Care tip of the Month - August

Choosing a hutch for your pet is an important decision. Whether it is for a new pet or it is a new hutch for your existing pet, it will be your pet's home and where he or she will spend most of their time so it is essential that you choose one that they will be happy in. Here are a few things to think about when hutch shopping:

• Firstly, get as big a hutch as you have room for.
• Think about how easy it will be to clean - often novelty hutches have lots of difficult to reach areas and corners.
• Shop around at pet shops, garden centres and on the Internet.
• If you buy it on the Internet then look at the dimensions and get a tape measure out so that you can see how big it is before ordering it. Often photographs can be misleading about the size of it so this is the best way to picture the actual size and avoid disappointment when it arrives.
• Consider where the hutch will go in your garden and whether you want a run attached to it or a separate freestanding run that you can move around the lawn.
• Think about how suitable it is for the type of pet you have:
  
• • Rabbits need taller hutches than guinea pigs so that they can stand up on their hind legs. Very large rabbits will need it even taller and will need enough space to turn around in so bare this in mind when looking at the length and depth of the hutches on sale.
  • Guinea pigs often do not like ramps so tiered hutches are usually not suitable. However, there are some exceptions and some guineas love running up and down the different levels. This is particularly true for baby guinea pigs that get used to the ramps at an early age.
  • Ferrets need thick, strong mesh that they cannot bite through, and good catches to stop them from opening the doors and escaping. Consider putting on bolts as they will not be able to open them.
• Groups of animals need more space than single pets. Picture them in the hutch, will they have enough space?
• Most hutches have an indoor area which is essential so that your pet has somewhere to get warm and dry and to hide away if they want to. Make sure that this area is big enough for all of your pets to get into together.
• Consider whether the doors open wide enough for you to easily catch your pet when needed. There is no worse design than those with tiny doors that you can barely get your arm in to. Wide doors also make cleaning a lot easier too.

Remember, a good quality hutch doesn't come cheap but if you buy a good one and you take good care of it, it should last your pet years.