New Hutch

[Amyscoobybarnie]

Ok so anyone who has seen my posts before knows my piggies (scooby and Barnie) are my first piggies and I got them a few months ago at only a few weeks old. At the moment the routine is wake up and get their food, I go to work, when return I out them in a large space to run for at least 2 hours, then after my dinner we have cuddle time and they get hand fed a treat before going back to bed. At the moment they are used to this routine and are getting excited over each part, which is so nice especially in a morning when they popcorn when they see me... Mostly because they know it's food time, but I live in hope sometimes they enjoy seeing me.

Anyway they live outside and they currently have a smaller hutch as the women in the shop was insistent that was more than big enough so my parents got that one as it was a birthday present. But now I feel it is not nice thinking of them in it all day so just brought a 2 story hutch which I can separate so at night I can just have them in the top bit so feel abit safer. It should arrive next week but I am really conscious that they have just become very settled and I want the move to go as smooth as possible. My idea is to close the bottom off to start with. Carry out normal routine and put them in the new hutch (top part only) in the evening so that night they are left alone to settle. Then in the morning do the usual feeding routine and then I not sure if to open the bottom up or leave it so they settle in the top part? My worry is the ramp and I don't want them to get settled then suddenly there is a whole in the floor. Part of me also wants to watch them when opening it up so I can check their is no accidents.

Basically I am asking what time of day should I put them in the new hutch? When should I open the bottom up? Should I continue with the routine or leave them in the hutch for 24/48 hours to re-settle?

Advice please

Amy

 

[Maisy and Poppy]

Hi Amy,
My 2 piggies live in the pets @ home 2 storey bluebell hutch and the bottom floor which is 140 cm long ( roughly ). How big is one floor of your hutch? If your hutch is as big as mine then I would just keep them in the bottom. If you are worried about them falling off the ramp you could buy a ramp tunnel which I have heard are very good. My piggies are moved to lots of hutches and they do not worry as long as you put familiar bedding, toys and bowls ... I wouldn't worry about leaving them for 24 or 48 hrs , I would though carry on with the routine you have because stopping it might unsettle them.

Hope that's helpful!