Fleece in a hutch?

[Vanessa131]

I have a bluebell pets at home hutch, the pigs spend the day in there (unless it’s cold), I’m using puppy pads and carefresh at the moment, which is costly and makes a huge mess.

Is fleece suitable for outdoor cages? I have had some clear perspex sheets made so rain cannot get into the hutch, I have also lined the hutch in lino.

They have three cosy hides I stuff with hay, I guess I’m just worried fleece won’t be cosy enough for outdoors.

 

[Vanessa131]

Here is the current set up, just awaiting my ramp liner and ramp guard. They do have food/water on both levels, this is just the photo of the hutch first being set up. They also have a corner hide in the bottom right now:

 

[Piggies&buns]

My two piggies are outside in my shed in their bluebell hutch but they also have free range of most of the shed floor during the day (as long as it is warm enough). In the hutch, the entire thing is covered with a piece of plastic sheeting (so as to not let urine ruin the wood) on top of that is a layer of newspaper, then a thick layer of finacard. I then have a piece vetbed or fleece (depending on where I am in the washing cycle!) in the bedroom and in the area under the ramp (these areas are where the wooden hides are). The entire hutch (downstairs and upstairs) is then completely stuffed with hay so they can snuggle into it. The hay on top of the fleece/vetbed makes a massive mess as the hay sticks to it, but I like that they have something soft underneath the hay. I have felt the vetbed under where they have been sitting and it radiates their body heat back to them so hopefully that also helps keep them warm.
I just have to make sure that it is always dry as the problem with fleece outside is that it gets cold when it gets wet.

 

[Vanessa131]

Putting something absorbent under the fleece is a good idea, I hadn’t thought of that. I do have lots of vetbed, so at change today I think I’ll do puppy pad, the rest of my carefresh and then fleece on top with their hay.

The shredded card does look quite good, reasonable too.

 

[Piggies&buns]

I really like the finacard. I get it from my local farm shop. It is a huge bale and it is very good on price.