Member Gallery: Sheds

[KHBz]

Like Piggies&buns I would also let them choose unless it is below 10 degrees. Before we extended their hutch into the L-shape this summer, it was a 4 x 2 like yours (if I remember correctly). Ours worked out as even smaller on the inside and I would rather not have had to shut them in the small space overnight (necessary, of course), so for them to have had to be inside for 24 hours would (I think) have been too much. Having said all that, though, our two are like yours and do much prefer to stay in their hutch! They'll run out for a quick nose-around in the morning and then back in the hutch for most of the day, only really coming out for longer periods if we are there. They must still feel too exposed in this run. The bulk of the hay is also in their hutch (just a couple of heaps in the run). Having now experimented with three different run set-ups in the shed, it has been the smallest one they liked the most. I think if you do keep it to a compact run, and one with a lid as you say, perhaps it would be easier to keep it more snuggly? You could throw a blanket on top of that when very cold? Very many people on here have also stapled radiator insulating foil to the walls of their shed (@Piggies&buns?) of which there are photos in this thread.

As for bath towels and mats, I don't really know. My fleece liners last year didn't quite cover all of the run, so in the remaining section I put down an old cot protector (a rectangle of terry-towelling type thing), then a towel, then a cut-off of thin fleece. The towel and cot protector did stay wet, but the fleece ontop was ok. Others have more experience of layering like that, though. However, if the piggies are not going to go out much, it is only going to have tiny patches of wee here and there!

Just thinking more about the temperature (and realising your question was asking about letting them out below 11 degrees) , given that our hutch was small I think I would have opened it for a little while even when the shed temperature was lower, so that they could come out, sniff around and go back in. I'm fairly new to guinea pigs, though, having only had them for a year. (I would put the radiator on as soon as we opened the hutch at 6 am and so the shed heated up quickly.)

 

[Sally Newbie]

Thanks @KHBz and @Piggies&buns . We are very new to guinea pigs having only had them since July. The bottom of the hutch has had rat proof wire fixed to it, there won't be any food kept in the shed as they eat their pellets fairly quickly, rat proof wire has been put around the shed on the inside. Until we moved our old rabbit hutch out we didn't realise how the rats had made big holes in the base of the shed - and whilst the rabbit was boarding and we were away they ate through the bottom of it's hutch. Ugh, makes my stomach turn just thinking about it. They have a fox proof run outside so half of this will go around the hutch in the shed as well. And it sounds like I just need to monitor how many layers of towels, blankets I need for the top one to stay dry but I think they will only come out when we are there. I'm going to make a long thin run for the shed about 2 ft by 3-4ft I think. And I think I'll open hutch for a little while because of the small hutch and they may come out for a nosey. Have they got enough common sense to go back to where they know it's warm?

 

[KHBz]

Thanks @KHBz and @Piggies&buns . We are very new to guinea pigs having only had them since July. The bottom of the hutch has had rat proof wire fixed to it, there won't be any food kept in the shed as they eat their pellets fairly quickly, rat proof wire has been put around the shed on the inside. Until we moved our old rabbit hutch out we didn't realise how the rats had made big holes in the base of the shed - and whilst the rabbit was boarding and we were away they ate through the bottom of it's hutch. Ugh, makes my stomach turn just thinking about it. They have a fox proof run outside so half of this will go around the hutch in the shed as well. And it sounds like I just need to monitor how many layers of towels, blankets I need for the top one to stay dry but I think they will only come out when we are there. I'm going to make a long thin run for the shed about 2 ft by 3-4ft I think. And I think I'll open hutch for a little while because of the small hutch and they may come out for a nosey. Have they got enough common sense to go back to where they know it's warm?

That is grim about the rats. You really know what you're up against there!
As to whether they'd have the sense to go back into the warmth, I would have thought that since the hutch is where they choose to spend most of their time anyway, there wouldn't be any problem with them not going back in when it is cold.
Good luck with setting it all up. It sounds as though you have already had to do a great deal of work.

