To Cover or not to Cover?

[sophiemccarthy]

We have 2 boars (brothers) we got at 10 weeks old last August. They have been living in a cage in my son's bedroom until last week when we finally got them a 2 story 5' long cage. Its a great purpose built cage and came with a rain/wind cover with zip up fronts .. 2 panels of thick plastic with air holes and one fabric one for their closed section.

Its been really hot this last week but also we have had bad rain so i've kept the cover on the hutch and have been zipping them up at night? Do I have to zip them up at night or should I keep the cover off whilst its meant to be summer? I have put a load of shavings in the hutch and hay in the closed sections for them to sleep. Am I doing enough .. i'm not really sure what to do.. they seem very happy - eating, drinking etc.

I just cleaned them out tonight fully and all seems normal..If it gets really cold in the winter I plan to bring them in again into the cage - but as boars they do get quite smelly and my son is quite enjoying having his room back!

does anyone have any tips? am i doing everything right?.. i had a freak out when i first put them in the hutch on Sunday and they immediately started chewing the wood on the front cage door. their wooden houses and log tunnel are edible so it frustrates me taht they prefer to chew the cage but heyho?!

thanks .. Sophie

 

[lilmisscavy]

It isn't overly necessary to cover them up but to keep the hutch staying 'healthy' for longer, you can do. I know my girlfriend covers hers all up every night and I've started to with mine. You can't be sure when it'll rain, how much rain you'll get, and then there's the wind too.

They're old enough to be outside during the winter, and its a good time of year to put them outside so by winter, unless you're snowed in or its colder than last winter, they won't need bringing inside. Just put them beside the house or a fence with extra hay and food at night and they'll be ok. They'd have adjusted to it getting colder by then.

And I wouldn't worry about the nibbling of their new hutch, it's typical piggy behaviour. Could be nerves of being somewhere new or just investigating, as they all do.. with their mouths lol

 

[mstori]

Hi and welcome.

I certainly wouldnt be covering them up if the weather is as hot where you are as it is here. I have the proper covers for my hutches, but have just put some plastic (from friends new mattress) hanging over.. put lengths of wood on hutch roof so that there is loads of room between the cover and the front of the hutches if that makes sense, so the air circulates.

Its worrying isnt it when the weathe so hit n miss.

Piggies can get really hot and quite a few die in the heat.

Tori x

oh and mine nibble everything they arent meant to too

 

[iluvguineapigs]

I dont cover the hutch at night in the summer. Even if it rains buts not windy i dont always zip them up. But if you want to keep it in good condition then you could put the cover on but not to tight. *** they might get too hot

 

[Kringeldec]

I cover mine every night with either a duvet cover or a piece of plastic sheeting.

I also use old pieces of net curtaining to cover the front of hutches in the day, to prevent flies getting into their hutches. Also creates shade which is great when its hot.