SIZE is a matter of personal opinion but the hutch should be large enough to give an acceptable quality of life especially during the winter months when the guinea pigs cannot go out in a garden run. Bearing in mind that guinea pigs are happiest when kept in groups of two or more, most readily available commercial cages are not large enough to house a pair of pigs. The guideline is 2 square feet per guinea pig, so for a pair you would need 4 square feet. Bear in mind that this guideline is for a minimum area - if you can give more then all the better! If the cage is large then provide a smaller box inside it to snuggle into at night for warmth. Unlike rabbits guinea pigs do not sit up, so height need not be too high.

BEDDING: Lay several sheets of newspaper on the floor of the hutch to soak up excess urine, and cover this with a thick carpet of good quality wood shavings. Do not use sawdust in cages as this is too fine and gets into their lungs causing respiratory problems. A 4" high litter board to contain bedding will save a lot of sweeping up! A dense layer of hay will help to provide a warm and comfortable sleeping quarters and will also supplement the cavy's diet. Be sure to use hay and not straw as the latter is too sharp and can damage the piggy's eyes as he runs through it. Check also that there are no sharp stalks or thorns in the hay.

The hutch should be well ventilated and big enough not to encourage damp conditions through condensation. The main hutch front should be covered with small gauge wire netting or twilled to prevent vermin from entering and spreading disease.If you buy a ready made outside hutch check that the roof slopes from front to back and that it has a good overhang front and back, otherwise rain driving in through the mesh or a damp back wall will cause illness. The roof should be covered with roofing ashphalt. Check regularly that the roofing felt is in good condition and that doors are secure. Its a good idea to add locks in order to deter the most dexterous foxes.Try to position the hutch so that the wind and rain aren't blowing straight in through the mesh in the winter and so its not baking in the midday sun during the summer.

OUTDOOR RUNS: Most pet stores stock a selection of fold-away outdoor runs for guinea pigs which are similar in design to those for rabbits, but again needn't be so tall. These are ideal for guinea pigs who live indoors or in hutches which do not have an attached run, allowing them time during good weather to enjoy grazing on the lawn. Check when buying that you can reach right into the run to pick your guinea pig up as they can be very difficult to catch when they have enough room to scamper away!Position in a shady spot and put some boxes or pieces of drainpipe in the run so that they can hide or take shelter. Fresh drinking water should always be available too.Don't place the run out on wet grass after a rain shower and avoid using lawn that has recently been treated with weed killer. Take a look at our Feeding page to see which common plants (such as buttercups) may be dangerous to your pigs and make sure the lawn is free of these.It is not a good idea to leave guinea pigs unattended in their runs during the day whilst you go shopping or to work or left outdoors overnight - it may rain and your pigs will need to be taken indoors. At worse, given enough time a clever fox may dig under the run and find his way in! Only put pigs in the run when you are at home and around enough to keep an eye on things.

INDOOR CAGES: There are a wide range of purpose built cages suitable for housing guinea pigs indoors available from petstores, such as the one in the picture on the right.. Materials used vary as much as their design.Guinea pig owners however are a very inventive crowd and many day-to-day household items can be adapted to make your own customised cages and runs... we've seen paddling pools, kiddies' playpens, bed frames, fireguards and metal crates all employed to good effect!Growing in popularity at the moment is the use of cube shelving and Correx (known as Coroplast in North America). Building your own cages and runs from these materials is cheap and quite simple. It allows you complete control over the design and can easily be altered and added to should your cavy population grow. If you're interested in finding out more about housing your guinea pigs using cubes, we recommend a visit to Cavy Cages website where you'll find lots of advice and ideas.