 

[Piggies&buns]

Thanks @KHBz and @Piggies&buns . We are very new to guinea pigs having only had them since July. The bottom of the hutch has had rat proof wire fixed to it, there won't be any food kept in the shed as they eat their pellets fairly quickly, rat proof wire has been put around the shed on the inside. Until we moved our old rabbit hutch out we didn't realise how the rats had made big holes in the base of the shed - and whilst the rabbit was boarding and we were away they ate through the bottom of it's hutch. Ugh, makes my stomach turn just thinking about it. They have a fox proof run outside so half of this will go around the hutch in the shed as well. And it sounds like I just need to monitor how many layers of towels, blankets I need for the top one to stay dry but I think they will only come out when we are there. I'm going to make a long thin run for the shed about 2 ft by 3-4ft I think. And I think I'll open hutch for a little while because of the small hutch and they may come out for a nosey. Have they got enough common sense to go back to where they know it's warm?

I personally wouldn’t use towels anyway - they don’t tend to dry quickly enough outside and can leak through from one layer to the next. However, in winter using any kind of fabric outside in a shed can cause problems as the damp air means it absorbs. I can only use fleece items in my shed during the summer months (I use fleece with puppy pads underneath as the bedding in the shed and hay in the hutch. In winter it’s hay everywhere as the fleece was just a nightmare. I do however use fleece cosies and tunnels in the hutch but only overnight and they need to be changed out each morning to ensure they are dry for bedtime.

 

[Sally Newbie]

I am worried yes @Piggies&buns about shed living in winter! I think I will just have to try shower curtain&bath mats combination first and see what happens. If they hardly come out, then I could stick with this; if things start getting wet I might have to switch to lino & hay. FLeece tunnels have been ordered - are you washing these every day?

 

[Piggies&buns]

I am worried yes @Piggies&buns about shed living in winter! I think I will just have to try shower curtain&bath mats combination first and see what happens. If they hardly come out, then I could stick with this; if things start getting wet I might have to switch to lino & hay. FLeece tunnels have been ordered - are you washing these every day?

Not necessarily washing every day - if I have time to I will, but I’m working more this winter than I did last so I may just have to pop them on the utility room radiator to dry every day before putting them back out at night and wash them every few days as I would in summer

 

[Veggies Galore]

My shed set up is in this thread

Member Gallery: Hutches

 

[aleeza]

wow these pictures are making me feel so guilty! Is it okay if my piggies are in a hutch without the shed? I live in LA (i know i shouldn't be on a UK forum but there aren't any for US) so weather isn't an issue

 

[Piggies&buns]

wow these pictures are making me feel so guilty! Is it okay if my piggies are in a hutch without the shed? I live in LA (i know i shouldn't be on a UK forum but there aren't any for US) so weather isn't an issue

you absolutely can be on a uk forum! Don’t worry about that!

we use sheds when we can’t bring them indoors during our cold, wet uk winters - temperatures below 15 degrees Celsius are too cold for piggies and they need a lot of protection from wet weather so if none of that is an issue for you then they don’t need shed protection.
your issue will be protecting them from the heat.

 

[pedro1976]

Here is the first iteration of the shed. Next step is to clear out he back, insulate and board up the walls which will give more room for the internal run. They seem to love it and the daughter can spend time with them inside during the winter.

 

[Diane H]

Loving the shed thread folks! My 10x6 ft pent shed arrives on the 18th Dec (v excited!) and will house two guineas in their hutch down 1 end.
Can I ask if anyone has a solar powered heater with a thermostat? If so which would you recommend? TIA

 

[Samhtm]

Hey all Hopefully getting something built for the piggies soon. We are looking at a 5x4' shed and a three story hutch built into it so the piggies will have loads more room than their current hutch. Just looking for any advice on moving them from the hutch to the shed especially when it comes to bedding. I was looking at fleece liners but apparently they aren't so good in the winter? Thank you in advance

 

[Piggies&buns]

Hey all Hopefully getting something built for the piggies soon. We are looking at a 5x4' shed and a three story hutch built into it so the piggies will have loads more room than their current hutch. Just looking for any advice on moving them from the hutch to the shed especially when it comes to bedding. I was looking at fleece liners but apparently they aren't so good in the winter? Thank you in advance

how many piggies do you have and what sexes? How are you planning on their living arrangements being - ie are they going to be locked in the hutch at any time or just free roam all the time?
a three storey hutch - if you mean all connected by ramps - does not increase floor space. You can only count the bottom level of the hutch as their cage size.

