Opinions please! New set up, adopting 3 guinea pigs next week.

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Louisep1973

Louisep1973

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Hi there,

This is our shed set up so far. It's mainly free range, though in the very cold weather we may put the guinea pigs in the hutch at night time. For bedding I'm using newspaper, towels and fleece, have got a hay rack for hay. Two igloos (might need another?) and am going to sort out lots of boredom breakers too. Am adopting three piggies who only have hutch at the mo, so hopefully they will find this nice and spacious.

Is there anything obvious I have got wrong? Have got to get water bottles and feeding bowls of course. Have also got a large outdoor run for them. Will they burrow under the fleece and is that a problem?

Thanks for looking and I'd be really grateful of any comments/suggestions before our adoptees arrive on the 8th September.
 
Looks great, your going to have 3 lucky piggies... as you say a 3rd igloo or something would be good, but apart from that looks fab! Cant wait to see pics of the new piggies when you get them :D I don't have outdoor piggies at the moment, only indoor, so cant offer outdoor advice, but to me looks great :D I'm sure also the piggies would love a big pile of hay to snuggle in (when they come) and maybe a few cuddlecups and tunnels etc ..but looks great!:D
 
Thanks so much for your reply Jennifer. Definitely getting lots of hay - has to be shop bought as one of the is allergic to farm stuff. They will be very loved piggies, my daughter in the picture has wanted some for over a year - I waited to make sure it wasn't just a phase, but she has watched just about every youtube guinea pig advice video there is and is soo excited. Will post photos when they arrive :)
 
That's wonderful and the piggies will love it :)
Hay is essential but in all honesty, I'd wait until you have them then decide what's needed.
Piggies may burrow but it's natural, we use vet bedding as it stays in place. Main thing is lots of room so as tempting as it is to buy things, it takes up precious space. The wooden bendy logs and fleece tunnels are fab as hideys so perhaps a couple of those and I'd consider heat pads for the colder weather to keep them warm.

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Guinea-Pi...gehog-pigloo-bed-tunnel-set-toy-/231025725686

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Super-Pet...et_Supplies_Small_Animals&hash=item1e7239d8b2
 
Aw how sweet. I find no problem in children wanting Guinea pigs...as long as the grown ups (as you say) also want them as unfortunately as you say some children go through phases etc Although shame its not always children...some children are more responsible that some adults etc...hehe anyway I bet your daughter will love them! Are they rescue piggies you are getting? how exciting, It's always so exciting getting new piggies :D
 
Thanks Guinea Pig Slave, those tunnels look fab. Yes, was looking at heat pads for the hutch - I don't want them to be cold. Might save up for some vetbed as I'm getting irritated with the fleece rucking up already!

Jennifer - they are guinea pigs that my niece rescued a year ago, and she just doesn't have time for them, one was overbred from and very poorly when she got them - all her hair was dropping out :( these 3 sows have been kept together and adore each other, so I'm glad we've got room for them all.

To be honest although technically they will be my daughter's, I think I will love them just as much....
 
Louisep1973 said:
Thanks Guinea Pig Slave, those tunnels look fab. Yes, was looking at heat pads for the hutch - I don't want them to be cold. Might save up for some vetbed as I'm getting irritated with the fleece rucking up already!

Jennifer - they are guinea pigs that my niece rescued a year ago, and she just doesn't have time for them, one was overbred from and very poorly when she got them - all her hair was dropping out :( these 3 sows have been kept together and adore each other, so I'm glad we've got room for them all.

To be honest although technically they will be my daughter's, I think I will love them just as much....
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I tried everything to keep it on the bases of the pens and failed :( Shop around for bits n pieces, you'll find some great bargains. Sometimes people sell stuff on here - you're really going to be spoiling these little ones...;)
 
I'd spoil them even more if my husband would agree to them living in the house! Oh well, at least he has done a nice job of the shed for them....
 
With the space cardboard boxes from the supermarket would be great for them they love pushing them about and chewing them. It looks great by the way.
 
Normally when I see a hutch destined to be a guinea pig home I feel a little bit sick - but OH MY GOD what a palace you have created! This set up reminds me of Mildred's summer home for her guinea pigs, they will have so much space and your children will get so much out of being able to get into their pen with them. My favourite part about having a large indoor cage on the floor (a c&c cage) is being able to sit down with the pigs and watch them figure out the big ape which is taking up their sleeping space.

I'm not sure what you're using the line the floor but when it becomes worn from being washed I wanted to point out that you can use lino as a replacement which, in my experience, stands up to being bleached/scrubbed and piddled on better than a shower curtain (I'm assuming! :) ) and can be cheaper from a wee local guy than correx sheets.

One suggestion I have for winter time is that you may want to surround the side and back of the hutch with compressed straw. The pigs won't be tempted to eat it so it should keep its shape and it will help to keep the warmth in the hutch.Stuff the hutch with hay too to make it all nice and cosy. You can also buy snugglesafe's from eBay which you microwave and then keeps its heat for 4 or so hours for the night time. Just microwave it, wrap it in the fleece and then plop it into the hutch beneath the hay to keep the cold out. They're very safe (unlike a water bottle which is roasting then tapers off) and are designed for sick animals originally. But I'm not concerned about your pigs ever being cold as you seem to really care about them :) I'm sure they'll do brilliantly.

