Do Hutch Sizes Determine Guinea Happiness?

Status
Not open for further replies.
Niki

Niki

Senior Guinea Pig
Joined
Aug 10, 2006
Messages
9,370
Reaction score
14
Points
650
Location
Leeds, West Yorkshire
Can someone clarify for me as to what the most suitable size hutch 2 piggies need.

I know my 2 in a 10ft hutch is madness but hey they're in training for the marathon ;D ;D

Someone on another forum i go on has just had a block of hutches made & i am gobsmacked at their sizes 2ft x 2ft.
Surely this can't be big enough?

It has been stated by another member that the official recommendation from a vet (who is a fancier) is that an 18" x 15" hutch is 'plenty for 2 cavies' :o & that guineas by nature prefer small spaces which is why petshops, when selling their huge hutches offer pigloos to give the piggies the confined space they desire

Is it true that piggies don't NEED plenty of space & therefore would be happy in such a small space because if they weren't they would fight, would they always fight?
Does this mean that piggies who are housed in a small space that is cleaned regularly, fed properly & given love would be happier than if the same piggies were housed in a 10ft x 10ft hutch with not much care?

How do you define the happiness of a guinea?

My personal opinion is to incorporate both, large housing coupled with regular cleaning, proper diet & love.

I know space is a personal choice but surely 2ft x 2ft is bluddy SMALL for 2 - 3 piggies. What are your thoughts?
 
:o :o :o :o wtf, those other people have to be joking. Fancy putting your littlies in with no room to move :'(
This shocks me that people would advise piggies to live like that, their health couldn't be that good, i mean no running around which is good for them and they'd be on top of each other and worse what if you were out for the day, there'd be poos and wees everywhere and they'd be sitting in it >:( >:( >:(
Nope like you Niki i think bigger is better (if you can) and lots of food and love is the best recipe for our little furbabies :smitten:
 
These hutches are designed for breeding and I have seen the same hutch in practice and although dividers can be removed if required single boars or couples are kept in the 2ft square space.

Now you know my opinion on this Niki - if you compare this to your vet's pigs who freerange in a garden enclosure, I don't think she would agree that it's all they need. I love your 10 ft hutches (having seen them in person they're fab, you're so lucky to have Snoopy to build them) and I would rather see piggies have the choice whether to sit in a pigloo or go for a walk - for all we know they go walking during the night under the cover of darkness when we don't see them.

I don't think they NEED 10ft space but 2ft is surely cruel as they can't move anywhere and as Glynis says unless cleaned out daily will inevitably be sitting in their own poo and urine :'( As I've stated on the other forum, breeders COULD keep their pigs in 4ft or even 6ft hutches but that would mean they couldn't cram as many pigs in wouldn't it >:(
 
I cant believe the conditions some people keep their piggies in! :'( Ive seen those little cages and I cringe! I constantly worry my piggies haven't got enough space they have two tier hutches and love to run about also to have space for a Little popcorning! I think the are definitely happier if they have bigger hutches!
 
Niki i know exactly what you mean and i think exactly the same looks nice but tiny to me! after i was told that my 6ft by 3ft freerange shed with 4 L shaped levels of C & C grids was too small even without being seen !
 
Pigs get used to the conditions they're kept in, doesn't mean that they're right though. RSPCA recommended size is 4 foot by 2 foot and technically you're breaking the law if they're in less. Take note that is 'technically' and would be used against you where needed but in reality the thought Police won't be round if they're in a 4 foot by 1 and a half foot cage. :)
 
i think big hutches but still with the love and care, the hutch size is the care anyway, the shouldnt keep piggies in 2ft by 2ft :tickedoff:
 
karenrgpr said:
Pigs get used to the conditions they're kept in, doesn't mean that they're right though. RSPCA recommended size is 4 foot by 2 foot and technically you're breaking the law if they're in less. Take note that is 'technically' and would be used against you where needed but in reality the thought Police won't be round if they're in a 4 foot by 1 and a half foot cage. :)
Click to expand...

Does this mean then that the person was right? If they get used to the conditions they are kept in they will be happy? It's all so confusing & i know they don't NEED 10ft as my pairs are in but one of the loveliest sights is to see my Albie "galloping" from one end to the other, well he looks like he's galloping ;D ;D - it's fantastic & always makes me :)
 
Michelle said:
Niki i know exactly what you mean and i think exactly the same looks nice but tiny to me! after i was told that my 6ft by 3ft freerange shed with 4 L shaped levels of C & C grids was too small even without being seen !
Click to expand...

I just don't get it? How can that be too small when as Karen says the RSPCA recommended size is 4ft x 2ft - it's madness >:(
 
personally i prefer bigger cages, means more toys and room to play, my lot love running about, i wish i could give the boys more room my cage for them is the nero 3 deluxe rabbit cage, when i get my own house i will make them a much larger cage, luckily they are not fully frown yet and are only 6 months, my girls cage is much bigger i think confining pigs to a small space is cruel
 
kayjay said:
These hutches are designed for breeding and I have seen the same hutch in practice and although dividers can be removed if required single boars or couples are kept in the 2ft square space.