Mine live in my shed. They have a hutch in the shed but are only locked in the hutch at night in winter, all other times they have free roam (and in summer free roam is 24/7). Their hutch is always aubiose (or shavings as a substitute) and then entirely covered with hay. Their shed - in winter is newspaper topped with hay and in summer is fleece. You cannot use fleece outside, particularly in winter as it just won’t dry. Some people have also reported having problems with it in summer outside too, but I don’t have an issue with it being damp even if it is a damp summers day.

 

[Diane H]

Back to nature bedding works well outside. We have the following layers in winter: cardboard (coz I just happened to have some!) then a heat-reflecting layer, then a puppy pad, then Back to Nature bedding - this can be spot cleaned in between full clean-outs and the heating layer is kept dry by the puppy pad. Lots and lots of hay required, especially in the bedroom. We have a hutch that can be moved outside in the summer and a run with a ramp when they’re in the shed. They are shut in at night and covered over with hutch covers and an old duvet, they’ve been happy and cosy so far.

 

[Samhtm]

how many piggies do you have and what sexes? How are you planning on their living arrangements being - ie are they going to be locked in the hutch at any time or just free roam all the time?
a three storey hutch - if you mean all connected by ramps - does not increase floor space. You can only count the bottom level of the hutch as their cage size.

Mine live in my shed. They have a hutch in the shed but are only locked in the hutch at night in winter, all other times they have free roam (and in summer free roam is 24/7). Their hutch is always aubiose (or shavings as a substitute) and then entirely covered with hay. Their shed - in winter is newspaper topped with hay and in summer is fleece. You cannot use fleece outside, particularly in winter as it just won’t dry. Some people have also reported having problems with it in summer outside too, but I don’t have an issue with it being damp even if it is a damp summers day.

I have two piggies, both females - their living arrangements will be similar to yours with free roam all the time in summer and then locked in the hutch overnight in the winter. The hutch was more designed to give a bigger enrichment space for them as opposed to floor space.

Ill stick to using the auboise in the hutch then. Ill use fleece liner in the winter when they are free roaming just to keep the floor clean and then remove it when I'm not using it. In summer ill use it all the time on the floor space Thank you for the advice

 

[Dilly10]

I have a concrete shed currently with a 2 tier hutch for my 4 girls. We are currently sorting it so they can have free roam of a 6x4 maybe slightly bigger space.
I have purchased a smaller hideout hutch and other hideys tunnels etc.
I currently use newspaper shavings then piles of hay in hutch
I will be putting lino down on floor in shed and weighing up my options for bedding

Shavings and piles of hay
Amboise and piles of hay
Shavings/ Auboise in hutch and then just piles of hay in open space
Shavings/ Auboise in hutch and newspaper and hay in open space

Will also be putting a tray of hay in hopefully for toilet use

Whats peoples thoughts or any other ideas
I'm not completely against fleece but the thought of all the washing horrifies me

 

[Piggies&buns]

I have a concrete shed currently with a 2 tier hutch for my 4 girls. We are currently sorting it so they can have free roam of a 6x4 maybe slightly bigger space.
I have purchased a smaller hideout hutch and other hideys tunnels etc.
I currently use newspaper shavings then piles of hay in hutch
I will be putting lino down on floor in shed and weighing up my options for bedding

Shavings and piles of hay
Amboise and piles of hay
Shavings/ Auboise in hutch and then just piles of hay in open space
Shavings/ Auboise in hutch and newspaper and hay in open space

Will also be putting a tray of hay in hopefully for toilet use

Whats peoples thoughts or any other ideas
I'm not completely against fleece but the thought of all the washing horrifies me

Fleece outside is only really an option in summer anyway. If you try to use fleece outside in winter, youll likely find it remains wet all the time.
In the open space, you will always need something absorbent down as a base layer, so option 3 won’t work.
Youll most likely find that as they pee and poop all over the place, often where they are eating, using a tray with hay for toileting will be futile As they’ll still pee and poop everywhere else there is hay, and as it is used as a bedding, then it’ll be everywhere.

