Recommended Cages Sizes

Size IS Everything!

As a rescue, we promote 'bigger is better' when it comes to cage sizes. Regardless of how often you think you will have your guinea pig out for cuddles and playtime, the guinea pig's living quarters need to be more than adequate as they will spend the majority of their lives in it.

The general guide for guinea pigs seems to be a minimum of 4' x 2' for a pair of pigs, more if it's a pair of boars, then add a foot for every additional pig. Which is fine up to a point. I don't know where this originated from, but it is pretty standard here in the UK when adopting from a rescue.

However, trying to find a commercial hutch or cage that is 2' deep is pretty near impossible. Usually 18'' is more what you find. So many 4' hutches are not deep enough, meaning that you need to look harder!

There seems to be a trend towards 'cottage' style hutches with runs underneath and a ramp up to the living quarters but my heart always sinks when I see that somebody has bought one of these. The simple fact is that guinea pigs are not naturally climbers, they are ground dwellers. While some may manage ramps easily, others will never venture up or down them, thus confining them to one level. In addition, the sheltered part of these hutches is usually woefully inadequate in size and usually entirely enclosed (no light). In poor weather (which is most of the year in the UK) the guinea pigs will be stuck in this tiny, light-deprived box. They are too large and weighty to move easily so the grass area underneath is grazed down to earth in no time at all. Also these are not a cheap option! For the same or similar price you could get something much more appropriate and long-lasting that will provide for your guinea pigs needs.

Guinea pigs need / like:

1. Open space (with hideys) to run, play, do zoomies, popcorn, chase and play hide n seek
2. Sheltered areas to snuggle up and hide if they feel threatened or cold
3. Guinea pigs do not cope well with extremes of temperature, or dampness. Again, as we are based in the UK, this means that in reality the peak of summer and depth of winter and are usually too extreme for piggies to be safe. Every year pigs die of heatstroke and of the cold. Many.
4. Grazing. Guinea pigs are grazers and they are designed to eat all day (and night!). Their digestive systems rely on it. While pigs can live on hay alone, they really appreciate grass time when weather permits. Due to predators (foxes, cats, dogs, birds of prey) they need a secure run with a top, and adequate shade from the sun. If the grass is damp to touch, it's too wet to put them on it. Their tummies are so low-slung they can easily catch a chill
5. Foraging. Guinea pigs are built to forage. They need hay, unlimited access to hay and lots of it. Not in hay racks or pretty bags, not in hay cakes... just hay. Good old fashioned hay in abundance. You can sprinkle their pellets, treats or veggies amongst it to give them something to do, which is much better than just presenting them with a bowl of pellets.

With this in mind, think about the traditional 'hutch' that we think of when we hear the word. Box-like, rectangular, maybe on legs, maybe with a sleeping compartment and an outer compartment? Is this enough?

The trend towards indoor self-built cages has really taken off in recent years, with more guinea pigs now living indoors than outdoors. Along with this comes ways to reduce the mess they make (as they are indoors, it's more noticeable and more important to keep clean) which means lots of things you can buy to reduce the 'mess' (I refer you back to point 5 above). Yes, your lovely fleece liners don't look as pretty once they're covered in hay. But the guinea pig's need to forage has to come first. There are many ways of dealing with this which I'll cover further.

My aim in 2020 at the rescue is to show all potential adopters what is possible with housing and to ensure our own housing is as inspiring as it can be. Not everyone can afford expensive custom-built set-ups but it's not really cost that is the issue here, so much as 'thinking beyond the hutch'. Once you realise how much happier the pigs are once you meet all of their needs, you'll be able in turn to educate others in the same way and so it will spread.