These cute and adorable pets are a far cry from their sewer dwelling cousins and deserve to be pampered with lots of guinea pig products. At Ideas4Pets we strive to bring you the very best quality guinea pig products to spoil your pet with and keep him healthy, happy and safe.

Pampered pigs

The first thing you need to do when you have or are getting a guinea pig is to make sure it has an adequate home. At Ideas4Pets, we have a wide range of different housing available for your guinea pig. You can choose from indoor and outdoor hutches and cages or even one of each for a bit of variety. We have hutches available ranging from cosy to extra large.

Other guinea pig products you need to invest in include food and water containers, a small pet carrier and cage or hutch bedding to make your new friend comfy. You may also want to invest in an exercise run or pen so that your guinea pig can get some exercise outside its hutch or cage. We have a variety of play and exercise pens and runs ranging from small to very large.

These are ideal for when you or the children want to play with your guinea pig outside. Our guinea pig products offer you top quality and value for money when investing in a furry friend’s happiness.

Rabbits are therefore a popular option. You can keep them indoors or outdoors. They can make cute, cuddly and friendly pets that can bring you endless hours of pleasure and companionship. However, you cannot just get a bunny and hope for the best. Getting any pet needs to be a well thought out operation, no less so with rabbits than another kind of pet.

Bringing home the bunny

Having rabbit hutches is a given for a rabbit owner. You need a place to keep your pet safe, secure and happy. Choosing the right one out of the many rabbit hutches available is another story. You need to decide on a budget of how much you can spend on your rabbit hutch. You can’t compromise on the size of hutch though because your pet’s health and happiness depends on having enough space.

Rabbit hutches cannot be tiny – even if your rabbit is to start off with. Baby rabbits soon grow up and so you need a hutch which will easily house a large adult rabbit. Rabbit hutches need to be roomy enough for them to be comfortable and have separate areas for feeding, drinking, sleeping and toileting. Just like you wouldn’t like living in a small cubicle, your rabbit won’t either.

Rabbit hutches should be designed to require the least effort for cleaning and make the most use of available space.

This is the reason rabbit hutches were made. They provide a safe place for your rabbit or rabbits to stay overnight and when you can’t be there to supervise. This will keep them safe from all dangers and give you peace of mind. Hutches have to be cleaned out regularly but rabbits that live indoors can be litter trained to minimise the mess.

What do products offer you?

Rabbit hutches come in different shapes and sizes. It all depends on the size of your rabbit or rabbits and the space available to you. It you have one rabbit you can purchase a single rabbit hutch or a hutch with a run if you want it to have more space. If you have more than one rabbit or if you plan on getting more you can buy a double or a triple rabbit hutch. Ideas 4 Pets have a team of experts to help advise you on the best rabbit hutch for the needs of you and your pets.

They were certainly cheap to buy but they were cheap in every other way as well !!  The walls and door of one of the hutches I looked at were constructed from the thinnest of hardboard which means that in the colder months a pet would be in grave danger of either being extremely cold and uncomfortable or even freezing to death !! 

The hutch was being advertised as a rabbit hutch but was no taller than about 12″, meaning that an average rabbit would be unable to sit up on its hind legs to stretch.  The length of the hutch would not have given a rabbit enough room to lie down and fully stretch out its body eithr which means that the poor rabbit would have a lifetime of being in the same position.

I know that things are tight due to the current recession but should our pets have to suffer because of it?  Here at ideas-4-pets believe that a pet’s welfare is paramount.  We believe in educating our customers as to the best type of rabbit hutch to purchase in order for their pet to lead a long, happy and healthy life.

A rabbit should be able to sit on its hind legs comfortably when in its hutch and should have enough room to stretch out fully and we recommend a rabbit hutch to be at least 3 times the length of your rabbit in order for him to do this.

