A Home of its Own

A major part of getting your pet used to his new environment is by making him feel at home. In the case of any of the pets mentioned above, you will need to keep them in a hutch or a cage.

If you choose a rabbit or a guinea pig, he can be kept in a hutch situated in the garden or in an outbuilding. The bigger the hutch, the more animals you can keep in it, and the more freedom they will have. The minimum size hutch for one normal rabbit or two guinea pigs is 100cm x 60cm x 60cm. The roof, floor and sides must be made of wood and weatherproofed and the front should be constructed of smooth wire netting. You should enclose about one third of the total hutch area to form the sleeping quarters for your pet. Bedding should be provided for your pet to snuggle up in the keep warm at night. Fresh hay or shredded paper provide a good bedding material. Cotton wool however should not be used.

Rabbits and guinea pigs are much more able to withstand the cold, than damp or draughts. So raise the hutch off the ground and face it away from the prevailing wind. Your pet however does need to be able to breathe fresh air, so if the hutch is in an outhouse, you should be sure to leave a window open or a door ajar.

Room to Move

If it is possible, you should also provide your guinea pig or rabbit with an outdoor run area during the summer months. This run should include shelter from the weather and from other unwelcome visitors (such as dogs). At the same time you should also take care to ensure that the run is ‘escape proof’.