Guinea-pigs are really cute pets and are fascinating to watch. But what's the best house for them to live in?
Guinea-pigs MUST live indoors, they don't cope well outside especially when it's cold. Of course, I understand not everyone has room for a cage/hutch in their houses but it's really important that you are willing to adapt your house for them especially in autumn and winter months.
Guinea-pigs need a lot of room in order to be able to exercise, feel safe and comfortable. This is also one of the 5 freedoms (see previous posts). They can be housed in either a hutch or cage, I personally think cages are better especially if your guinea-pig is going to be housed indoors as it allows you to see them and for them to see you thus a stronger relationship between you both.
I love the Ferplast brand of cages, they're perfect for guinea-pigs. They're easy to build, clean out, are big enough for your guinea-pig and most importantly safe too.
Guinea-pigs MUST live in pairs or small groups. The Ferplast Rabbit 100 cage is the perfect size for 2 guinea-pigs.
You DO NOT want a cage any smaller than this as it's not enough room for your guinea-pig. If you have more than 2 guinea-pigs, I recommend you go up a size, for example the Ferplast 120 cage.
Please remember that if you choose to house your guinea-pig in a cage it must live indoors!
Hutches are suitable if your guinea-pig is going to be housed outside. Again, the hutch must be big enough for your guinea-pig. The best thing as a pet owner you can do is to actually go to the shop, look at the hutches themselves to get an idea of how big they actually are. Buying online may be easier but you don't really get to see how big the hutches actually are. By all means, look in shops, take notes on the sizes and then find that hutch online but make sure you know exactly how big the hutch is going to be before buying. You want your guinea-pig to be comfy, safe and happy.
If you decide that your guinea-pig is going to be housed outside, be prepared to bring your guinea-pig inside during the autumn and winter months (You may want to invest in a cage also). Guinea-pigs that live outside should come inside in October and not go back outside in their hutch until about April/May time. Of course, check the weather before you do this.
Guinea-pigs are extremely sensitive to temperature changes. You may think its freezing outside but to a guinea-pig it's like arctic conditions- super ice cold! So, bare in mind that when your cold, your guinea-pig outside is going to be extra cold.
The positioning of your guinea-pigs house is important to. Make sure cages are away from drafts, radiators and noisy areas. Hutches need to be away from direct sunlight, windy areas and not at the bottom of gardens. Place the hutch nearer to your back door so you can see them.
If you can't bring your guinea-pigs hutch indoors during winter, it's a good idea to put the hutch in a shed or garage and give them extra bedding. You can also use blankets to cover the hutch for extra insulation.
I personally think that if you cannot house a guinea-pig indoors then you may want to rethink about getting a guinea-pig. They are very sensitive to changes and can fall ill quickly.
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