Under The Stairs?

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CarnivalPiggy

CarnivalPiggy

Adult Guinea Pig
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Hiya! This'll probably be a no go but I'm just considering it. What do you think of putting piggies in the shoe closet under the stairs? Obviously everything would be removed and cleaned out for piggyback stuff. I keep having complains from other family about having a room dedicated entirely to piggies so I've been considering other places. I'd maybe have to replace the door for a barnyard type where you can close the top half and look in etc, but I wouldn't be sure about what to do with the incredibly creaky stairs, which I'd be worried would constantly scare. It'd be roughly a 2x7 or so.
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I guess it would depend on what natural light they would get in there, and if not much, then how often they would come out.

And whether you would be able to clean them out without much problem. I don't think I would be able to fit in there to clean them out.

It would be nice and warm in winter for them in there.
 
How about if the door was removed and you used a baby gate instead so they got natural light and felt like part of the household?

I don't think creaky stairs would be an issue, I think they would get used to it and start wheeking when they heard your footsteps (when mine lived in a room upstairs they could tell the difference between my footsteps and my OHs and I would get wheeked at :)))
 
Mm, I'm not sure how much natural light would filter in. I'll look at that when it's lighter tomorrow.

I'd be able to fit in there.
Ahh, baby gate sounds like a good idea. :D And noted lol.

Also, not to sound horrible but the last days of cage cleaning would need to be thought of. A lot of people randomly pop in so if I'm about to clean them out and the smell (as its in the hallway) I don't want to accidently stink the house out for a bit.
 
My understairs was at one time a ferret home, we took the proper door off & made a perspex half sized gate, floor was covered in vinyl flooring and it worked great to clean I just walked in :) will see if I can did some old pics out
 
It got plenty of light because my living room is at back of house stairs opp front door so under the stairs in living room facing patio door pigs were babies in 3 x 2 c&c but can fit just under a 5 x 2 only used c&c so I could hang things up but otherwise wouldn't have needed grids
 
Air circulation would be my main concern. But even if it's very stuffy you could likely sort something out with a shelf and small desk fan to draw air, especially since there's already a socket.
 
Thanks for the pictures!

And yes. I'd consider a fan, thanks for the idea. My house is quite a cold place in general, as we don't turn the heating up a lot (though Ginny is kept warm of course). Though, with hot weather coming I'd definitely need to take that into consideration.

Edit: would also be worried about lighting. Timber wood for stairs and light can't be kept on very long at one time to avoid heat or possible fires. It's not dangerous, but it would be if I kept the light on. Suppose I would just get light anyway though with natural or artificial light from hallway ?
 
CarnivalPiggy said:
And yes. I'd consider a fan, thanks for the idea. My house is quite a cold place in general, as we don't turn the heating up a lot (though Ginny is kept warm of course). Though, with hot weather coming I'd definitely need to take that into consideration.
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Fans only cool people down because we sweat. Wet skin + air movement = cooling effect. For animals which don't sweat (at all, or e.g. rodents who have sweat glands only on their feet), the air circulation is simply just that.
 
It does look a bit small as regarding lights, we have our light on all the time. We have an LED strip light, it's a cold light so no warmth to cook the piggies. We put ours on the roof of the cage, angled over the cage not down towards them.
 
Thanks :) One of my mum's main concerns would be that it's right next to the kitchen, worried about hygiene. Am I the only one who doesn't see the problem with this? I don't see how hygiene would be too big of a problem provided cage is clean and poo doesn't get in the kitchen lol

Also, any ideas how to keep fleece smelling nice?
 
CarnivalPiggy said:
Thanks :) One of my mum's main concerns would be that it's right next to the kitchen, worried about hygiene. Am I the only one who doesn't see the problem with this? I don't see how hygiene would be too big of a problem provided cage is clean and poo doesn't get in the kitchen lol

Also, any ideas how to keep fleece smelling nice?
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Always wash fleece without fabric softener and with a little bit of white vinegar in the "softener" drawer. The vinegar will help neutralize the smell of the pee.

If your not using "fleece liners" and just a layer of fleece fabric then make sure there is something under it to soak up the wee (puppy training pads/incontinence sheets/baby disposable changing sheets for a few examples. Basically something absorbent but with a waterproof underside so that you can swap it out when needed and make cleaning really fast and easy.
 
CarnivalPiggy said:
Hiya! This'll probably be a no go but I'm just considering it. What do you think of putting piggies in the shoe closet under the stairs? Obviously everything would be removed and cleaned out for piggyback stuff. I keep having complains from other family about having a room dedicated entirely to piggies so I've been considering other places. I'd maybe have to replace the door for a barnyard type where you can close the top half and look in etc, but I wouldn't be sure about what to do with the incredibly creaky stairs, which I'd be worried would constantly scare. It'd be roughly a 2x7 or so.
View attachment 60817 View attachment 60818
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I think it could work, def don't think stairs creaking would be an issue.
 
Thanks. Measured it in grids, roughly 2x6. I'd be afraid of spiders as there are a few gaps, especially ants and such during summer as heat is approaching
 
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