Ok so my husband i decided to make an indoor run for our guinea pigs (which we should be picking up this weekend) from materials we already have seen as money is slightly tight at the moment.
So i got to work (my husband is not so handy with tools
|))
my diy handiness....
First i started with our bookcase, we were brought this years ago and it barely survived the last move.
so i took all the shelves and draws out, removed any pins and screws etc i could see took the back of and hey presto, the walls of a run (with helpers)
I've put the shelves down as a nice hard floor base which will also create a sort of extra waterproof layer just to protect the carpet.
then i knew we needed to make a roof for it otherwise sami (and the cat) would forever be trying to catch the pigs or in sami's case, trying to feed them i dunno random toys.
so round to the inlaws house, scavenged a few pieces of wood and some chicken wire and got to work.
A bit of woodstain and a lot of fiddly stabby wire, blood and a handy camera helper later
and we have a guinea pig run!
all i have left is to create a waterproof layer which i have a sheet of tarpaulin in the shed i can cut up, sort out a litter box type area and make my fleecel liners and we're sorted.
we've also made them a few things for inside, theo helped me make the house from a cardboard box, i've also made them some comfies for inside the run....
of which i'll be making more soon as i have a spare 5 mins!
I'll just add here that we're on the lookout for a table/ unit etc so that we can get the run off the floor AND come pay day i will be buying some heavy duty mesh to replace the chicken wire.
The run itself has quite high sides which will help deter the cat (though i really dont think she'll be an issue) oh and please dont worry, those metal tracks will be removed too just need to find the right sized screw driver!
So i got to work (my husband is not so handy with tools
|))my diy handiness....
First i started with our bookcase, we were brought this years ago and it barely survived the last move.
so i took all the shelves and draws out, removed any pins and screws etc i could see took the back of and hey presto, the walls of a run (with helpers)
I've put the shelves down as a nice hard floor base which will also create a sort of extra waterproof layer just to protect the carpet.
then i knew we needed to make a roof for it otherwise sami (and the cat) would forever be trying to catch the pigs or in sami's case, trying to feed them i dunno random toys.
so round to the inlaws house, scavenged a few pieces of wood and some chicken wire and got to work.
A bit of woodstain and a lot of fiddly stabby wire, blood and a handy camera helper later
and we have a guinea pig run!
all i have left is to create a waterproof layer which i have a sheet of tarpaulin in the shed i can cut up, sort out a litter box type area and make my fleecel liners and we're sorted.
we've also made them a few things for inside, theo helped me make the house from a cardboard box, i've also made them some comfies for inside the run....
of which i'll be making more soon as i have a spare 5 mins!
I'll just add here that we're on the lookout for a table/ unit etc so that we can get the run off the floor AND come pay day i will be buying some heavy duty mesh to replace the chicken wire.
The run itself has quite high sides which will help deter the cat (though i really dont think she'll be an issue) oh and please dont worry, those metal tracks will be removed too just need to find the right sized screw driver!
I'm afraid if I had a go at this, it wouldn't look like a run! Well done you! 
