Piggy shed for beginners...

[wannabepiggymum]

Hello everyone

I've never cared for guinea pigs before, but would like to in the future. I love coming on the forum and reading all the threads, i'm definately learning lots from all of you. I just have a few questions about having a piggy shed that I am hoping some of you experts can help me with

Basically my living situation is that I can't have any more pets in the house. I'm desperate to have guinea pigs and was thinking along the lines of buying a big shed/summer house and having my dad fit it out with large hutches on either side with a large C&C area in the middle.
Can guinea pigs be left outside all year round, or would i need to provide heating in the harsher months? If so, what kind of heating would you suggest? Lamp/heat pads/halogen heaters etc.
Also what sort of bedding would be best? I don't have a problem spending my days cleaning out sawdust etc, but i noticed that a lot of people on here use fleece blankets, pillows etc. Which do you find your piggies prefer?

Looking forward to your replies,
Lou p

 

[nutmeg]

Hiya, glad you are enjoying the forum.
Guineas can live in a shed all year round, but not really the flimsy, no electic type. Invest in a good solid construction, with good ventilation via window/s and stable door if possible. As well as getting cold in winter, they can get very hot in summer. It's better to have a smaller good shed, than a draughty place. Have electricity in there so when the dark nights and dark mornings arrive, it is still easy to be in there. Oil filled radiators are generally thought to be the safest. Definitely no exposed elements, and heat lamps may burn a pig. You will find people have vastly differing views on what bedding works best for them. People on here use Dust extracted wood shavings (Not sawdust), fleece, vetbed, hay, newspaper, etc., and all will come on singing praises or not, as they prefer. Have a read, then decide what works best for you. Good luck x

 

[lovelygirl]

You will need a good quality shed, you will then need to insulate it with inuslation then board over the insulation. I would recommend using wooden hutches in a shed as c&c cages are not rat proof or as study as a good hutch(rats can and will attack and kill guinea pigs). You will probably want to install lighting and and electrical socket so that you can plug in an oil filled radiator in the winter months. You can also buy snugglesafes that you can put in the microwave that they can sit on. I would avoid using sawdust/ shavings as this is not a good bedding for guinea pigs as it can cause respiratory and skin problems. I would use either megazorb or aubiose or similar product. Fleece bedding is commonly used for indoor housing but it is not as warm. In the winter you will also need to give them lots of hay to snuggle into. I would also consider putting a mesh door on the inside of the outer door so that in the summer the door can be open but neighboorhood cats can't visit.

 

[skrikopanik]

Welcome!

Sweden is too cold for year round outdoor piggies but I know lots of people in the UK have teir piggies in unheated sheds/hutches outside. Piggies seem to get used to temperatures and you can also help them cope with cold by giving them cozies, heat pads and hay to burrow in. Even more dangerous than cold is heat, so make sure the shed you get is well ventilated and won't turn into a green house.

Chose whatever bedding works for you... Mine are on fleece because I don't have a compost and didn't know what to to with a big sack of used bedding every week.

 

[bekkie]

heyy
i reckon hutches would be good. but i'm just thinking, the cost of all this is going to be quite a lot. so i hope thats okay with you?
for bedding there are bedding reviews at the top of the main page where you can check out pros cons etc. you won't find one bedding where it is all pros however, every bedding will have its ups and downs. its your job to find one that the ups outweight the downs or the downs aren't relavent or affect you. like everyone has said, a good shed will be well ventilated and can keep warm in winter and cool in summer. you can get some very nice huches for sale around the place. nice big ones too. where i live in new zealand we don't get snow and there are no birds of prey in the suburbs (tho are one farms) and we don't have snakes or tonns of animals you get in the UK so having my piggies in a hutch outdoors is fine. that could be the case with you also? as long as you can keep them protected from the elements and the weather doesn't get to cold.
if you do need to keep them warm hay is the best for it. piggies LOVE hay they burrow in it sleep in it make tunnels and they eat it. i say make sure you have a hay part of your hutch. not just a hay rack but hay for them to sleep in. how many piggies are you planning on getting? i think if you're a first time owner start with two or three only get one on its own if it's a boar who won't get along with others (though boars can be fine with companionship not all will easily make friends). you can always add another hutch later if you're planning on getting more piggies.
thats just a brief little expansion on what others have said. hope it helps in some way!

 

[wannabepiggymum]

I've read a few reviews on the vet bed, as it is something we use in the vets i work at, and think this is something that i would like to use! As its very absorbant and easy to clean. Plus I can buy a big roll and cut it to size. I never realised that piggies liked to sleep in Hay aswell as eat it *you learn something new everyday*, and that is something I definately want to provide them with!
Bekkie - i'm planning on starting small, with a group of 3. What do you think the best combination is? I was thinking 1 neut boar and 2 sows.
I know that the initial cost of setting up the shed will be expensive, but I'm lucky that my dad is very handy with a hammer and has plenty experience in construction/insulation

 

[nutmeg]

You have a good combination there with a N boar and 2 sows. The boars aren't always easy to come by, but 3 sows is a good mix too. Lucky you having your own handyman! x