Positioning an outdoor guinea pig hutch

You should think carefully when you set up your outdoor guinea pig hutch. Guinea pigs are sensitive to changes in their conditions and the weather. You should think carefully about where to put an outdoor guinea pig hutch. Here are our tips!

It is important to remember that guinea pigs originate from South America and are used to a warm and dry habitat. Guinea pigs in the wild will naturally look for shelter or comfort when the weather changes. Being in an outdoor hutch, they can't do this, so you must.

Move the hutch with the weather

If the weather gets really hot, you should move your outdoor guinea pig hutch to a cooler and shadier area. If the temperature drops during winter, you should move the guinea pig hutch into an outhouse, conservatory or shed for extra shelter.

TIP! If you can't find a more sheltered area, you can always cover the hutch with a blanket when it's cold.

Where to place the guinea pig hutch

You should position your hutch in an area which won't be subject to too much direct sunlight or chilly winds. You should also avoid positioning the guinea pig hutch in damp areas.

Many guinea pig owners choose to secure or semi-secure the outdoor hutch to a wall or fence for extra stability. A useful method is to attach the hutch using pegs or clips so that it can be removed easily and positioned somewhere else easily.

It is important that your guinea pig hutch is raised from the floor - most are built on a frame with legs. This will hopefully stop nocturnal creatures and cats from becoming too interested in your little piggies! Coupled with a decent felt roof, a raised guinea pig hutch is less likely to be affected by the rain or damp.