Snuggle will help to protect your guinea pigs' hutch from the elements.

Always keep your guinea pigs' safety in mind, and consider how secure the hutch is, is the wire mesh small enough to keep out rats? Are the door latches tough enough to deter a fox? Guinea Pigs do have predators, especially when their hutch is outdoors so make sure it is predator proof.

Exercise is vital to keep your guineas healthy, so make sure you purchase some kind of run and let them play out every day. A run needs to be sturdy and secure and have an area which provides shade on those hot sunny days.

Some hutch designs come with exercise runs included: be it a double decker hutch with a run beneath the living area or a hutch that can attach to a run that allows your pets freedom to enjoy both areas. A double decker hutch is easier for you and much more spacious for your guinea pigs. The added height of the top floor can be more secure from predators too.

Bedding:

Guinea pigs require plenty of clean and dry bedding which should be replaced when soiled and changed completely at least once a week. Wood shavings and straw provide a good base, as well as hay, which is also important as a food supplement. Recycled shredded paper also provides good bedding especially indoors as it is less dusty. Guinea pigs love to gnaw so it is vital that you don't provide them with any bedding that could be toxic if eaten or could hurt them if chewed.

Top tip: put lots of bedding in their sleeping compartment so they can shape it to make their own cosy nest

Bowl:

A ceramic bowl is recommended for dry food. This should be deep enough to keep the food dry and clean.

Water Bottle:

Fresh drinking water should be supplied in a bottle with a valve at the bottom, this will help keep water clean and fresh. Make sure you change the water daily, especially in the winter months when the water can freeze.

Top tip: In winter use a bottle snug to prevent your water bottle from freezing over, it'll keep the water cool in summer too!

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