Guinea Pig Hutch
All About Guinea Pigs and Buying a Guinea Pig Hutch
Although it’s exciting to run down and purchase a Guinea Pig and a Guinea Pig hutch, there are a few things you should know before you make the commitment to have this pet.
Guinea Pigs are favorite pets for children, but you would be surprised by how many Guinea Pigs get sent to animal rescue shelters simply because someone didn’t think through the idea of having one before making the commitment to take care of this type of pet. Before you make the decision to get one of these animals for a pet you will first want to take a few things into consideration.
The first thing to know is that a Guinea Pig does make a good pet for a child, but ultimately the animal will be the responsibility of the parent. Even in the event that your child looses interest, it will still need to be cared for, which is where the parent comes in. A Guinea Pig can live for around 6 years so the parent will be making a commitment to care for the animal and make time for it.
Guinea Pigs are very sensitive to temperature so it will be necessary to keep the Guinea Pig hutch in a heated shed or in your home. This will have to be something that you are willing and prepared to do, otherwise your pet will likely freeze to death. If you do have a heated shed to keep your pet you will still have to keep a close watch that the temperature inside doesn’t get too cold during the winter months.
It will also be necessary to take into consideration any allergies that someone in the family may have. People who are prone to allergies may be allergic to Guinea Pigs; to be sure that this will not be a major problem it is advisable to have that person spend some time around these animals before buying one.
To keep one of these animals comfortably you will need a fairly large Guinea Pig hutch. Although you can buy one of these cages at a pet store these types of cages will often be insufficient for keeping the Guinea Pig once it gets older. Because Guinea Pigs need a lot of room to run around you will want a Guinea Pig hutch that is no smaller than 4 feet, but it would be better if the cage were even bigger.
A Guinea Pig hutch is not an inexpensive accessory, but you may be able to save some money by purchasing a second hand used cage. It is also possible to build your own, though this can be time consuming. Before you buy one of these animals it is best to take some time to shop around for an affordable and adequate Guinea Pig hutch.
Some additional things to take into consideration before getting a Guinea Pig would be the time it will take to care for the animal, as well as hidden costs such as vet bills. If there are other pets in your home this is something else you will have to think about. In the case that you have a cat there is no doubt that you can expect some problems. Cats and Guinea Pigs just don’t get on well together. Although dogs can be okay with these pets, a dog can just as easy decide to attack the Guinea Pig as a cat can. If you do have other pets never leave them alone with your Guinea Pig.
You and your family will love a Guinea Pig for a pet, as long as you know what to expect and can properly care for the animal.