Beyond the Hutch 

It's been bothering me for a while now, why we think guinea pigs and rabbits belong in hutches. Sure, a lot of our rescue pigs currently live in hutch blocks out of necessity, but if I only had 2? There are so many better options these days!

The hutch myth is perpetuated by well-known pet superstores selling pretty but inadequate hutches for the impulse purchase pets they promote in store. Want it in pink? It's yours! With a pretty picket fence? Done! 

Commercially available indoor cages are woeful, I don't know how they get away with still selling them as suitable for any pet, let alone a guinea pig. Again, as a rescue, we see every sort of cage and hutch, pigs often come in with them and we are donated all sorts. We use the small 80cm cages as transport (covered) for groups of pigs, or while cleaning out. But for a pig (or pair of pigs) to spend a lifetime (8 years or so?) in one.... is a very depressing thought. Yet pet stores are still happily selling them with a pair of pigs! 

We once had a single boar come into rescue in the smallest hutch I've ever seen. It was 2' ish and he was 6 years old. He had a happy few months here but sadly had to be put to sleep after losing the use of his back legs due to crippling arthritis, the worst case I've seen. 6 years outside in all weathers in a 2' hutch? I'll never forget him.

2020 is a new decade and I really hope it marks a new era in guinea pig care and continued revolution of their average living quarters. With this blog I hope to inspire, educate and show pet owners that there are such amazing options out there, to suit all spaces and budgets. 

We will be looking at the best, and worst, housing that is available and really start to think about what the guinea pigs need and like, rather than just thinking of aesthetics from a human point of view. 

Join me on my journey to think 'beyond the hutch'! *By the way, this is Muffin and Brownie. Muffin is very keen to give her opinion on cage sizes!