The cage for a small rodent must always be convenient for the animal to be comfortable inside it. Often it is equipped with houses, which is very pleasing to animals. About what these houses can be, why they are needed, and how to choose them correctly - read on.
Why do you need?
A house for a guinea pig is nothing but a place of its personal space. This animal is quite fearful, and therefore needs a place where it can hide in case of “danger”. Besides the fact that the house is considered to be a kind of fence from others, this is a place for breeding and eating.
In fact, it is an accessory cage, in which the animal can hide, eat, sleep, stay in solitude.
This is an indispensable thing for those who have noisy neighbors, because guinea pigs are afraid of loud noises.
In the house they feel safe, and therefore can relax. Fearful, the animal is poorly located to the owners, not sociable and looking for constant privacy.
Kinds
To classify houses for guinea pigs can be on several grounds. From the point of view of production, they can be ready - made under production conditions - and home-made (made from improvised material).
In addition, the products differ in shape: it can be cylindrical, hemispherical, rectangular, square.
It is difficult to say which product is better, it’s difficult, because often the options that are created independently at home are more interesting in terms of design and convenience.
type of instalation
Products differ in the type of installation: modifications are floor and suspended. Choosing the right option depends on the type and characteristics of the cell itself. Floor options in most cases do not have bottoms, while hanging products have it. The rest of the differences depend only on the design. Suspended versions of the soft type are a bit of a hammock, however, more rigid.
Type of construction
A house can have not only one, but also two entrances, often its facades are decorated with decorative cuts of geometric shapes. Other designs are a reduced copy of a chopped house with a gable roof. By the type of flow, models can be angular and with smooth or even rounded edges.
Modifications can be calculated for one animal or two individuals.
Particularly spacious products provide a place for litter inside.
Manufacturing material
Different products and the type of material manufactured. Often this factor determines the choice of the model, which is carried out on the basis of the pros and cons of the raw materials.
From wood
Wood is considered one of the best types of raw materials. These houses are particularly durable, eco-friendly and durable. They are rarely bought, because one product can last long enough. Their disadvantage is the large weight and the need for careful polishing, as well as the limited color solution.
Plywood
Plywood is convenient because it is easy to handle and assemble. Such products are lightweight and beautiful. However, plywood is not as practical as the original tree, and therefore it is less durable and may stratify over time. In addition, it is more susceptible to rodent teeth. Another drawback is the limited color gamut.
From cardboard
Cardboard designs are remarkable only because they are easy to do.In contrast to wood and plywood, less tools are used here, because you do not need to cut out anything, but you can simply cut it with scissors.
The disadvantage of such houses is fragility and softness, which has to be eliminated with a compactor. Make cardboard houses much faster.
From fabric
These houses are unique in their own way and can be very diverse, depending on the complexity of the cut and the degree of skill of the manufacturer. They are characterized by a rich range of colors, can create a particularly comfortable environment for the pet.
The disadvantages of a soft house made of flannel and cotton are the instability of the material to the teeth of the animal and the poor stability of the structure itself, even if there is a seal and stuffing inside. These products are short-lived.
From glass
Glass options are considered to be the original accessory of the cage. In fact, in their quality use tanks for an aquarium. Unfortunately, breeders do not think that such houses easily hurt a pet when he wants to sharpen his teeth. Glass enters the body, which is the cause of death.
From plastic
Houses made of plastic are unique in the richest color range. They can have the most various configuration and the size. Sometimes such models are made even from plastic pipes. However, neither their convenience nor lightness can compensate for the harmfulness of the material itself.
If a guinea pig starts to gnaw such a house, its digestive system is destroyed.
Dimensions
In order for the guinea pig to feel well inside the house, it is necessary to pay attention to the size of the room. The average size of a rectangular house can be 25 cm in length, 15 - in width and 15 - in height. The minimum values are 23x15x11 cm.
If the house is smaller, the degree of comfort of the rodent will change. If the construction is needed for two pigs, its parameters should be larger.
If the product is a cylindrical shape, and this is a suspended version, it is usually small, if not compact. For example, the bottom of such a house can be 12, 16 and 21 cm, height - 11, 16 and 21 cm. Inside such models there is no corridor, some of them are good only for small pets. Models created independently, often have a large space. It is convenient, because the animal inside can turn, as it is convenient for him, without causing discomfort to himself.
Which to choose?
Choosing a house for a guinea pig, you must consider a number of nuances. For example, the key of them will be the material. You need to look at its environmental friendliness, harmlessness to the rodent and durability. This is definitely a wood or plywood without any painting (remember that an animal can gnaw it from a wooden surface).
If you want to equip a cage with a hammock, a textile variant with a compact and a good shape is considered.
The price of the issue is often an indicator of quality. However, when buying, it is worth referring to products of a trusted manufacturer. It is important to find a supplier who does not use poisonous glue or even worse - small staples when fixing material that can injure mumps. The product must be flawless in terms of quality and assembly. No chips, cracks, and other defects should not be.
You should never take the staggering option. If it is initially poorly made, then no independent sticking will fix it. Such a product will not last long. And it may at some point hurt your pet.
If you are going to make a house on your own and do not know what is best and how, start work from plywood. Perhaps in the future you will master a tree.
When buying, pay attention to the size of the entrance: if it is too small, then the animal will be inconvenient to go inside and go back. See that the house does not have too small decorative slits in which the paws of the animal can get stuck.
If possible, give preference to the option with two inlets.
At the same time, the size of the entrances may be different, but necessarily rounded so that the guinea pig does not hurt.
It is necessary to select a house taking into account the parameters of the existing cell. In standard versions, its dimensions should not be less than 40x80 cm at a height of 50 cm. If you want to purchase a wooden model, pay attention to the cage accessories. The animal should be comfortable to climb to his house, he should not jump up, and the design itself should not be loosened by weight. As for the model, it can be a tunnel, a small house, a boudoir, or even a small house.
For more information on the needs of guinea pigs in the houses, see below.
