Buying a new hutch - advice, please? (And help with ramps?)

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Flower_Girl

Flower_Girl

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Hello! I've had my current hutch for about 5 years and it's on its last legs. I'll hopefully be ordering a new one before Monday, but I'm not sure where to get it from, or what sort to go for, so if anyone has any recommendations I'd be most grateful!

It needs to be 4ft x ~2ft (though I haven't seen any hutches which are actually 2ft wide) as I have some very expensive hutch covers for that size!

My current hutch is a "double decker", but I've never had the ramp down for my current guinea pigs as the bottom compartment hasn't got a floor and the ramp is quite steep - I've been worried about my girls just falling through it. :red (It was originally used for a rabbit). But looking around I've seen some quite nice ones and I thought it might be time to give my girls a second floor. They are about 2 and 4 years old - is this too old to get them used to using a ramp? It would be lovely if they could have more space while they're not in the run.

I'm looking through a number of websites, but if anyone has used a company they'd particularly recommend, please let me know!

I'd be willing to spend up to a hundred pounds (ouch).
 
Can't help with the hutch type but my hutch has a steep ramp. My girls are under 6 months and used the ramp within hours. I know some people put tunnels on the ramp but I have not done this. MY guineas also use the ramp at night because they have learnt to open the "secure" door between the hutch and run....
 
hi, I have 2 two story hutches, one is 4 ft and the other 4 and a half.. and the ranps are quite steep, none of mine could manage them, one even fell..aww.. but i saw on a thread someone makes covers so I'm going to try and do that, with fleece..

There are loads of great offers on line at the moment if you google, on hutches, and also ebay have some good ones.. i was looking last night.. I'm hoping to turn my old shed into a big hutch when we move, dont know if you have thought about doing that?
 
Thanks to all three of you! I've had a look around on google and ebay, and there is certainly a lot of choice. I've seen a nice one on ebay which is a 2-storey, and pretty much perfect except for the ramp issue...but I hadn't thought of putting tunnels or covers on them, so that's something I'll certainly consider, thank you rosielx and mstori for those ideas! I'd feel much better if there was some sort of protection against falls. A sort of piggy banister?

I'll probably get down to a petshop in the next couple of days before I buy online, as I'd really like to try another two-storey hutch and I might get a better deal now that I know what I'm looking for.

Any more suggestions on the ramp would be much appreciated, especially since my girls are so unaccustomed to them. Maybe if the ramp is steep I could take it out and install a longer one?

Mstori - unfortunately, our garden isn't really big enough for a shed, which is a shame, as it would be lovely for them to have all that extra space. Good luck with your shed renovations, though! I've seen some really amazing looking shed-hutches.
 
Trouble is - all the hutches are described as rabbit/guinea pig hutches. And they have mega steep ramps with huge gaping sections cut out. Guinea pigs aren't rabbits! Not many people seem to make hutches designed for guineas as I guess a lot of people keep them inside in cages.

I've bought a shed and am going to build my own small, staged ramps, enclosed and which the guineas won't need crampons and rope to climb up with. That's the plan anyway. :)
 
I have a 2 storey hutch with a ramp, the bottom half does have a floor in it so that it gives them a nice large space. The boys are about 2 and a half now and have been running up and down the ramp happily since I got the hutch over a year ago.

The ramp isn't very steep, and it is perfect for the piggies in my opinion. I have looked on ebay and someone is selling the same cage second hand to give you some idea

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/RABBIT-SHACK-...3|66:2|65:12|39:1|240:1318|301:1|293:1|294:50

I have no idea if this is anywhere near you, but if it is, I'd recommend this hutch :)
 
I agree - most ramps I've seen do look too steep for guinea pigs. A few people have mentioned putting a brick behind the ramp so it isn't as steep, which is a good idea.

Thanks, Lizzie! Unfortunately that particular hutch is a bit too far, but I'll have a look and see if I can find it for sale anywhere else. It looks a lot less steep than the other ones I've seen.
 
I have a double-decker from Rabbit Shack too, but my girls were not interested in using the ramp, I tried everything ........... then I had a tunnel made and used velcro to fix on and now they are running up and down like mad xoxoxoxo there is a thread somewhere.
 
lizzie_71 said:
I have a 2 storey hutch with a ramp, the bottom half does have a floor in it so that it gives them a nice large space. The boys are about 2 and a half now and have been running up and down the ramp happily since I got the hutch over a year ago.

