Posted on 04-08-09, under PET.
There are outrageously astronomical numbers of abandoned rabbits and guinea pigs at animal shelters worldwide. The dilemma is that many people believe that these small animals will be easier to take care of than the common selections of pets, like dogs and cats. These people do not do an adequate amount of fact scrutiny and information gathering before they run out and get one. While rabbits and guinea pigs are a bit easier to take care of, they still cannot be just left to fend for themselves.
Where your rabbit or guinea pig lives is important. Will it be an inside pet or will you keep it outside? If you are going to look after your pet rabbit or guinea pig in the home, you will need the proper cage and bedding. Cages should not have wire bottoms because the wire hurts their feet, which have no padding for protection. Typically, an inside cage ought to have a solid plastic bottom with a wire top. The plastic floor will be a great deal easier to clean.
For exterior residents, a correctly built hutch is required. The appropriate hutch will protect your furry pal from dangerous predators, as well as cold and extreme heat. The base should be solid wood. If you decide to make use of wire for the bottom of the cage, you must make sure that you pad it with cardboard. External hutches can be selected in single, double, or triple levels that can suit the number of rabbits or guinea pigs you have.
What variety of bedding will you decide on? There is a shared misconception that wood shaving bedding, like pine or cedar, can be used for your pet rabbit or guinea pig’s cage. This is incorrect. These wood shavings are hazardous for your little critters. Rabbits and guinea pigs must to chew, and they will chew everything that they have access to. At all times make sure that the bedding you choose in non-toxic. It is always safer to choose hay or paper shavings for bedding.
Also, the kind of bedding that you decide will depend on the kind of housing that you have. Hutches are outside and will call for a bedding that does not produce an bad atmosphere for your rabbit or guinea pig. They must allow air to flow, in particular when they are damp from bathroom uses. In cages inside, you possibly will require something that regulates the unpleasant smell of the urine that rabbits and guinea pigs create, but it should still be comfy enough for the rabbit or guinea pig to nest and relax in.
The kind of home that you choose, regardless of whether it is a hutch or cage, should achieve two main goals. Primarily, it should be roomy enough to allow for movement. Five times the size of your rabbit or guinea pig is a sufficient amount. For rabbits, the cage must be large enough for jumping and your rabbit ought to have enough head room to stand on its hind legs. For guinea pigs, they ought to have enough room to run about, have tunnels and climbing toys, as well as sleeping and eating room. Second, your rabbit or guinea pig ought to feel contented and safe. A happy and secure furry critter is a happy furry critter.
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