Mine live in a hutch in my shed with free roam of the shed floor. The shed floor is lined with plastic sheeting. I use aubiose/shavings and hay in the hutch year round. In winter the shed floor is also aubiose/shavings and hay (sometimes I’ll pop newspaper underneath the aubiose/shavings but my newspaper supply is less reliable these days) but in summer, the shed floor changes to puppy pads and fleece. I prefer the disposable bedding but using the fleece reduces the bedding cost for at least part of the year.

 

[Claire W]

I have a concrete shed currently with a 2 tier hutch for my 4 girls. We are currently sorting it so they can have free roam of a 6x4 maybe slightly bigger space.
I have purchased a smaller hideout hutch and other hideys tunnels etc.
I currently use newspaper shavings then piles of hay in hutch
I will be putting lino down on floor in shed and weighing up my options for bedding

Shavings and piles of hay
Amboise and piles of hay
Shavings/ Auboise in hutch and then just piles of hay in open space
Shavings/ Auboise in hutch and newspaper and hay in open space

Will also be putting a tray of hay in hopefully for toilet use

Whats peoples thoughts or any other ideas
I'm not completely against fleece but the thought of all the washing horrifies me

When I had piggies living free roam in a shed, I had two open hutches (on the floor) at either end of the shed. I filled the hutches with newspaper and hay. I then lined the floor with lino then covered it with newspapers, wood shavings and big piles of hay

 

[Dilly10]

Fleece outside is only really an option in summer anyway. If you try to use fleece outside in winter, youll likely find it remains wet all the time.
In the open space, you will always need something absorbent down as a base layer, so option 3 won’t work.
Youll most likely find that as they pee and poop all over the place, often where they are eating, using a tray with hay for toileting will be futile As they’ll still pee and poop everywhere else there is hay, and as it is used as a bedding, then it’ll be everywhere.

Mine live in a hutch in my shed with free roam of the shed floor. The shed floor is lined with plastic sheeting. I use aubiose/shavings and hay in the hutch year round. In winter the shed floor is also aubiose/shavings and hay (sometimes I’ll pop newspaper underneath the aubiose/shavings but my newspaper supply is less reliable these days) but in summer, the shed floor changes to puppy pads and fleece. I prefer the disposable bedding but using the fleece reduces the bedding cost for at least part of the year.

At the minute mine use there sleep area as a toilet so I'm assuming they will so this with their new hideaway hutch. Still easy to spot clean as all in one place. But they may differ when in a bigger space. So potentially just stick to what I'm doing and maybe switch to fleece in the summer

 

[Dilly10]

When I had piggies living free roam in a shed, I had two open hutches (on the floor) at either end of the shed. I filled the hutches with newspaper and hay. I then lined the floor with lino then covered it with newspapers, wood shavings and big piles of hay

Think this what I'm going to stick to as near enough what I'm doing in hutch they currently use just sleep area as toilet so hopefully will keep to one place in new space making it easier to clean and less waist. Alot of people have mentioned fleece for summer so I'm intregued

 

[Hattie&Tallulah]

Can I just ask, do guinea pigs need the shed to be heated? I am now considering a hutch inside an insulated shed, but a heat source would prove problematic. I've only ever had indoor pigs so outdoor guinea pigs are new to me.

If I can't provide suitable outdoor set up then I simply won't get guinea pigs, as much as I love them, as I know that would be selfish.

 

[Piggies&buns]

Can I just ask, do guinea pigs need the shed to be heated? I am now considering a hutch inside an insulated shed, but a heat source would prove problematic. I've only ever had indoor pigs so outdoor guinea pigs are new to me.

