Eglus (contraversial I know)

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I currently have an eglu with extra run panel (3m of run total) attached that my chickens used to live in that I am thinking of converting for guinea pigs as I wanted GPs for ages. I have been looking on the net all day, and have seen that there is a bit of a mixed reaction to guinea pig in eglus but it seems ridiculous to buy in a whole new set up when the one I have is ok as long as I think it through?

The biggest complaints about eglus seem to be the houses aren't that great in really cold weather, and that GPs may not use the entire run in the cold/wet etc, and concerns that they are more suited to summer houses.

This is my eglu as it was set up for the chickens last winter. Am I right in thinking something similar would be fine for the guinea pigs? I am planning to have the eglu on the patio in the winter to prevent frostbite to their feet etc from damp grass, and I will fill the eglu with straw to keep them warm. I also am looking at options for a backup plan for indoor housing if needed.

I am wanting to put the eglu where it is surrounded on 3 sides by walls, and is generally a nicely sheltered area.I am not on the mainland, and our temperatures rarely drop below zero even in mid winter, and we don't generally have huge temperature swings.

Thoughts? I am hoping to put 2 GPs in there, maybe 3.
 
to be honest i think it seems a little to open to the weather..it could do with a front on as in the picture i cant seem to see one on sorry if there ismallethead if it hasnt there needs to be more protection from the weather and other animals ie,,foxes and rats..
 
Tbh, I don't see a problem with it. It is just as open as most outdoor hutches are. The inside of the eglus are usually quite snug, and with a cover over it and straw under their feet on slabs I think it would be ok. Obviously I'm no expert, but in a sheltered spot I think it could be quite cozy.
 
They are controversial I have to say.

I haven't seen one in real life so I can't really comment properly. But there are some people here who have had them in rescues and decided not to use them as in the summer they are really hot and in winter really cold.

Hay is better than straw as Guineas can get eye pokes from straw so soft hay would work better.

If you do get guineas to go in it make sure they are outside living ones at this time of year as they will be accustomed to cold temperatures where as it could come as a shock to babies or inside living ones at this time of year
 
do they have a front on them if not and the rain blows then everything will get wet i dont like the idea of slabs under foot all the time has they are pretty cold under foot..if they have a plastic front with a small opening in it and a bottom made from the same plastic then yes this would be fine if it only has the 3 sides, but no bottom and no front then this is not suitable for guineas its like the old rabbit hutch thing pet shops selling single 4ft hutches for rabbits when by rspca law states these are not suitable for a rabbit but the pet shops sell them has rabbit hutches..also i wouldn't house my chickens in these has they dont offer perches or nest boxes they are more a holding/exercise pen not a permanent home ,,sorry but this is just my view..also guineas in cold damp conditions can get ill and can even die..
 
They have a front, with a door. The door can be set at angle angle along 180 to prevent direct draughts. This is the front of an eglu : http://www.omlet.co.uk/images/green_frontdoor_large.gif

The interior looks like this in a guinea pig converted one : http://www.omlet.co.uk/images/food_bowl_large.gif and like this in a chicken one : http://www.omlet.co.uk/images/green_lid_large.gif so as you can see there are perches and a nest.

The coldest part for the guinea pigs would be the run. But you can argue the same for any run, and with the eglu covered over I can put a deep layer of megazorb or similar as I did with the chickens. The house can easily be filled full of hay.

Any GPs would arrive probably next Spring to give them maximum time to adjust.

I'm sorry to keep on, but I am struggling to understand why an eglu that is thought through would be such a bad place for GPs when they can be adapted with minimum work to "tick" all the boxes housing should provide.
 
Never seen one in real life, but my 'gut' instinct is that it isn't really suitable all thru the winter if it's going ot be kept outside. Maybe it would be good in a lean-to or porch kind of an area. The main thing I'm thinking is it would be better to have them up off the ground - you could put it on boards raised off the ground or something?

Like you say, maybe with some thought and planning it could be adapted...
 
I can appreciate your dilemma - it does seem such a shame to buy a new set-up when you already seem to have one. What is the square footage of the living space (not the mesh run part) - if it's less than 8 square feet (preferably 10.5) then it really is too small for two guinea-pigs. If it's too cold for them to use the run and the living space is too small, they will be very cramped. TBH I'd use it as a daytime run and buy another hutch for the evening. If you're not planning on getting any guinea-pigs until the Spring, I'd look in the local papers, on Freecycle, supermarket classified boards, eBay, etc. for a good second-hand hutch which you'll probably be able to pick-up quite cheaply (just make sure it's big enough - so many are tiny!).

FYI boars need more space than sows.
 
I think the first picture looks like something that would be suitable for a temporary run when the weather is like a nice spring day. I would not use plastic on either a very warm day, or a very cold day. I will admit no experience of eglus, but I do have experience of plastic, that I was given with two rescues I took in. The guineas began to show signs of heat stroke very quicky, they were baking in the plastic. Very dangerous. I suspect also that the reverse would happen on a very cold day. Unless, the eglu is made out of some special kind of plastic?
I think also you are coming up against the indoor/outdoor argument, which always comes up at this time of year. Although mine are all indoor, I do know people keep them outdoor, but they have to be incredibly diligent, in covering up 'hutches' with sleeping bags, tarpaulins, and providing heated snugglesafes inside the hutch. Guineas are not winter outdoor pets, unless they are receiving this special treatment.
What you have in your eglu looks like the equivalent of a 'cage' definitely not a strong wooden hutch, and no one would keep their guineas outside in a cage in winter. It is far too open. Although some hutches have runs attached, they are firmly closed shut during cold periods, with still a good size of snuggly warm area within the hutch to run around in. If you closed off the plastic house bit, for what could be weeks at a time, then your guineas would have the equivalent of a plastic box to live in. I really don't just don't think the eglu is suitable for guinea pigs all year round permanent home. xxxxx
 
i wouldnt use anything that has been used by chickens,bird group animals can spread illness and disease to piggies also i think that housing really is unsuitable xx
 
straw is also not suitable for pigs,some members use short chopped straw but i would say hay is a better option,if you have time to plan for pigs which imk assuming you do as you dont have any yet it would be wise to set up as good of housing as possible that is suited to piggies xx
 
I'm not keen on them, and as a rescue I have to say that I wouldn't rehome guineas to live in one. There are problems with ventilation and condensation in the sleeping area, and lack of natural light (if they don't want to use the run in cold weather, which they may well not).

Although they were originally designed for chickens and now do 'guinea' versions, the guinea version is not the same as the chicken one and they are not guinea experts! I know it seems a shame as you already have it, but perhaps you could sell it to someone who wants chickens and use the proceeds to buy a more suitable home for your guineas?
 
chickens are meant to have different perches at different levels not this close together and there is no nest boxes off the ground the leader of the pecking order needs to sit at the highest point of the perch...it is just the case of another pet supplier thinking this is ok but i wouldn't like to live in this 24.7 never mind a guinea this is just my opinion not saying it to sound nasty
 
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