A rabbit also needs to have plenty of exercise and so a rabbit hutch with an under-run is a good idea as it allows him more space and the chance to hop from one level to the other to releive his boredom and exercise his legs.  Toys should be added to his cage for him to play with and ideally your rabbit should have access to a rabbit run so that he can hop around in safety unless you have a safe garden area where he can be let out under supervision.   He requires access to fresh, clean water at all times and needs a good quality feed to keep him healthy.

It may be a surprise for some would-be rabbit owners to learn that a rabbit needs as as much exercise as a small dog in order to keep him happy and healthy and he also needs plenty of space, warmth and security, not forgetting “toys” to amuse himself with when you are not with him.

My advise is that if you can’t afford to give a rabbit the right type of hutch then put purchasing a rabbit on hold and wait until you can buy him one that will more than satisify his requirements.  Rabbits are sensitive little creatures that not only require love and attention on a daily basis but also need space to move around freely to prevent boredom and aching limbs.  It’s really not too much to ask of their owner is it?

You wouldn’t put a small child outside on a cold, windy day in a T-shirt would you?  So don’t put your rabbit outside on a cold day in a flimsy rabbit hutch.  For the sake of your rabbit’s health and well-being please take time to read up on rabbit hutches before rushing out to buy the cheapest.  If you love your rabbit and want his life to be happy and comfortable then he deserves much better than the hutch I have described.

We have rabbit hutches with legs and rabbit hutches that go straight to the ground.  There are advantages to both of these – those on legs are great for preventing rising damp if you place your hutch onto grass or cold concrete.  However, some rabbit owners like to think that their rabbit can go down the ramp from his bedroom and straight to his run which is placed directly onto the grass which rabbits enjoy.  The disadvantage of this can be if you leave the hutch on the grass in all weathers, as this can eventually rot the bottom of the rabbit hutch and will also be uncomfortable for your rabbit if the grass is wet.  Common sense is the answer here – in good weather place the hutch on the garden and in poor weather put the hutch on concrete and cover the bottom with hay.

Some of the rabbit hutches have an under-run (like the one mentioned above)  A great idea if you want your rabbit to have the benefit of a 2 storey house.  If you have the room in your garden, then invest in a rabbit run as all rabbits love their freedom and a rabbit run lets them have the room to hop around, kick their legs and generally have fun in a safe and secure area.

Rabbits kept in single hutches will particularly benefit from a separate rabbit run to stretch their legs in.

Whichever hutch you finally decide on, just make sure your rabbit can stand on his hind legs easily and that the hutch is about 3 times his length as a minimum.  Rabbits love exercise and can walk as far as a small dog, so it would be cruel to keep them cooped up in a hutch that was not big enough for them.

Remember to always keep your rabbit hutch scrupulously clean to prevent flies and disease and also to provide your rabbit with plenty of clean, fresh water daily and a good quality rabbit food for him to enjoy.     

Most of these problems can be a avoided if you care for your rabbit properly but listed below are a number of things that a new rabbit owner should look out for.
Teeth too long

Your rabbit’s front teeth will continue to grow throughout her life so that any wear is repaired throughout your rabbit’s life. This is because pet rabbits are often fed softer food that their wild cousins and often have little or no access to tree bark which helps to keep them down. In severe cases the front teeth grow so long that feeding becomes impossible and the long teeth will either slowly lever the jaws apart or the tooth will grow until it locks into the opposite jaw. 

To keep your rabbit’s front teeth in trim, feed it is better to leave them on the stem as this is tough enough to offer some resistance to her front teeth.  Any root vegetables are better fed whole to rabbits who are big enough to manage them. Place any block of wood in the rabbit hutch or the rabbit run and it will act as a good gnawing block but a newly cut log with the bark left on is far preferable if you can get hold of one.  There is no danger of your rabbit swallowing splinters because when she gnaws, her cheeks are drawn in and this forms a barrier.  

If your rabbit still suffers from teeth that are too long then a trip to your vet will soon put this right as he will file them down for you.
 
