Setting up new shed for Guinea pigs

[eksarahw]

Hi everyone, looking for lots of tips and advice for setting up my 6 x 4 shed for 2 Guinea pigs we have arriving next weekend.

Particularly looking for advice on insulation type, size of mesh suitable to keep mice and rats out and paints/wood preservatives which are safe for animals too. Any others advice gratefully recieved. I’ve done a lot of research but want to get it right the first time and ready for them arriving.

I was thinking to have them free roaming in the shed with hides for sleeping, how would I set up water bottles if doing so, I think I’ve seen stand along ones or perhaps could make a fixing to the shed wall? Or should I also have a small hutch inside the shed? Might be tight for space…

Thanks very much in advance,

Sarah

 

[Piggies&buns]

I have a shed.

I originally had four boars (in two pairs) so I had a two storey hutch with one pair at the top and one pair at the bottom. The shed floor was used as a time share run space for each pair.
This worked very well as it was easy to insulate the hutch (as well as the shed) and use hutch covers and blankets to ensure they were warm enough in winter. They were always shut in the hutch at night for warmth.

Long story short, following a breakdown in a bond and losing one piggy to old age, I now have a pair and a single so the hutch set up wasn’t working as it didn’t allow for side by side living for the single piggy.
I now have the shed split and free roam with the pair together beside the single using almost all the shed floor.
I have it with c&c grids so I still have the ability to hold the bottles.
You can buy holders which can screw to the shed walls if you don’t want to use any grids anywhere.

Next winter will be my first winter with this new set up and I do have concerns as to whether they will warm enough without the ability to shut them in a hutch plus being without electricity in my shed I can’t have a heater. If I had a choice and didn’t have to have this more open set up, I wouldn’t do it.
However with lots of hay, snugglesafes and draping blankets and more insulation over the cages, I hope it’ll be ok.

I use silver foil insulation on the walls, floor and ceiling.

Do you have an internal mesh door to enable airflow while offering protection?
Do you have way to stop them from running out when you open the door?
Do you have snugglesafe heatpads? These are essential for outdoor piggies.
Do you have electric and consequently a heat source? This obviously makes things easier if you do!

Importantly, do you have a back up plan for both winter and summer.
I find winter much easier to manage with outdoor living - keeping them warm is easier than keeping them cool.
Summer is a nightmare with a shed - it gets dangerously hot very quickly. This year hasn’t been too bad but previous six years they haven’t been able to stay in the shed during the hottest summer days due to the heat. Even a 22 degree day can cause the shed to get closer 28/30 degrees which is too much so they come indoors.

I will add some pics of my shed so you can see (the currently messy!) set up!
As you can see the outer door is also stable style so I can have half and half for ventilation without too much draught.

I use cuprinol garden shades paint on the outside but I haven’t ever got round to painting the inside! Even if I did though because I use grids they can’t get to the wood anyway. Plus, the grids around the edge stop them from being able to chew and destroy the shed!

 

[eksarahw]

Thanks so much for your detailed reply and pictures, your shed looks great. My shed won’t get any sun so hopefully that will help with summer heat….and also I’m in Scotland so it doesn’t get crazy hot. I will put something across the doorway as a barrier to step over, good point, yes.
I was going to add some vents to the shed walls, hoping that would be sufficient? One each end should do?

Thanks again,

Sarah

 

[Wiebke]

Hi and welcome

Here is the link to our member's shed gallery for pictures. This thread is stickied at the top of this section in the coloured field together with other informative guides: Member Gallery: Sheds

 

[Piggies&buns]

Add a thermometer so you can be sure it’s definitely ok in there.
(Mine does get sun which is awful in summer but it’s a godsend in winter that there is sun on it as without the ability to have a heat source inside, there is nothing for the insulation to trap in!).

Ventilation will be needed.