Now you know my opinion on this Niki - if you compare this to your vet's pigs who freerange in a garden enclosure, I don't think she would agree that it's all they need.  I love your 10 ft hutches (having seen them in person they're fab, you're so lucky to have Snoopy to build them) and I would rather see piggies have the choice whether to sit in a pigloo or go for a walk - for all we know they go walking during the night under the cover of darkness when we don't see them. 

I don't think they NEED 10ft space but 2ft is surely cruel as they can't move anywhere and as  Glynis says unless cleaned out daily will inevitably be sitting in their own poo and urine  :'(   As I've stated on the other forum, breeders COULD keep their pigs in 4ft or even 6ft hutches but that would mean they couldn't cram as many pigs in wouldn't it  >:(
Click to expand...

You're right about my vets piggies, i'm going to ask her the next time i see her what she thinks to hutch size, i'm not changing the sizes of mine but i am interested in peoples opinions on it :)
 
Personally the I prefer the bigger the better and mine are in C+C cages.
Michelle: It depends when you contacted the RSPCA, if it was after the 6 April then the 4 foot by 2 foot was in as the recommended size for 2 guineas sharing. Maybe you have more than 2 guineas in that space?
 
karenrgpr said:
Personally the I prefer the bigger the better and mine are in C+C cages.
Michelle: It depends when you contacted the RSPCA, if it was after the 6 April then the 4 foot by 2 foot was in as the recommended size for 2 guineas sharing. Maybe you have more than 2 guineas in that space?
Click to expand...

Hiya karen

It wasnt the RSPCA i passed the rspca with glowing colour which is what i explained to the rescue at the time, 7 currently share the freerange at the bottom with 2 levels above for them to use as well which when measures around 5ft altogether in length and about 1 ft wide
 
i think piggies like more space. espically if living together so they can have their own space.
 
We built 2 runs to go in the summerhouse that are 2ft x 8ft and a large outdoor run that is 6ft x 4ft.

I always make sure that there is a suitable house to hide in, but believe that the more space the better.
 
i think it depends to a certain degree on how much you get your piggies out...mine are always running around the floor on in the run if the weathers nice, so if we didnt have the space we do, i dont think they'd much mind..

I dont think adding levels counts as extra space...i.e a 6 x 2 cage is still a 6 x 2 cage eve n if it has a whole other level...sounds obvious but you'd be suprised! I think boars need more space than sows...my girls love being around eachother all the time, but my boys need their own living eating (and breathing space) ;D
 
I've noticed mine like running about in a run - sometimes they have a mad moment of playing chase - but one of them spends a lot of time in a hidey house - she's always preferred to be undercover.
 
Do you think I need a bigger cage then,I got my cage from the rescue,it is 43inches long and 18inches wide,please tell me if this is too small as I will go and get a bigger one,my piggies are in their run for 1 1/2 hours in the morning and the same late afternoon,then when the kids are in bed they come out to play with me and hubby for about an hour
 
curly said:
Do you think I need a bigger cage then,I got my cage from the rescue,it is 43inches long and 18inches wide,please tell me if this is too small as I will go and get a bigger one,my piggies are in their run for 1 1/2 hours in the morning and the same late afternoon,then when the kids are in bed they come out to play with me and hubby for about an hour
Click to expand...

How many piggies are in your cage? I'm not the right person to deem wether it's big enough or not, IMO if your piggies are happy that's the main :)

My vet has piggies, hers free range in her garden but have hutches to go in when they want. I asked her today what she thought of 18" x 15" cages. Her look of horror said it all but she did say whilst the piggies may be happy it didn't make it right, then said the people who have piggies in such small spaces are probably the same people who locked their children in cupboards years ago & were done for cruelty.

She has 4 piggies of her piggies in a 4ft x 2ft hutch/cage with free access to come & go as they please but did say thru the day she hardly sees them as they're all squashed in their bed box which is probably not much bigger than 18" wide. Her views are the same as most peoples, the more space the better :)
 
I think more space is always better. My pigs free ranged yesterday in half a bedroom and they were so happy. Unfortunately though space only allows this as a treat and their usual home is 5x2 (I have 2 pigs).

More space is great but if this is limited try to overcmpensate with lots of cuddles and time outside. After half an hour of free range my two were absolutely knackered so they slept for ages in their cage anyway!
 
People may disagree but I think you will probably be ok. I had to go for the bigger cage option as they don't have an outside run at present and because we have a dog it is more difficult to give them regular floortime without the dog feeling left out. I can leave them in the cage knowing that they have at least some room to run around. i think your cage is 4ft by 1.5ft which is just short of the recommended but I think that is probably for those who leave them in the cage full stop.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Back
Top