Claws too long

Your rabbits’ claws would wear down naturally in the wild as she would be burrowing regularly, but because your rabbit would be kept in a rabbit hutch, her claws may need clipping from time to time.

ideas-4-pets advise that you ask your vet or an experienced rabbit keeper to cut your rabbit’s claws the first time as it is easy to cut into the blood and nerve supply which is distressing for both your and your rabbit.  However, you may find that once you have seen this demonstrated you may want to have a go yourself using animal nail clippers which can be purchased from most pet shops.
 
Too fat

As with some humans, obesity is the result of poor food management. Rabbits that are kept in their rabbit hutches for long periods of time are most at risk. Rabbits need far more freedom to exercise than most owners realise and purchasing a rabbit run is a great idea as it provides the extra space for exercise but also ensures your rabbit is safe and secure.  Also, a good diet is essential and your vet should be able to help you choose a quality rabbit feed to keep your rabbit healthy.

Snuffly nose

Some rabbits suffer from the “snuffles” which is really called contagious rhinitis. It is a respiratory tract condition which is very like the common cold in humans. Unfortunately this is a highly infectious disease and the danger is that it could lead to pneumonia if left untreated.  Rabbits displaying the two most obvious symptoms of snuffles which are sneezing and a discharge from her nose, should be isolated well away from any other rabbits youo may have and you should seek help from your vet immediately.

Flesh wounds

Wounds are usually inflicted when two rabbits start fighting and if this happens to your rabbits, then you should separate the rabbits into two rabbit hutches or a double rabbit hutch and their wounds should be bathed with a mild antiseptic lotion. Obviously, any serious wounds should be looked at by your vet.
 
Ear Canker

Some rabbits can suffer from canker which is not always noticeable on the outside of the ear. If you notice that your rabbit is shaking her head constantly or scratching at her ears or if there are any signs of inflammation, you should make a preliminary examinion of her ear for canker and then take her to your vet for advise on treatment.
  
Fleas

Fleas can also cause a problem for your rabbit so if you see your rabbit displaying symptoms of discomfort and irritation which is making her scratch, she may be infested with fleas.  Fleas tend to cluster around the head, particularly the neck, where the dark spots of their excreta may be noticed.  Fleas can be destroyed by the application of an insecticide powder available from your vet or pet shop but when applying, make sure that none gets into your rabbit’s eyes.  

Fleas reproduce by laying eggs in your rabbit’s bedding or on the floor of the rabbit hutch.  It is therefore impossible to eradicate them without burning every last straw of the bedding and the floor litter and scrubbing out the rabbit hutch.  Any crack can harbour the flea eggs and after a few days the larvae will emerge and the life cycle begins again.

The rabbit flea has been idientified as a carrier of the virus that causes myxomatosis and although during an outbreak the great majority of tame rabbits are safe, veterinary advice should be taken about any that are felt to be at risk eg. if you have wild rabbits who visit your garden.

Lice

Infestation of lice can also be a problem but unlike fleas lice will lay their eggs in your rabbit’s fur.  The eggs are white and stick to the fur with a natural glue-like substance.  They show up particularly well on dark-coated rabbits but will be noticed on any fur during grooming. Lice can be destroyed by a specially prepared insecticide powder supplied by your vet but it is only effective when the maker’s instructions are followed exactly.  Several applications are usually necessary to eliminate succeeding generations of lice emerging from the eggs.

Mites & Ticks

Rabbits are also frequently troubled by several different mites.  The ear mite caor seen to be scratching at their ears and shaking their head need prompt treatment from your vet. Sometimes ticks will attach themselves to rabbits and feed on their blood.  Once the tick has had enough, it will drop off naturally but should not be pulled off whole while still alive.  This is because the head of the tick will remain firmly embedded in position and could then cause a severe infection.  The ticks can be killed by cutting off their air supply for about thirty minutes with a smear of vaseline and you can then pull them away cleanly using a pair of tweezers.

