Best Hutch for Guinea Pigs

How to Choose the Best Hutch for Guinea Pigs?

In Cages by Ana M

Whether you decided to keep guinea pigs outdoors or in your home, your pet must live in a suitable housing. If you accommodate a guinea pig indoors, then you need to think about getting a right cage or maybe make it yourself, and then you need to organize it. However, if you made a decision to keep your pet outside, you need to invest into sturdy and safe hutch.

It can take a lot of time to research how to choose the best hutch for guinea pigs, so I have done it for you! In this post I am going to tell you what to keep in mind when hunting for a guinea pig’s hutch. Let’s get started!

The Size of the Guinea Pig’s Hutch

Aim for the largest hutch possible which lets your guinea pig to move around freely and stand up fully on their back legs. As a guidance, you can use rely on the following dimensions. Aim for the hutch size starting from 6 feet x 2 feet x 2 feet which is equivalent to 180 cm x 61 cm x 61 cm. In addition, two guinea pigs need 7.5 square feet of space. Then, you need to add 1.5 square feet for any extra piggy.

What makes the best hutch for guinea pigs?

  • A hutch should have a dark and drought-free resting area where your pet will be sleeping.
  • Look for the hutch which is raised off the ground to prevent dampness and droughts.
  • The hutch should be predators safe, it must be secure from larger predators like cats and foxes. Also, it should have wire mesh panels which stop rats and mice from getting inside.
  • The construction should be sheltered from the prevailing wind and direct sunlight.
  • Stay away from hutches made of the plywood, these are cheap and thin.
  • keeping guinea pig outdoorsLook for the hutch with the bolts, these are going to add more security.
  • Go for the hutch that has been treated with environmentally friendly and animal safe anti-fungal stain.
  • The roof of the hutch should be sloping from front to back to channel water away which prevents the roof from rotting.
  • Ideally, the roof should be covered in 2-3 layers of roofing felt which ensures that it stays waterproof.
  • The front of the hutch should be divided into two sections: the first is a door covered with wire mesh which allows the air and sun rays into the hutch. The second part is a solid door panel which shelters the hutch from sunlight and rain. It creates a shaded area in the hutch where your guinea pig can rest.
  • Models with the pull-out trays for the cleaning without hassle are precious!
  • Opening roof that locks in place is a nice feature meaning that you can easily take your pets out.

Permanently attached exercise run or a playpen?

It is a good idea to get a hutch with a permanently attached exercise area so your pet can access it when he wants to. On the other hand, you can get an outdoor run separately which you can move around in the garden and place it in a safe area. The third option is to purchase a playpen which is portable and easy to set up. You can find more details on which option is best for you in this article.

Double or single decker hutch?

There is no doubt that double tier hutch is very convenient as it provides your pet with the run for a dose of daily exercise at any time of the day. However, many pet owners have noticed that the attached run is not that spacious to run a lot. Of course, you can use little tricks like placing treats and hay downstairs, so your pets are motivated to run there. Apart from that, guinea pigs love to run up and down the rump and it is very entertaining to watch.

Thoughts on the open bottom hutch?

Some pet owners place open bottom hutch on a concrete floor and use bedding alongside with hay to make it softer. That way guinea pigs can keep their nails to the optimal size. It is also very easily to clean up all the mess every few days because you can just sweep it. Also, your pets are going to enjoy the fresh grass if you place a hutch on the ground.