All children love to have a pet and some of the most popular pets are the rabbit and the guinea pig. Many parents feel that this is a good “starter pet” for their children which is fine so long as the parents make sure that their children know that rabbits and guinea pigs need as much love, care and attention as a dog.

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.

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