Eye problems

Domestic rabbits can be susceptible to eye problems caused by dust and/or other flying matter that accumulates in the your rabbit’s eye pockets or by draughts. Dust accumulaltion causes tears to stream down your rabbit’s cheeks.  What owner can bear to watch his rabbit crying?  Try and stop dust accumulating as a cure is never as easy as prevention. Thankfully only one eye is usually affected although some unfortunate rabbits can suffer an infection in both eyes.  Eye baths, prescribed by a vet, are frequently required to treat the infection.  
 
Sore hocks

Sore hocks is a condition normally caused by insufficient bedding in the rabbit hutch.  This is painful for your rabbit as tender, cracked and possibly scabbing skin covers the infected hind limb where the fur has been rubbed away.  Cleaning and applying an antiseptic ointment will help your rabbit to recover and seeing your vet is also recommended but again if you ensure that your rabbit has plenty of warm soft bedding in her rabbit hutch this should not happen.

As rabbits can rapidly go downhill after developing an illness it is essential that prompt attention is given to your rabbit if she appears to be suffering in any way.  ideas-4-pets always recommend that if your rabbit doesn’t respond to the treatments we suggest that you make an appointment with your local vet for expert help as soon as possible.
 

Did you know that the rabbit hutch or the guinea pig hutch that you choose should be at least 3 times the length of the animal and give them enough room to stand on their hind legs? The rabbit hutch (or guinea pig hutch) should allow the animal to sleep in an enclose, dark area and also have access to a light, play area.

Rabbits and guinea pigs love to run around and play and rabbits will kick their legs out when out of the rabbit hutch. They must have room to do this and if the rabbit hutch does not allow this, then they should have daily access to a rabbit run. Time in the rabbit run should be supervised as both guinea pigs and rabbits are prey to cats and foxes.

The rabbit hutch or guinea pig hutch should be cleaned at least twice a week and disinfected at least monthly. This is important as a dirty hutch can lead to infestation of flies and maggots and these can cause untold misery, especially to rabbits.

Rabbits also need regular grooming to keep their fur in tip-top condition and both pets need easy access to fresh, clean water and good quality food.

In winter, the rabbit hutch or guinea pig hutch needs to be sheltered and should be free of draughts – imagine being left outside in the cold and damp in a draughty hutch – not a pleasant thought. A rabbit hutch cover is a good buy as this stops the wind and rain from blowing into the hutch and causing discomfort to your rabbit or guinea pig.

In summer, your rabbit or guinea pig will need lots of exercise in the fresh air but will also require some sort of shelter in the rabbit run so that they can shelter from the sun or a sudden rain shower. Some rabbit runs have a covered area which is ideal.

Most of all, your rabbit or guinea pig will need lots of love and attention as they are both extremely sociable creatures and in the wild will live in family groups. As pets, they often lose this closeness to creatures of their own kind and rely on their owners to give them the friendship and companionship they need. Play with them often and handle them as much as possible as this will strengthen the bond between you and your pet.

Remember that a well cared for pet is a happy pet and will give you unconditional love for many years.

More

However, you will need to devote some quality time every day to the care of your rabbit.  Rabbits usually require more attention than some other small pets so they may not be ideal of very young children but will make an ideal pet for older children provided that they have an adult who will help them to take care of their needs.

There are many rabbit hutches on the market to choose from, but the rabbit hutch you choose must be weatherproof with a separate sleeping area with plenty of dry bedding to bed down in.

Ideally a rabbit hutch should be approx. 3 times the length of the full grown rabbit when lying down and allow the rabbit to stand on its hind legs easily.  These are not easy to come by, so if your hutch is smaller, consider adding a separate rabbit run to allow daily supervised exercise for your rabbit outside the cage.

The rabbit hutch should give some shade during the heat of the day and shelter from strong winds and rain.  Rabbit hutches can have rabbit runs built onto the hutch or you buy a separate rabbit run to be located elsewhere in your garden Try and get one with a sheltered area to protect your rabbit from the weather.  Make sure that the hutch is cleaned out at least twice a week to prevent infestation, flies and odours.  A rabbit should always have a clean hutch and have plenty of fresh, clean water to drink.

