Bedding for outdoor hutch

[Jemima]

I've just purchased the two story 6ft charter well hutch for two boars - it's ginormous! Not sure I needed to go for the two story, but hey ho, it's done now and they will be pleased! (Not so much my husband... who has just spent the evening putting it up while I study! )

My question is, I know I shouldn't use. wood clippings for bedding - would fleece be right? Or I was thinking Lino and then newspaper and lots of hay, with some fleece snuggle hides and so on.

It's actually under a shelter so won't get wet, but will get cold in winter and warm in the summer. Obviously I will bring them in when too hot, and give them heated pads in the winter and thermal cover.

Thanks for any advice re best bedding to use.

 

[piggl]

It is not recommended to use fleece in a hutch, due to the bedding also wicking the moisture from the air.
If the hutch is inside, such as in a shed or a garage, then it is more plausible.

My boys are on bath mats, in a hutch (garage), because one of my boys has issues with a smaller nasal canal and any bedding other than this was not working for us. I use a layer of newspaper, then puppy pads and then the bath mats. These get changed once a week and twice a week in the winter.
You may find these guides helpful -
Bedding For Guinea Pigs - Overview
A Detailed Guide For Fleece Bedding

 

[Guineapigfeet]

I used Aubiose in my shed (and still use it inside) it’s very absorbent and pretty much dust free. It will get kicked out a little bit and does settle into a nice stable bed and I just poo pick several times a day and just take out the wet patches as and when they appear on the top.

 

[Piggies&buns]

Wood shavings are absolutely fine to use.
There are lots of different types of disposable
beddings which can be used - I’ve tried most of them over the years! Shavings, aubiose (which is a hemp bedding), megazorb etc

My hutches (are in the shed) are lined with correx. I then put down a layer of newspaper. Then a thick layer of bedding - my bedding of choice at the moment is either megazorb or snowflake softchip. In winter the whole hutch is filled with lots of hay (summer tends to just be piles thrown in).
I spot clean by removing poops on top of hay and removing any wet areas of hay and bedding every day (twice a day in a cold winter). A full hutch clean roughly every 5-7 days

It’s best to use wooden hides in outdoor hutches.
No fleece bedding or fleece hides should be used in outside hutches at all.
No plastic hides either - too hot in summer and condensate and cause damp piggies in winter.