# Guinea pig hutch help please



## Pointermum (Jul 2, 2010)

Hello small animal people, i'm venturing over here again :smilewinkgrin:

So following on from http://www.petforums.co.uk/rabbits/322015-real-cost-keeping-rabbit.html we have decided to get two Guinea pigs in a couple of months. I've been driving myself crazy looking at hutches  I would rather get them a 2 tiered one to give them more room, something like this MARIBELLE 4FT DOUBLE DECKER RABBIT GUINEA PIG HUTCH HOUSE PEN CAGE GREY/WHITE | eBay my main worry is the ramp , are they generally happy to use them ?

Thanks for any advice


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## tombullylover (Oct 28, 2013)

the cage will be fine and they should use the ramp :smile5:


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## magnolia (Sep 27, 2013)

My personal opinion is that cages with a second floor give no more space than a single floored cage. 4 x 2 on two levels is still only 4 x 2 of space as the animal can only be on one level at a time. If you have 2 animals then they can have a level each so perhaps do gain a little, but would still just have 4 x 2 of space. 
I would sooner get a larger one level cage.


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## loukodi (Oct 27, 2010)

I have 5 unneutered boars living together, they have a shed not a hutch but I have built them a platform with 2 ramps, this is so they can have an escape from each other (5 bonded boars are very rare). They use the ramps (one at each end) but the platform isn't high so generally they jump up and down.

It does give them more space to move / hide / eat.


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## Pointermum (Jul 2, 2010)

magnolia said:


> My personal opinion is that cages with a second floor give no more space than a single floored cage. 4 x 2 on two levels is still only 4 x 2 of space as the animal can only be on one level at a time. If you have 2 animals then they can have a level each so perhaps do gain a little, but would still just have 4 x 2 of space.
> I would sooner get a larger one level cage.


Sorry that makes no sense to me  Surely it's about giving them more room to explore, enrichment, i get that they will only be able to have zoomies on one floor level at a time but my 2 story house does give me more space


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## wind1 (Oct 24, 2010)

Having had guinea pigs in single level hutches and double level hutches I feel they benefit more from a single level. With the double level the top floor loses space where the hole for the ramp is. The hutch you are looking at is only 20" deep, that is only just over a foot and a half, not very deep. The guinea pigs I have kept in a double hutch have always used the ramp (after a little encouragement) but they can't really zoom around like they can in a single level. A 5ft double hutch with a width of at least 2ft would be more suitable or better still a 6ft single level. If space is an issue then you can only provide the best you can to fit. As for the ramp, I have always propped it up on a brick in the beginning so it is not so steep, then put food on it and food at the top. They soon learn to use it, then you can take the brick away.


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## Pointermum (Jul 2, 2010)

wind1 said:


> Having had guinea pigs in single level hutches and double level hutches I feel they benefit more from a single level. With the double level the top floor loses space where the hole for the ramp is. The hutch you are looking at is only 20" deep, that is only just over a foot and a half, not very deep. The guinea pigs I have kept in a double hutch have always used the ramp (after a little encouragement) but they can't really zoom around like they can in a single level. A 5ft double hutch with a width of at least 2ft would be more suitable or better still a 6ft single level. If space is an issue then you can only provide the best you can to fit. As for the ramp, I have always propped it up on a brick in the beginning so it is not so steep, then put food on it and food at the top. They soon learn to use it, then you can take the brick away.


Thank you i'll have a look for some deeper ones, don't really want to go to 6ft as I want them to be able to go in the shed at winter time :-/


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## wind1 (Oct 24, 2010)

Not easy to find deeper ones unfortunately but here is one similar in price to the one you are looking at. If you scroll down you'll see they do an XL one. It's 25" deep.

DELUXE DOUBLE DECKER RABBIT / GUINEA HUTCH WITH LEGS / HVY DUTY WIRE HUTCHES | eBay


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## Pointermum (Jul 2, 2010)

wind1 said:


> Not easy to find deeper ones unfortunately but here is one similar in price to the one you are looking at. If you scroll down you'll see they do an XL one. It's 25" deep.
> 
> DELUXE DOUBLE DECKER RABBIT / GUINEA HUTCH WITH LEGS / HVY DUTY WIRE HUTCHES | eBay


Thank you


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