How to dress the hutch

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Susye

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Have brought a nice big hutch with a run attached, the run has a base attached to it, a shiny base.

How so I dress the run so my piggies have fun, was going to lay newspaper down but what to put on top of the newspaper?

Will line the top part of the hutch where they will sleep with newspaper and hay. Food bowl and water bottle, will also put a water bottle on the run as well.

Have two piggie hot water bottles to keep them extra warm when it gets really cold.


How do you dress your cage please?
 
What is the base made of? If it’s wood then it will need a waterproof layer first ie something like plastic sheeting. Then you can put newspaper down and then an absorbent bedding such as shavings, aubiose, megazorb. Then cover the whole lot with hay.

If it is an attached run, how does it have a base - I’ve never seen a hutch with attached run that has a solid base on it - most go straight on to the grass (and this is one of the reasons why hutches with runs attached aren’t always suitable or convenient)

I know you were having trouble finding a suitable hutch.
What are the measurements of this one, not including the run? The run does not count as living space as it cannot be used year round.

Maybe post a picture of it to make it easier for us to advise you.

You will also need thermal and waterproof hutch covers
 
I use puppy pee pads, paper bedding, fleece bedding, and hay as their beddings. I pretty much use everything.
First I put puppy pee pads, then put paper bedding on top in some areas and in other areas, I will put fleece bedding for them.
I put hay over paper bedding areas, but not on fleece areas. I just throw away left over hay along with puppy pee pads and paper bedding. I hand wash fleece bedding with soap and water, then soak them in vinegar and dry afterwards.
I use everything so that I could have easier time cleaning after my 3 boys, Finn, Bear and Ben. My boys are indoor piggies.
 
Seven7 said:
I use puppy pee pads, paper bedding, fleece bedding, and hay as their beddings. I pretty much use everything.
First I put puppy pee pads, then put paper bedding on top in some areas and in other areas, I will put fleece bedding for them.
I put hay over paper bedding areas, but not on fleece areas. I just throw away left over hay along with puppy pee pads and paper bedding. I hand wash fleece bedding with soap and water, then soak them in vinegar and dry afterwards.
I use everything so that I could have easier time cleaning after my 3 boys, Finn, Bear and Ben. My boys are indoor piggies.
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Thank you so much, my hutch is outdoors, but nice to know what you do for indoors.

Soaking in vinegar doesn't it smell bad?
 
Susye said:
Thank you so much, my hutch is outdoors, but nice to know what you do for indoors.

Soaking in vinegar doesn't it smell bad?
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You cannot use fleece at all in an outdoor hutch. You can only use a disposable absorbent layer and hay as bedding. As I said though, if the bases are wooden then a waterproof layer is going to be needed also otherwise the hutch floor will eventually rot out. You can use plastic sheeting or correx bases cut to size to protect it.

I’m just wondering, runs with solid bases are not what we are used to. The only hutches I can think of with the attached ‘run’ and where the run has a solid base are not hutches and runs at all and are simply two storey hutches but the bottom part often has mesh, and not solid, sides.
 
Susye said:
Thank you so much, my hutch is outdoors, but nice to know what you do for indoors.

Soaking in vinegar doesn't it smell bad?
Click to expand...
I dilute vinegar with water. After fleece bedding has dried, there is no vinegar smell. Vinegar is edible and shouldn't cause illness. Still, there is no smell after drying.
 
Piggies&buns said:
What is the base made of? If it’s wood then it will need a waterproof layer first ie something like plastic sheeting. Then you can put newspaper down and then an absorbent bedding such as shavings, aubiose, megazorb. Then cover the whole lot with hay.

If it is an attached run, how does it have a base - I’ve never seen a hutch with attached run that has a solid base on it - most go straight on to the grass (and this is one of the reasons why hutches with runs attached aren’t always suitable or convenient)

I know you were having trouble finding a suitable hutch.
What are the measurements of this one, not including the run? The run does not count as living space as it cannot be used year round.

Maybe post a picture of it to make it easier for us to advise you.

You will also need thermal and waterproof hutch covers
Click to expand...
Hutch I had brought has gone back as it was too small.

Am splashing out and buying a Chartwell 6ft hutch that has a ramp to go downstairs to another 6ft space. It is all wooden base. Will be buying cover as well.

