Insulating Shed?

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Bec314

Bec314

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We've recently adopted two boars from a friend of a friend who needed to rehome them. They are almost a year old and have always been kept outside but because the hutch they came with is so small (only 122cm x 45cm) I've spent today clearing out our shed to make it into a guinea pig home and I'm going to get them a 2x4 C&C cage to go inside the shed.

My question is, do I need to insulate and line the shed for the winter or will they be OK in their C&C with extra bedding etc? The tiny hutch did have a windproof thermal cover over so I don't know how that compares to being in a nice dry shed.

Bringing them inside is unfortunately not an option as my husband is allergic to both hay and animal hair!

Any advice is much appreciated, as I've only been a piggy slave for three whole days so far (and loving it :-) )
 
I think a lot will depend on the quality of your shed to be honest.
Some sheds are super sturdy and well made with minimal gaps, and others are less so!
Both are fine, and offer great protection, but if your shed is less solid then you might want to think about insulation.
Is it possible to post a photo?
Plus a hutch will offer more insulation than a C&C, so maybe try and work out a way to keep the hutch as their 'bedroom' area, and attach a C&C at the front to give them more space?
 
I don't use a C&C cage with my pigs in the shed so can’t really help there, sorry. Our shed is pretty sturdy, and it has been noticeably warmer inside it than outdoors over winter. We don't have electricity in the shed as yet!

I've got our gang in a 6ft two level hutch and I like the fact that I can shut them securely into the hutch at night for added warmth.


During the days I opened up the lower doors and attached a run onto the front of the hutch so that they had plenty of room to ‘zoomie’ and play over winter.



This was my first set up.

IMG_0942.webp

Here they are making full use of the run.

IMG_1131.webp


I had a re-arrange later in the winter to add more insulation to the back of the hutch, used a hutch snuggle type cover and had a drop down floor fleece to use as added cover over the front of the hutch on really cold nights – remember to leave a bit of air flow for them! With lots of hay in the hutch the gang were all nice and cosy in the mornings, and I haven’t had a single frozen water bottle all winter!

See what I mean about the hay! Luckily with the shed as storage I've been able to buy bales of meadow hay from a local farmer which has saved me a small fortune in bedding costs. I then buy them some extra 'eating hay' from other places to make sure there's always something available that they like to eat.

There's a pig in there somewhere!.webp


I did switch to using auboise/dust free shavings in their run mid-winter as I just couldn’t get their fleeces dry this year.
 
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Hi,

I have a shed from Boyles Pet Housing and I love it , but, even though it's very sturdy, we have found that it just doesn't hold enough heat even with my little oil heater ad with the ceiling and top half of the walls insulated with Celotex boards.
I would want to insulate it fully (floor, ceiling, walls and door) for winter living and that does help with summer too as it can stop as much heat from getting in from outside. As it happens, my OH has been using it over winter as an actual shed and doesn't want to move all the stuff back into his garage so they are going to live inside and the piggie-shed is now a (quite expensive) regular shed - with lighting and heating!
 
Thanks for all the replies, they are really helpful. It's a decent quality shed so will keep the wind and rain out but it's just the temperature I'm concerned about once the winter comes. Hubby has now kindly agreed to insulate and line the shed for me before the cold weather comes and as a back up plan I can put them back in the little hutch either in the shed or in the garage (no car).

This forum has been an amazing source of information for a newbie guinea pig owner, I'm so grateful for all the knowledge and experience out there! Thank you :-)
 
My hutches are built into the end of the shed, there is space blanket insulation between the wall of the hutches and shed. I have run an extension lead into the shed and have a oil filled radiator and a light so I can clean the hutches in the warm and light in winter. ;)
 
Yes, some sort of power out in the shed is our next task. Finding two predominantly black coated youngsters with a head torch and swinging battery powered lamp has been difficult this winter. A proper light bulb out in the shed would be really helpful.
 
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