Guinea Pig Hutches
Guinea pig hutches are available in all shapes and sizes, including single decker and double decker guinea pig hutches. The choice can be bewildering for the inexperienced guinea pig owner. However, it is important to choose wisely as your guinea pig’s welfare and happiness may depend upon the guinea pig hutch you ultimately choose.
To help you reach a decision, we’ve listed some of the factors for you to consider. If you are buying a guinea pig cage as an indoor home for your guinea pig, then do also consider purchasing a run that can be used in the garden to provide your guinea pig with much more space to run around, play and hide.
Location: Where should you position your guinea pig hutch?
It can sometimes be hard deciding exactly where to place your guinea pig hutch. It is probably best to have some idea where you plan to house your guinea pig before you make your purchase. Although by no means exhaustive, consider the following factors before reaching a decision:
Avoid extremes of temperature
Your guinea pig should be housed in an area not too hot or too cold. If your guinea pig is being kept indoors, the RSPCA recommend an ideal indoor temperature of between 17C – 20C so don’t place your hutch near radiators or other sources of heat such as a sunny window.
If you are planning on keeping your hutch outside, the RSPCA do recommend that your guinea pig be brought indoors if the outside temperature falls below 15C; if this is not possible, you must keep your guinea pig warm by providing lots of bedding and a cover for the hutch. Hairless guinea pigs need to be housed in a warmer environment of between 24C – 26C, so must be kept indoors in the UK.
Keep the hutch well-sheltered…
Your guinea pig must be housed away from direct, bright sunlight, wind, draughts, rain etc.
… but also well ventilated…
If the guinea pig hutch is being kept in a house or a shed, ensure there is adequate ventilation at all times of year. If the guinea pig hutch is being covered during winter, it is important that you do not restrict ventilation when covering the cage.
… and dry
This means, if it is being kept outside, it should be preferably kept off the ground to stop it getting damp.
Ensure peace and quiet
Your guinea pig should be housed in a peaceful area. If it is being kept inside, keep your hutch away from sources of noise (e.g. tv, speakers etc.) Remember that houses can be very noisy places (especially with young children) and guinea pigs are very sensitive to noise.
Keep the hutch in a safe place
Think about potential risks or anything that could scare your guinea pig. The hutch must be positioned away from animals that may be threatening to your guinea pig such as cats and dogs. Even if you know that your dog is not a risk, your guinea pig does not.
If the guinea pig hutch is to be housed outside, it must be sufficiently strong and protective (paying particular attention to the roof) to withstand many potential predators, including foxes and birds of prey.
Choosing the right guinea pig hutch
The environment you provide for your guinea pig is vital to your pet’s health and happiness, second only to the food you provide. Fortunately, there are many guinea pig hutches available to suit every budget. However, before you decide which hutch to purchase, there are a few things to bear in mind:
Size: as big as you can afford
Find a guinea pig cage as large as your budget and size of house allows. It is easy to forget that baby guinea pigs grow and that a hutch that seems adequate now will seem far too small when your guinea pig is fully grown. Also, it is strongly recommended that you keep more than one guinea pig as they are social animals who thrive on company. So even if you currently have just one guinea pig, we would strongly urge you to consider acquiring at least one more to keep it company. For two guinea pigs, the RSPCA recommends a minimum size of: 120cm x 60cm x 45cm.
Areas: separate living and sleeping areas.
A guinea pig hutch should ideally consist of two separate ‘living’ areas:
- A space for recreation. This space should be large enough to allow your guinea pigs the freedom to run around and play. It should be a stimulating environment which includes toys and tunnels for hiding. Your guinea pigs should be able to see out of their cage; they are inquisitive, intelligent creatures who will want to see the world go by.
- A space for rest. This should be a darker area for resting (or hiding). Ideally, this should be accessible from the recreation area but if this is not possible, then you will need to buy a separate run/play area for your guinea pig to use every day.
Flooring
If your guinea pig hutch comes with flooring, make sure that it is a hard floor and not made of wire. If your guinea pig hutch does have a wire floor, then cover it with a hard surface. This is important because any exposed wire could catch on your guinea pig’s nails. If your guinea pig hutch doesn’t come with flooring, then it is important that it is placed on a hard, stable surface: consider buying a separate tray that can be easily removed for cleaning: particularly if the hutch is being sited indoors.