In the summer, most of us move to the garden, whether at our home or cottage. Of course, we also want to let our rodent friends loose, and simply bringing the cage out won't do it. How can we make a comfortable, safe outdoor enclosure?
When you spend the whole day outdoors, you wouldn't leave your bunny or guinea pig at home, would you? They need free movement, and nothing makes them happier than feeling the grass under their feet. Such movement is natural to them, and it improves their physical and mental health.
Every garden has space for an enclosure. It's best to choose a space under a tree or somewhere where the enclosure is at least partially in the shade. You can also use a sheet or parasol. Some enclosures even have their own sun shield so you don't have to deal with it. You should also make sure that there are no poisonous plants and that the lawn has not been chemically treated. The surface should be flat with no holes and bumps so that the enclosure fits against the ground and your pet can't escape.
In addition to the mentioned shade, your pet should have access to fresh drinking water all day in the enclosure, and the water should be changed at least once a day due to the high summer temperatures. Your pet's summer residence should also have a spacious house. A little branch to chew on should also make him happy.
When choosing an enclosure, be sure to consider how large the animal is, what its demands for movement are and how many pets will be placed in the enclosure. Today there are so many various enclosures for reasonable prices on the market, so I think it doesn't make sense to make it at home, unless handcrafting is your hobby. :) Just keep in mind that just the material will cost you almost as much as a ready-made piece from a pet store or hobby market.
The most basic enclosures are made of a metal grid consisting of several parts. It's basically just a little fence. Some don't even have a roof, in which case I would recommend buying a protective net, for example. Without a roof, a rabbit could jump over and a rat could climb over, but all rodents placed in such an enclosure are at risk of an attack by predatory birds, or even a dog or cat.
The advantage of a nylon enclosure is that it's easy to fold and transfer. You can even use it at home. However, it has a waterproof bottom, so the pet will miss out on many perceptions and the opportunity to eat.
Then there are wooden enclosures; from covered enclosures to two-storey enclosures with a house. They certainly look better and ensure full comfort for your little rodent. If you intend to have an enclosure in the garden for a long time, I wouldn't hesitate to invest in it. They cost from one to three thousand crowns and will last you many years.
Does your rabbit, chinchilla, guinea pig or other rodent have a summer enclosure? Did you build it yourself, or did you buy it? Do you have any tips and advice to make their time outside more pleasant?
Cats are no longer the outside countryside homeless animals that come closer to a house just for a while when they are in the mood for it. Rather the opposite, they have started living in city flats and have adjusted to our lifestyle. However, it’s...
Rabbits are popular pets especially for city flats. It’s because they don’t require a lot of space and don’t need to go outside very often (no garden needed). However, it doesn’t mean taking care of them is easy and no time or efforts are needed. We...
It sounds lovely: a dog gets a command, it does it and gets a treat or a reward for that. It won’t end with one moment in the perfect case and it will become the basic idea of a whole training for a dog that will become an obedient pet using positive...
Every dog owner knows that feeling when (s)he has to leave house to work or (s)he can’t take his/her pet with him/her for any reason and (s)he doesn’t know what’s going to happen. Can a dog handle the situation or will it bark and go on the rampage?...
Fear is natural for people and everyone has their own fears. While someone is scared of spiders, heights or confined spaces, others are scared of dogs. This fear is common in children who haven’t explored the world so well yet and who don’t know the...
Guinea pigs are popular pets especially in families with kids. They are small animals that can bring a lot of joy. If you consider buying a guinea pig, there are some aspects you shouldn’t neglect before making the decision. We talked about what to...
Have you heard about sport called Disc Dog? It basically consists of throwing a disc to your dog that fetches it. Disc Dog can be done as a recreational or a professional sport. For professional competitors, there are several disciplines for which...
Siberian Cat is quite a new breed that was only recognized by the Fédération Internationale Féline (FIFe) in 1992. It emerged from crossbreeding domestic cats and breeds brought from the Near East and it found its home in Russia and Ukraine where it...
Most of us have this long thought-to-be-true idea that one dog year equals to seven human years. So, if you have a two-year-old puppy at home, it is already 14 years old when compared to humans. Therefore, if you have a ten-year-old dog at home, it is...
Breast milk is, in the beginning of life, the best thing a pup can get from its mother. It is full of the nutrients it needs to grow and develop properly. However, as the offsprings grow, milk needs to be supplemented with other food, so they are...
Cat lovers and breeders know very well that one cat is often not enough, and that there is sometimes a need to get another cat companion. However, this decision will affect the whole household and, above all, it is necessary to prepare the cat you...
Many of us are under the influence of the need to fulfill a dream of getting an unconventional pet, which the minipig certainly is. This trend has been present in the Czech Republic for about ten years. But don’t be fooled by those cute snouts, taking...