If I can't provide suitable outdoor set up then I simply won't get guinea pigs, as much as I love them, as I know that would be selfish.

Ive commented on your other thread about this

 

[Engel]

Ive finally put my pigs into the shed so thought I'd share.
Shire 7x5, windows and double doors £440 if I remember correctly.
6ft double hutch. P@H £149
Insulation foil £80 (for shed and I lined the floors of the hutch too).
Lino (free) for shed floor.
Galvanised mesh lining the walls to stop mice getting in.
I'm thinking of getting some proplex/correx to line the walls with. The insulation foil is a bit shiny .


Will add more photos tomorrow now it's all kitted out. I think it looks ok? Pigs are happy.

 

[Swissgreys]

I love the mesh lining for the walls - what a great idea!

 

[Sally Newbie]

Can I just ask, do guinea pigs need the shed to be heated? I am now considering a hutch inside an insulated shed, but a heat source would prove problematic. I've only ever had indoor pigs so outdoor guinea pigs are new to me.

If I can't provide suitable outdoor set up then I simply won't get guinea pigs, as much as I love them, as I know that would be selfish.

Ours have been in a non-heated and non-insulated shed over the winter. We put insulation on the sides, underneath and top of hutch before it went into the shed. We had 4 heatpads which we rotated through the day and night so they always had something warm to sit on. They have log tunnels in their sleeping area with fleece over the top of the tunnels, insulation, rugs and hay all on top of the log tunnels up to the top of the hutch inside ! It got pretty cold in the shed over this winter and they just simply stayed in their sleeping area and kept warm and didn't come out into their pen on those days.

 

[Engel]

I love the mesh lining for the walls - what a great idea!

Unfortunately there are a lot of mice where I live and it's quite common for them to get in sheds especially over winter. It's the first thing I thought of. I thought it was crazy but it works lol.

More photos now the pigs have moved in. I present organised chaos plus bonus pigtures

 

[Sally Newbie]

Unfortunately there are a lot of mice where I live and it's quite common for them to get in sheds especially over winter. It's the first thing I thought of. I thought it was crazy but it works lol.

More photos now the pigs have moved in. I present organised chaos plus bonus pigtures
View attachment 174212View attachment 174213View attachment 174214View attachment 174215View attachment 174216

We have rats around so had to put wire all round the back of the shed and then used the wire pen in the winter at the back as well before the hutch went in. When the rabbit lived in there the rats ate through the shed to get to the food and when the rabbit was in temporary accommodation whilst we were away, they actually ate through the bottom of the hutch so we came back from holiday to find a hole in the bottom of the sleeping area. I don't think they would have done that whilst we were there but noone went in the shed for 2 weeks of course. UGH!
I LOVE tyour piggies in their new set up!

 

[Andy_R]

Whilst I think about it This is our guinea pig shed set-up.
It is a 6x4 shed with a 5fr double height hutch inside; hutch built before shed and then put in whilst shed was being constructed as other wise wouldn't fit. It then has a small area inside the shed where they can gonout into. Then we have connected up a tunnel system from runaround, so they free access to roam as they like.

 

[Piggies&buns]

The long awaited new shed (COVID scuppered my plans) has been built for almost three weeks now.
It’s an 8x6 ft shed with a stable door made and built by a local company.
The piggies have a 6ft hutch inside and free roam with the attached 4x3 c&c playpen. There is going to be an internal mesh door put on very shortly and the shed is going to be painted once I can decide on a colour!

 

[piglew]

Whilst I think about it This is our guinea pig shed set-up.
It is a 6x4 shed with a 5fr double height hutch inside; hutch built before shed and then put in whilst shed was being constructed as other wise wouldn't fit. It then has a small area inside the shed where they can gonout into. Then we have connected up a tunnel system from runaround, so they free access to roam as they like.

Where did you get your shed from, out of interest? I was wondering if we'd fit a hutch inside a 6x4 shed and have room to open the hutch door. But from your photographs it looks like you have ample room to do so -- is that correct? Many thanks!