Easy And Cheap Ways To Insulate A Hutch

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Tomsmum

Tomsmum

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So the GP's are in a dry and draft free garage.. But it's chilly. So far they have curtains draped over the top back and sides of the hutch and lots of hay in a shoebox for snuggling. Underneath them is Lino, newspaper, towel and then fleece.. There is a more enclosed upstairs room but they seem to sleep downstairs in the box mostly

How do I make it warmer? I have read about felting and bubble wrap and all sorts... I have also seen people layer polystyrene and wood but that seems somewhat too technical for my limited skills!

The other question is the doors.. There is one solid one, one wire panel and one wire door. The wire doors are obviously a huge way that cold will get in, how to pad them so we can still access the cage and they can see out but it's all warmer

Thanks
 
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The TEAS piggies spend the winter in an insulated shed, but I find the very best way to keep them warm is plenty of hay. I fill all the hutches completely, floor to roof, with hay every evening and the piggies are really warm. For the very cold weather I do have an oil filled radiator I also have heat pads, that you heat in the microwave. I am unable to have many piggies in the house as I have a severe allergy to them. Yes really, and I run a guinea pig sanctuary hahahaha
 
:) interesting career choice!

Lots of hay ✅
The snuggly pads I have seen but are quite pricey, luckily it's a few months until it gets really cold so we can save up :)

The radiator is difficult as they are in a garage which itself isn't overly insulated..will have to look at that too
 
I know you can buy all weather hutch covers which have a little clear plastic window over the door with wire in, so the pigs can still see out but it might stop too much heat getting out :) Just an idea!
 
So progress so far.. I have lined the garage door with thermal bubble wrap stuff, this appears to have made quite a big difference, I have hung an old ground sheet 1/2 way up the garage, this helps to prevents drafts when they are out in their run. I have covered the back and sides of the hutch with cardboard and the windows with clear plastic. An insulated sleeping box. The garage has dropped to 9 degrees at night but the girls still seem snuggly warm.

Still to do, top and bottom of hutch with cardboard and ?bubble wrap. Find an old duvet for really cold nights -!: possibly a cardboard surround for the daytime run to keep it a bit warmer, though they like running on the bare concrete so they are clearly not very bothered!
 
Tomsmum said:
So progress so far.. I have lined the garage door with thermal bubble wrap stuff, this appears to have made quite a big difference, I have hung an old ground sheet 1/2 way up the garage, this helps to prevents drafts when they are out in their run. I have covered the back and sides of the hutch with cardboard and the windows with clear plastic. An insulated sleeping box. The garage has dropped to 9 degrees at night but the girls still seem snuggly warm.

Still to do, top and bottom of hutch with cardboard and ?bubble wrap. Find an old duvet for really cold nights -!: possibly a cardboard surround for the daytime run to keep it a bit warmer, though they like running on the bare concrete so they are clearly not very bothered!
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Don't forget to make sure they are well ventilated too ^-^ If I was a pig I would like to stay in your hutch, it sounds snuggly :)
 
Thanks!

Today I stapled thermal bubble wrap stuff to the top back and sides of the hutch now new to work out a plan for the front.

I was wondering about adding insulation to the inside but how do you do that without it being weed and pooped on (mine don't chew but are still young and may chew as they get older)
 
well as heat rises maybe bubble wrap to inside but on the roof (I'm having abad day and can't think how to word it better)
that way they can't reach it to nibble on
 
Duvets, poundland emergency blankets, lots of hay, snuggle safe heat pads. Lots of blankets, bubble wrap over wire doors to block out any draughts...
 
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