Meta: Hideouts reduce stress and give small pets a safe place to rest.
Small animals are prey animals, so they feel safer with somewhere to hide.
Options
- Wooden or ceramic houses: sturdy and easy to clean.
- Fabric or fleece tunnels: soft for guinea pigs and rabbits.
- Cardboard hideouts: cheap and chewable.
- Hay-based houses: edible and good for rabbits.
How to use them
- Place at least one hideout per pet, so they don’t fight over space.
- Put the hideout in a quiet corner, not near loud noise.
- Make sure the entrance is big enough for your pet to move in and out easily.
- Add a tunnel between areas, to encourage exploring.
- Clean regularly and replace when damaged.
Safety tips
- Check that animals can’t get stuck. Tunnels should be wide enough to turn around in.
- Avoid materials that fray, because loose threads can wrap around legs.
- Don’t use cedar or pine.
Give your pet time to explore. Some like to hide at first and become braver over time.