Young rabbits can be nervous and should be allowed to gradually get used to you and their new surroundings.  For the first few days, talk quietly and gently to your rabbit to build up trust, then slowly introduce your hand into the hutch.  Rabbit are curious and he will become inquisitive and come to sniff your hand.  After a week or two, try picking up your rabbit but use both hands so that he feels safe and secure.  Make sure you support your rabbit by putting your hand under his hindquarters.  Never lift your rabbit by the ears as this is very cruel and very painful.  Would you like to be lifted by your ears?

You should also start to groom your rabbit daily once he has got used to you handling him.

All Rabbits need daily exercise as this is natural behaviour – they love to run around and kick their hind legs in the air.  It is important to encourage your rabbit to indulge in natural behaviour.  Rabbits also like to burrow and a piece of plastic piping in its rabbit hutch can act as a burrow – make sure it is wide enought to allow your rabbit to get through or he will get stuck !!  A box filled with shredded paper will encourage your rabbit to dig and if you put some root vegetables at the bottom of the box this will be a lovely treat for him to nibble on.

A healthy Rabbit is alert, has shining eyes, a shiny coat and a clean nose.  His breathing should be quiet and regular and his droppings should be formed pellets.  

In order for your rabbit to remain healthy he needs your time and attention as he should be checked at least twice a day.  

He also needs a good balanced diet with no sudden changes which could cause him to have an upset stomach. 

His hutch should be clean and dry and completely washed out with with a mild disinfectant at least once a week.

Your rabbit should not be exposed to any extreme or sudden changes in temperature and his water bottle and feeding bowls should be thoroughly cleaned daily.  He should also have easy access to clean, fresh water daily and be fed a quality rabbit food with fresh supplements if required.  Your vet will help you to choose a good food for your rabbit.

Place gnawing blocks and chew toys in his rabbit hutch to help wear his continually growing teeth or they will grow so long that it will hamper his feeding.  Your vet will advise you on this and will cut them for you if required. 

Long haired rabbits should be groomed every day and  short-coated rabbits should be groomed weekly.

Your vet will advise you on innoculations required and be careful that he does not come into contact with any wild rabbits who may carry disease.

Looked after properly, your pet rabbit will give you years of love and entertainment.

When Rabbits urinate into the top layer corner of any rabbit hutch it will run down below into the run area. No hutch that we are aware of will fully seal and stop this from happening. The same is true of a guinea pig hutch.

We recommend that it is better not use sawdust with rabbits as it irritates their eyes. The best way is to line the floor of the rabbit hutch with layers of newspaper which will soak up urine. The newspaper sheets should be changed regularly to stop the rabbit hutch from smelling and the paper from getting too wet and soggy. The bedding chamber where your rabbit or guinea pig will sleep, should be lined with newspaper – let the newspaper run up the sides and corners as well as the base of the hutch. One top of the newspaper lay hay or soft straw (the ‘dust extracted’ variety is best and is available at all good pet shops)

As a guideline, use about 6 layers of ‘broadsheet’ newspaper crossed in both directions so tat it runs up all the side walls, then add the hay which holds everything in place but remember to change it every few days.

The added benefit of using newspaper this way is that when cleaning out the hutch, the whole lot can be rolled into a bundle around the old bedding hay. This way you can pick up any droppings as well so cleaning becomes much easier. In fact, this can all be done in about 1 minute.

We would also recommend that the rabbit has a rabbit run for during the day in good weather, not forgetting to offer him some shade of course. This gives gives the rabbit access to grass and clover etc. and allows him to pee and poo in the garden rather than always in his hutch.

We were recently told by a vet that there are never any ‘ill’ rabbits, they are either ‘very well’ or ‘very dead’ but never poorly! ( ..her words) …. this is usually because owners feed them incorrectly. She recommended it’s best to keep them to a quality supplemented pellet food diet with maybe half an apple and half a carrot per day and stick to that.

She also advised not to keep changing their diet as it upsets their stomach. Surprisingly she informed us that lettuce is very bad as it gives them diarrhoea, so our advise is to avoid it. She also suggested that rabbits should have access to an open bowl of water as well as the inverted bottles as they tend to like a good ‘slurp’ as well as drinking from the bottles.