I'm allergic to hay too, and some kinds seem to flare my eczema more than others. If you ever want to buy different kinds of hay or try them out The Hay Experts does a hay sample pack (in hay bags) that you can get to try out timothy, orchard grass (I'm fine with this but not timothy), readigrass, different kinds of oat/meadow, etc. hay. You could look into this if you ever want to bulk buy to see if there is a hay which doesn't cause a reaction.

I can't wait to see your set up with pigs, fleece and toys in it.

Your kid looks so happy and excited on her seat! I'm sure both she and you will make brilliant guinea pig mums! :)
 
Hi Teadragon

The white floor covering is actually fleece - it doesn't look like it I know! :) The whole floor is covered in wall to wall lino, then newspaper, then towels, then fleece (washed 3 times without softener) - I hope this works!

The compressed hay idea is brilliant, thank you. The sample packs sound fab, will definitely order some of them to try out. Yes, I'll be monitoring them very closely in the winter and investing in a few snugglesafes. I couldn't bear them to be cold. I'm glad you like the set up, this is our first experience with guinea pigs and I want to get it right.

Thanks for all the advice, looking forward to posting photos when they arrive!
 
Your set up looks fab :)

My four piggies live free range in a shed too except the have two smaller hutches either end rather than one big one.

In the colder months, I provide plenty if soft hay, microwaveable heat pads (that I see have already been mentioned), fleecy beds and cardboard boxes stuffed with hay. I also provide a canopy type thing that I lay across from hutch to hutch to trap the heat in more (so it doesn't rise up towards the roof of the shed).

Your new piggies are very lucky
 
Ah! Sorry, looks like you're all ready for your new family members! I assumed it was a shower curtain because I use them as temporary lining for C&C cages if I have a pig passing through my home. They're white... that's as much as what they relate to what you have :3

I can't wait to hear all about you getting them!
 
Louisep1973 said:
I'd spoil them even more if my husband would agree to them living in the house! Oh well, at least he has done a nice job of the shed for them....
Click to expand...

I know what you mean Louisep1973 about husbands, it took alot of convincing for mine to agree to have them in the lounge, then the summer it was too warm facing south so now they are in the bedroom, he's ok now though.

It's a shame there is nowhere to bull dog clip the fleece tight is there not a lip of wood anywhere to do it? Guess you will have thought of that anyway.

S x
 
Thanks Stewybus and Claire W. The canopy thing is a great idea. Bulldog clip thing a good idea too Silly, thank you - will get my other half to come up with some kind of contraption - there is a lip of wood so maybe there's a way of anchoring it :)
 
x) drool beautiful piggies!

Who is that in the middle? I am in lurve!
 
From left to right, Ariel, the 'baby', Rapunzel, and Cinderella. Rapunzel is adorable, she was rescued from being totally overbred from. Am treating her for mites at the mo, you may be able to see the sudocrem on her back poor thing. I am in love too. They adore their shed set up, and are settling and eating well x
 
Loving the Disney/ fairytale theme with the names.

Awww Rapunzel, just add that name to my pignapping list :x :))

Is she being Xeno'd for her mites? Hope she gets better soon. I will be expecting lots of photos of these cuties. You all must be very excited, congratulations.
 
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bless, sounds like they have landed on their feet with you! :D they are stunning :D you must be so excited :D x
 
Yes I think its xeno. Rang the vets his morning and they couldn't fit her in till monday, but sold me some spot on pipettes to treat all 3. I hope it works quickly her bald patch looks red raw :(

My daughter is thrilled with them too. Quick question, despite all the lovely room they have, they use their sleeping area (closed end of the hutch) as their toilet, which worries me as I don't want them to get damp. Is there anything else I can do about this other than clean out that area more frequently? They don't wee anywhere else at all, so I think I can dispense with the towel layer on the floor of the shed, and use just tons of newspaper and fleece.
 
Really excited jenniferanneharris. Fell in love as soon as we got them! Thank you x
 
:laluot_15: Yay - they are stunning and have totally landed on their little paws with you (soon have you wrapped around them too :x)
A new house and they wee in the bedroom tut tut rolleyes I'd suggest a small piece of vet bed as it wicks wee away from the surface, is anti bacterial and easy to change...our piggies love it and I pop double (15 x 15" pieces) in the areas that they wee, won't stop them but does help.
Most piggies wee in hay trays so perhaps stuff a litter tray with hay and have a little suspended rack - they'll soon settle and you'll pick up on their funny little habits in no time ;)
The girls are lovely and hope the mite issue is resolved shortly so you can relax and enjoy them xx>>>
 
I hadn't thought of that guineapigslave, perhaps they are weeing in there because thats where all the hay is! Will do as you suggest and put a load in a litter tray - thank you!
 
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