The ramp isn't very steep, and it is perfect for the piggies in my opinion. I have looked on ebay and someone is selling the same cage second hand to give you some idea

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/RABBIT-SHACK-...3|66:2|65:12|39:1|240:1318|301:1|293:1|294:50

I have no idea if this is anywhere near you, but if it is, I'd recommend this hutch :)
Click to expand...


thats the same as my new one i got 2nd hand.. just without the cover, but I havent used it yet.. (i only paid £20)..

home bargains often have hutches in, they have a one in my local store at the mo for £49.99 its the type with the run under..

There is too much choice! I'm forever seing better ones lol.. but Ive promised not to get anymore ;)

I'm thinking of putting a bannister in, poundland have some roll out stuff for garden fencing i was going to try and attach. Going this week, so will let you know how it goes..

Hope you get sorted soon, let us know! preloved/adtrader sites are worth looking out in, joiners often advertise home made hutches, and I know a farm near me build hutches to measure, dont know if you have thought about that? I was quoted £89 for a 2 storey 5ft x 2ft.. x
 
Buying a new hutch

I have one with a ramp, well I did. My girls didn't use it and my oldest (4ish) fell over the edge, so I got my husband to put a floor over the hole on hinges so it could be opened if I wanted and now I have an upstairs and a downstairs and I move them manually. It means I get an extra cuddle. They go down stairs during the day and then back up to bed later, unless they are in their run. But, that's my girls, two of them were about 3 years old when I got them, so might of been too old. Plus one is a big girl, probably to steep for her big bottom :))
 
Ryli said:
I have a double-decker from Rabbit Shack too, but my girls were not interested in using the ramp, I tried everything ........... then I had a tunnel made and used velcro to fix on and now they are running up and down like mad xoxoxoxo there is a thread somewhere.
Click to expand...

I saw your ramp thread, and love the idea of a tunnel. I've located the Cosy Cavies website and if I do decide to risk it with a ramp, I'll definitely be contacting Helen to see about getting my girls their own custom-made snuggle tunnel!


mstori said:
home bargains often have hutches in, they have a one in my local store at the mo for £49.99 its the type with the run under..

There is too much choice! I'm forever seing better ones lol.. but Ive promised not to get anymore ;)

I'm thinking of putting a bannister in, poundland have some roll out stuff for garden fencing i was going to try and attach. Going this week, so will let you know how it goes..

Hope you get sorted soon, let us know! preloved/adtrader sites are worth looking out in, joiners often advertise home made hutches, and I know a farm near me build hutches to measure, dont know if you have thought about that? I was quoted £89 for a 2 storey 5ft x 2ft.. x
Click to expand...

Excellent, let me know how that bannister goes. I'm thinking that I should have a extra piece of wood put up in front of the hole and along some of the side to stop them falling over the edge, and to stop the bedding getting onto the lower level, as I'm thinking of buying some vet bed or fleece to go down there, and save the bedding for the top floor.

The one I've found costs £90 and, as far as I can tell, looks perfect, though I've sent the seller a load of questions which haven't been answered yet! I'm still looking for any that might be cheaper in the meantime, and I haven't tried either of those sites yet so I'll get on now and see if I can find anything! Unfortunately though, I'm in the city, and the only farms around here are small city farms, but I'll investigate joiners in the area.

MUMbabyauntie said:
I have one with a ramp, well I did. My girls didn't use it and my oldest (4ish) fell over the edge, so I got my husband to put a floor over the hole on hinges so it could be opened if I wanted and now I have an upstairs and a downstairs and I move them manually. It means I get an extra cuddle. They go down stairs during the day and then back up to bed later, unless they are in their run. But, that's my girls, two of them were about 3 years old when I got them, so might of been too old. Plus one is a big girl, probably to steep for her big bottom :))
Click to expand...

Oh dear, that's what I was worried about, especially and my girls are a bit older now! I really do think it's important to make sure I find some way to make the ramp less steep. I think they'd love the extra space, and the younger one is a lot more curious and I'm sure she's absolutely love having a new place to investigate, even if she does have to get over the big scary ramp first!
 
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