Imagine our horror when we were told that there was only one rabbit left as the other one had frozen to death !! It was very cold and wet outside and these two poor bunnies were crammed into a very small, very run-down rabbit hutch with no rabbit hutch cover to offer them any protection from the weather.

We immediately adopted “Bill”, a large but very skinny black rabbit and brought him home. We had Bill for 9 years and tried to make sure that his years spent with us were happy ones.

Unlike Bill’s earlier years we knew that if a pet rabbit is being kept outside it is essential to provide it with a large rabbit hutch. When selecting a suitable rabbit hutch there is a lot to be considered. For instance, it is essential to know the adult size to which the rabbit will grow. As a rough guide, the rabbit hutch you choose should allow an adult rabbit to sit up on its hindlegs easily and to be able to stretch out comfortably – allow at least 3 times the length of the adult rabbit.

The rabbit hutch should also be split into two sections – a secure and secluded sleeping area where your rabbit will keep warm and cozy in winter or can escape the sun and heat in summer. All the doors should fit well to eliminate draughts and a sturdy lock that fasten securely will prevent theft and escape.

The rabbit hutch should be weatherproof and regularly treated prior to the winter months using a non-toxic wood preservative. The roof should also be weatherproof and preferably coated in a good quality felt. If the roof slopes backwards, it will allow rain to drain off. Flat roofs encourage rainwater to “pool”.

Strong wire mesh should be used on the front of the living quarters and if this can be foxproof then all the better. Check that there are no rough edges which your rabbit could injure itself on. A thick piece of canvas can be attached to the roof and lowered over the front of the cage at night to keep your rabbit warm and cosy in the cold months, or why not invest in a waterproof rabbit hutch cover.

Line the rabbit hutch with a thick layer of newspaper with either good quality sawdust or wood shavings on top for extra warmth. Putting hay in the sleeping compartment offers warmth and comfort at night.

Ideally the rabbit hutch should be raised off the ground to protect your rabbit from rising damp and vermin. Try and also place the rabbit hutch so that it is not facing prevailing winds or your rabbit will not be comfortable in its play area. Keeping your rabbit free from draughts is something to consider as well.

Unlike Bill’s first home, in the winter the rabbit hutch should either be placed in a well ventilated airy garage or shed or be well protected from the weather. Remember rabbits can suffer from being too hot or too cold.

Attach a water bottle to the wire front of the hutch and make sure that your rabbit has access to clean, fresh water daily. Purchase a good quality food for your rabbit and supplement this as necessary with fresh greens and carrots. Your vet will advise you on this.

Whatever the size of the rabbit hutch you purchase, it is important that you know that rabbits need exercise in much the same way as a puppy does. The safest way to provide this is by using a rabbit run. However, the run must be escape proof and predator proof and provide some shelter if your rabbit is there for some time. If you can supervise your rabbit in the run, then this is better than just leaving it on its own where it is very vulnerable to cats, foxes, etc.

The rabbit run should be moved daily so that your rabbit has fresh grass to nibble. Make sure that the grass has not been treated with any toxic weedkiller or any other harmful substance. Place lots of toys in the run for your rabbit to play with – these can be purchased from a good pet shop or you can make your own cheaply from plant pots and plastic tubing.

The rabbit run should only be used for day time exercise and the rabbit placed back into its hutch at night. Ensure that other pets don’t frighten your rabbit and remember that a cat will love to use the rabbit run as a place to rest on and will be greatly entertained by the stress this causes your rabbit.

There are lots of rabbit runs on the market some triangular shaped and others which are oblong. It’s a good idea to purchase one that has plenty of access both from the top and the sides so that you can get your rabbit out easily when required.

Remember that a rabbit who has a loving owner who has the time to play with him, a warm, comfortable home and plenty of fresh food and water will be a happy, healthy rabbit who will provide its owner with an equal amount of love and fun.