Help with housing!

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KaiLouise

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AGHHHHHHHHHH My mean old Hubby is being a bullly :a19:
I REALLY REALLLYYYYY want to build a C+C cage indoors, he is adamant that isn't gonna happen and they NEED to be outside in a hutch, not inside as the piggies will "wreck the joint" (his words) he had piggies with rabbits growing up (4 sets, 1 pig to 1 rabbit) and keeps telling me i am reading the "wrong sites" and all these "experts" are not in fact experts just like to portray themselves as so! (He's annoyed at me, he caught me slagging his horrible mum off to a friend") ) That piggies NEED to be with rabbits and that they live together in the wild just fine and that i don't know what i am talking about as i have never had piggies just rabbits! grrrr

So.....If they start outside in a hutch will that be ok? He said they can come in during the day for indoor pen time, he's gonna fill up the 2/3 holes in the garden fence so they can have free range at times too (dependant on the human kiddies!) and in the winter they can live in our (VERY warm) shed or if needs me come in. I am thinking that at least if we start them inside i can possibly slowly sneek them inside over time..........
 
I think a lot of owners on this site use the indoor pens, but to be honest 'in real life' I don't know of anyone that does.

It seems most of the mums at the school have guinea pigs and all are kept in a hutch.

So I wouldn't worry about it. At long as they have plenty of space, lots of attention and get time in a run each day or most days and also brought in when the weather is cold.

HTH
 
Hee hee, husbands! rolleyes

Mine are outside, and they are absolutely fine. I must admit, I prefer to keep them outside on woodshavings and hay, rather than in on fleece, as I do think it is more natural. (No offence to anyone that has indoor fleecy set ups, as some do look totally fab!).

I will bring them in to our conservatory during the coldest months, and also have both an insulating cover and a rain cover for the hutch to protect them from the elements.
:)
 
I think the minimum you'd want would be 6ft x2ft for four, but I'm certainly no expert, as am a first time guinea pig owner. My two girls are in a 5ft by 2ft, and I certainly wouldn't want to go any smaller, so if possible I'd go bigger with four. It's great on sunny days when they can spend a lot of time in their run, but when the weather is nasty, they could be confined to their hutch for long periods of time, so the bigger the better! :)
 
I have 4 female piggies who live outdoors in a 6ft by 2ft by 2ft hutch and they are perfectly fine. However, during the winter months, they have lot's of hay and fleecy beds, snugglesafe heat pads, a well insulated hutch and last winter as it was so cold, they came indoors for a couple of months.
 
Hi I'm sorting out a new hutch too and i would recommend building your own hutch. [dont worry your hubby can help or your neighbours!] I think you should build a 6ft x 2ft hutch, with 2 levels.

Don't worry my guinea pigs live outside and there fine. Just make sure you have a cover of some sort maybe a waterproof sheet to keep the wind out. But when it snows i would put them in the garage or shed.
 
men ey! haha

ive had mine both inside and out, and prefer them out in the fresh air, and they always seem happier .. although i still bring them in when cold and its so nice to see their ickle faces all the time.

People seem to have a misconception that outside piggies and bunnies are left to their own devices.. its certainly not the case.. the "owners" can neglect any animal whether inside or out, if they do not care.

Your hubby was obv very lucky never to have had a piggie killed by a bunny. Ive never understood keeping bunnies with piggies, they dont even communicate in the same way, or eat the same food.. hmmm..

good on you for reading up and wanting what is best x

oh and the bigger the better :)
 
mstori said:
men ey! haha

ive had mine both inside and out, and prefer them out in the fresh air, and they always seem happier .. although i still bring them in when cold and its so nice to see their ickle faces all the time.

People seem to have a misconception that outside piggies and bunnies are left to their own devices.. its certainly not the case.. the "owners" can neglect any animal whether inside or out, if they do not care.

Your hubby was obv very lucky never to have had a piggie killed by a bunny. Ive never understood keeping bunnies with piggies, they dont even communicate in the same way, or eat the same food.. hmmm..

good on you for reading up and wanting what is best x

oh and the bigger the better :)
Click to expand...

Thanx! Ok so opinions on this?
http://www.ukrabbithutches.co.uk/tortoiseruns.html

I was thinking of getting the 8ft x 3ft one and using the outside with lots of hidey holes and toys etc? I am hopefully getting 4, a mummy and her 3 babies (from Crawley rescue so all will be properly looked after and sexed) and will get a cover to go over, and i figured if it needs to come in/go in shed, then it's not too much of a change?!
 
Thanx! Ok so opinions on this?
http://www.ukrabbithutches.co.uk/tortoiseruns.html
Click to expand...

They look nice but the only problem with them is the actual available living area space - while the whole run is 8ft x 3ft the living area (covered space) i suppose would only be around 3ft x 3ft (maybe even smaller). You have to consider their available space in bad weather such as rain/wind your pigs wouldn't be using the 'run' area - therefore 3ft x 3ft would be way too small for 4 pigs - the minimum living space they would require would be 6ft x 2ft

Maybe try looking for a 6ft x 2ft hutch and buying a separate run that can be attached - that way they'd still get the minimum required living area size but would have the added advantage of extra room on warmer days with their attached run.

My 8 pigs all live indoors and are housed in pairs with 3 pairs living in a 5ft x 2.5ft indoor cage and 1 pair living in a 4ft x 2ft cage. They do have separate runs for outdoor use when the weather is nice.
 
It looks nice but you need to remember that in wet and colder conditions, the piggies will not be able to use the open space so will be confined to the hutch part only.
 
You're not the only one, don't worry! My parents will not let me bring my piggies inside, even though I have the room! pow-pow pow-pow

Don't worry, you probably could slowly bring them in in time, but just remember, they are very sensitive to sudden temperature changes, so be aware because apparently pigs can die from it. :{ :(

___

Best regards,
Isabella, Tallulah, Penelope & Lily.
x
 
I think that would be great as a run, but definitely not as a hutch, for a couple of reasons. the covered area is directly on the ground, so would be damp and cold in the winter. When the weather is bad, they would be stuck in the covered area, which would be very dark and dingy, it is not big enough an area for eating and sleeping in as there will be many days where it is raining all day and they will not be able to go out. :)
 
Thanx everyone, looking at other options now.
Actually looking at a 7ft chicken coop LOL
 
hi, have to agree about the run/hutch, they can get damaged easily too being on the ground all the time, i know with my runs, they get full of snails too..yuck!

Have you considered a shed? chicken coups dont have that much living space either. Or even a dog kennel/run (thats what i am after atm :))

Ebay are great for hutches as long as you read the descriptions thoroughly.

Or even making a one? have you found anyyou like? x
 
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