Did you know that of all the guinea pig supplies you are going to require, the most important one to maintaining a guinea pig healthy and happy revolves around your guinea hutch?
That is right and the hutch is far and away the biggest investment you can make in terms of money spent on your new pet so you better be certain you do this properly so you have a healthier and happier pet for years to come!
The first factor you should think about when picking a hutch is the size. Think about your pet for a minute here… guinea pigs are playful and love to run around. A little hutch means not much running and the running you are doing is happening within your toilet. This isn’t a pleasant thought for anyone.
I am not implying that the guinea pig hutch needs to be so big that it consumes an entire room, but do be confident that you purchase one large enough for your pet to take cover (use as a cave) and scamper about (to get some exercise).
If you have the space, a 4′ x 4′ guinea cage is perfect… but do not purchase one that is any smaller than 2′ x 2′. However, if you have more than one guinea pig, you want to go with a larger hutch. Remember, if your guinea pig (just as with dogs) does not have the ability to play and exercise, then you will have a fat pet which will probably lead to health problems and depression.
When looking to buy a hutch an additional thing you should keep in mind is that the hutch has a solid bottom. This is a lot better than a wired floor. I’m sure you are able to imagine numerous reasons why a wired botton is not good for your guinea pig or the rest of the family. The most widespread type of a bottom in a guinea pig hutch is a plastic floor. This solid floor is much easier to wash and take care of. As a bonus, if you are able to buy one that slides in and out with ease you will be a lot happier over the course of time.
Another thing that a lot of people do not consider as they are looking at guinea pig cages is the door. You want to focus on to this detail and make sure that you (or the person with the biggest hand in the household) is able to get your hand in the hutch and are able to move around in the cage easily. You do not want to be struggling when you need to get inside!
After your hutch has been picked out, you will want to settle on the type of bedding you are going to use. I have used pretty much all types of bedding offered and without a doubt I will always choose a product called Timothy Hay. This is very safe for your guinea and they love to play with it and will even eat it. In addition to the bedding you are going to need to to consider buying a few toys for your guinea pig. These will be areas for him/her to hide and to play with. You can aquire things such as balls, rocks, large PVC pipes, spinning wheels, etc. Become creative and make your guinea pig cage a fun place for your guinea to play and sleep!