Hutches and Bedding

The set up in a caviary is often very different from the arrangements used for one or two pets. When you have lots more of anything, the management system needs to be different. This also applies to animals.



Hutches and bedding is another area of cavy care where you will find differing opinions and philosophies on the 'best' way to do things. It really is a very individual and personal decision. What works for you may not necessarily be right for someone else but that doesn't mean your way is wrong!

FLEXIBILITY
My main consideration is flexibility. It is important to be able to move hutches. Sometimes this may need to happen in a hurry. My lawn hutches can be moved easily to avoid direct sunlight, flooding or other environmental conditions. My indoor hutches (currently housed in a large shed) can be moved for cleaning, to rearrange them or so they can be closer or further from windows or doors depending on weather conditions.

You need to have enough housing for all of your guinea pigs plus spare The spare bit is important and the more you have, the more spares you need. There are many reasons your cavies might need to be separated pregnancy, imminent birth, fighting, illness, injury or to be wrapped for an upcoming show. If you plan on breeding, you will need to separate any boars from their female counterparts around three weeks of age, and to do this, you will need more cages. It is always better to have too many options, than to have not enough.

TRANSPORT
A portable cage is a must. This can be a plastic picnic type basket, a speciality travel cage or even a handmade portable carrier. I purchased mine from Waynes World for $12 each. They don't have to be expensive to do the job.

Here are some reasons why you may need a portable cage; to get your cavy to a vet or friend with medical knowledge in case of an emergency, to bring a pregnant sow or ill cavy into the house where you can keep a closer eye on them, to take your cavy to a pet show, to pick up or deliver a cavy if you buy or sell.

BEDDING
When it comes to bedding and litter, the options are almost endless, wood shavings, cat litter, hay, chaff, newspaper, polar fleece.

Personally I use back-2-nature small animal bedding & litter. It has great qualities including, natural odour control, no additives or chemicals, highly absorbent, superior performance, biodegradable, long lasting, lightweight, easy to handle and virtually dust-free. I am currently trialling using a cheap all natural cat litter underneath, to help reduce the cost, as back-to-nature is about $15 for a 30kg bag.

I stir my litter with a hand cultivator every day or two to help dry out any wet spots and increase the effectiveness of the product. I line all of my cages with corflute, that I buy in large sheets from Bunnings. It is the same product that real estate signs are made from. I don't like the thought of urine soaking into the timber floor of my hutches and laying corflute over the flooring but under the bedding material helps to prevent this.

SECURITY
This is paramount. If your hutches do not provide a safe haven for your cavies then regardless of how many bells and whistles they may have, they are utterly pointless. Your cavy can not enjoy its lovely home if it is dead. All too often there are listings online of hutches for sale by owners because the neighbours cat ate their childrens beloved pets, or a snake got through the wide metal bars. In my opinion whether they are inside or outside, no matter how secure your fences are, all hutches should be animal proof. It is super easy to clip aviary mesh onto the existing wire or mesh of your cages.

It is worth looking at your set up and analysing what could go wrong, in order to prevent future tragedies. If you park your car in the garage where you have your hutches, then there is a high likelihood that you are going to poison your cavies with toxic fumes. If toddlers or young children can reach and open the hutches then there is a fair chance that the minute your back is turned, they will. Try to think outside the box because prevention really is the best cure.

STYLE
The style of hutch you buy will depend on many things, firstly your budget and secondly where you will keep it. In Australia, it is not uncommon to have hutches kept outdoors, undercover or indoors. I personally avoid metal sheeted hutches because I think they get too cold in winter and too hot in summer. At the very least I would insulate them with timber or if this isn't possible only use them in mild weather.

Breeders often use apartment style hutches. These simply constructed towers allow for easy access, easy cleaning and for multiple cavies to be housed in close proximity. Peter from Funky Cavy Stud in Brisbane makes some fantastic ones. You can check some of his handy-work out by looking at Emma's caviary set up on her All Things Guinea Pig Blogspot.

Smaller studs often use a combination of more traditional pet style hutches plus one or two apartment hutches and the average pet owner will often have just one or two shop bought or second hand hutches. As I said earlier, it really comes down to your personal preference and circumstance.

One of the main things to consider is that your hutch is constructed of non-toxic materials. This is particularly important if you are making your own. Piggies like to chew and using toxic paints or enamels could be fatal.

I recommend shopping around before making your final decision. There are many second hand hutches sold in classifieds, online and also by cavy shelters. Perhaps buying second hand will allow you to get something bigger or better constructed than you could otherwise afford. It mightn't look quite as new but if it is roomier and more comfortable, your piggies will be better off.