Have changed my mind where I am placing the hutch, was going to go halfway down the garden against the fence, it is now going to go outside our dining room window so I can see the piggies while I am working at the dining room table and eating my meals. This spot is more sheltered as the hutch will be against house wall along side the hedge and disused coal bunker sticks out and will protect more from the wind/cold/rain etc. It will also be easier to put a chair on the gravel and I can sit outside with my coffee and chat to them without anyone seeing me, nice and private.
 
Susye said:
Hutch I had brought has gone back as it was too small.

Am splashing out and buying a Chartwell 6ft hutch that has a ramp to go downstairs to another 6ft space. It is all wooden base. Will be buying cover as well.

Have changed my mind where I am placing the hutch, was going to go halfway down the garden against the fence, it is now going to go outside our dining room window so I can see the piggies while I am working at the dining room table and eating my meals. This spot is more sheltered as the hutch will be against house wall along side the hedge and disused coal bunker sticks out and will protect more from the wind/cold/rain etc. It will also be easier to put a chair on the gravel and I can sit outside with my coffee and chat to them without anyone seeing me, nice and private.
Click to expand...

That’s sounds much better.
I did wonder if the one you had wasn’t appropriate from the description you gave of it.

It’s only the bottom level of the hutch which counts towards the cage size (and as it’s 6ft it’s perfect for a sow pair). Piggies are not natural climbers and need time to learn how to use a ramp (this is why piggies need single level hutches). The upper level is just a bonus space.
I would advise that you cover the ramp with something for grip (I use sticky Velcro to stick vetbed onto the ramp as that way it can be removed and washed). Piggies won’t use ramps if they are too steep and not enough grip.

However, if I remember rightly the ramp hatch can be closed on the Chartwell hutches so you can lock them in the top half of the hutch. I personally would lock them into just the top half of the hutch overnight during winter particularly as it is fully outside (ie not in a shed or garage). I advise this as it is much easier to keep the top half completely warm. You can really concentrate on getting plenty of hay in there and Snugglesafes distributed around the top half to ensure they are warm enough.

Also get a thermometer on the hutch.

How long until you get your piggies?
Make sure it is warm enough for them to go outside given we are getting late in the year for previously indoor piggies to be able to move out.
 
I would like both levels of the hutch with Lino or plastic to protect the wood. Then newspaper/bedding/hay on top of that
 
In a couple of weeks, have found some places where the piggies where they are already outside
 
Piggies&buns said:
How old will they be when you get them?
Were they born outside?

If they are coming from a breeder make sure you check their sexes yourself before committing to them.
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Have a couple of places to go and look, all born outside.

How do you check sex
 
Susye said:
Have a couple of places to go and look, all born outside.

How do you check sex
Click to expand...

We would recommend you go to a reputable rescue centre (as you’re in Cambridgeshire, Wood Green would be the place we recommend) and get a properly bonded pair, whose sexes are confirmed and are known to be healthy.
If you are getting from anywhere else ie a breeder, then be aware of the potential pitfalls (ie that the sows and boars were not properly separated and you run the risk of bringing home an already pregnant baby sow) and have plans in place accordingly

https://www.theguineapigforum.co.uk/threads/guinea-pig-forum-recommended-rescues.196734/
Rescues (Adoption and Dating), Shops, Breeders or Online? - What to consider when getting guinea pigs

Our sexing guide is below so you can tell the difference
https://www.theguineapigforum.co.uk/threads/illustrated-sexing-guide-for-all-ages.156297/
 
Susye said:
Have a couple of places to go and look, all born outside.

How do you check sex
Click to expand...
I’ll link the sexing guide for you
Sexing Guide
If you are buying sows from a breeder please make sure they correctly sex their babies and ask if they have removed boars from sows at 250g or 21 days. Otherwise you risk bringing home a pregnant sow
 
You can use fleece bedding outdoors (from experience) but it needs to be a playhouse or shed that isnt directly explosed to the element's so in your case fleece will not work out.

Best to Line the hutch with some vinyl floor but dont glue it down! as long as you cut it as aprozemity as you can it wont go anywhere and will be easy for cleaning as you can take it out to deep clean rather than leaving in the hutch.
I have tried every method to litter train piggies in the past to no success so you want some kind of wood shaving or paper based bedding all over the floor.

Carpet stores often have small offcut roles of vinyl for cheaper or they have even let me take scraps for free in the past. This will save you buying a whole role for one hutch.
 
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