My Rabbit/Guinea Pig Hutch is Damp or Completely Soaked Through and Growing Mould, What Can I Do?

Our products normally sit in the garden all year round, getting hammered by the rain, wind, sleet, snow and sunlight.

Imagine the state of an expensive waterproof coat if you hung it outside 24-7 in your garden?

And on top of this, animals live inside them. This is a tall order making sure it can withstand the elements and handle all the heat and moisture your pets generate.

If the wood is soaked through, don't worry! Wood is a natural product and needs to dry out.

After a huge downpour or a prolonged period of wet weather, the hutch can start to get wet inside. This can be because of several reasons.

1. Constant rain on the roof has built up and soaked through.
2. Blankets or beds inside the hutch can soak up water and stay damp.
3. Higher than normal wind has blown in rain through the wire mesh doors.
4. Siting the hutch in a damp area of the garden or house keeps the humidity around it high and prevents it from drying out after rainfalls.

2 easy steps to sort out a soaked through or damp with mould hutch

1. Remove everything out of the hutch.

Sometimes the substrate or a blanket inside of the house is the cause for the build-up of dampness or mould. Remove any blankets or towels, wash or hang out to dry.

Remove any bedding/substrate and give a good clean - This should ideally be carried out every 2-3 days.

2. Give your house a good drying out.

Open all the doors and even try taking the roof off so that the sun is shining inside, this will speed up drying time, and the UV light can even help kill bacteria.

Once the hutch is arid, you can put in new bedding and give the hutch back to your rabbit/guinea pig.

A number of us here at H&R use this technique on our hutches and other products with great success.

We would recommend that you check the inside of the hutch every day to make sure everything is ok and clean it every 2-3 days to keep your rabbit/guinea pig hutch in tip-top condition.

Using a wind and rain cover will also help to keep your pet's home dry, but make sure that it still gets a good airing regularly, as wood is a natural product and contains water, which in turn can create condensation in the hutch with changing temperatures.