Using the shed floor

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Tracyxx

Tracyxx

Adult Guinea Pig
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At the moment my pigs are in a 8x6 shed with hutches around the inside of the walls. But there's a good bit of floorspace that isn't used and I was wondering if I could build a run to fit inside the shed, to act as another hutch? I was thinking it could have a seperate bedroom space too, just by using some wooden boxes. What sort of floor would I need to put down? It would be so easy to clean out too - just some newspapers and shavings and sweep them up weekly. What do you think?
 
Hi Tracy

I have done this in my shed and currently have a group of 9 (8 sows of various ages and a neutered boar) living in a big group - they seem to love it, they've loads of space and I love watching them, I do think it's a good way to keep them.

I converted the bottom level of my hutch block, which is raised a few cm off the ground, they hop in and out quite safely but it is warmer for them in the hutch block if they need it. Then I converted an old run to form the front part of the pen. Later on when I added a second hutch block, I raised it up on legs and made the underneath into a pen, so the whole thing is now Lshaped. I'll dig out some pics...

I have tarpaulin on the floor, or you could use lino. In winter I board the front to keep them warmer, and they have loads of boxes stuffed with hay and a blanket over at night. I don't have a top on mine as the door is secure.

Sophie
x
 
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Will have to find some better pics!
 
The hutch block is 6' wide and 2' deep, the pen adds another 6' x 2' and the side bit another 4' x 2'. I have had more pigs in it but at the moment the 9 are comfortable in there.
 
Our guinea-pigs share a 10'x6' shed with the rabbits. The guinea-pigs have 6'x4' of the shed floor plus their 5ft 2-tiered hutch. I have raised the guinea-pigs' hutch off the shed floor with house bricks (so it's not too high, in case they fall), propped the hutch door open and made steps for them to climb up and down (with a couple of wooden boxes), so they have 24/7 access to the shed floor. I covered the shed floor with a tarpaulin, lino, newspaper and hay (you could just use a tarpaulin and then whatever bedding you normally use). It works brilliantly and they love having the shed floor as their run. It also means I only have to clean them out once a week, rather than twice a week.

However, as the hutch isn't very high off the ground, I can't catch them if they're under it, so it's only a short-term, Winter solution. In the Spring, I'll have to think of something else, so that I can catch them easily to put them out in their run on the grass everyday.
 
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Tracyxx said:
At the moment my pigs are in a 8x6 shed with hutches around the inside of the walls. But there's a good bit of floorspace that isn't used and I was wondering if I could build a run to fit inside the shed, to act as another hutch? I was thinking it could have a seperate bedroom space too, just by using some wooden boxes. What sort of floor would I need to put down? It would be so easy to clean out too - just some newspapers and shavings and sweep them up weekly. What do you think?
Click to expand...

my shed is this size and i have fixed mesh from the bottom of the hutches to the floor and made a little door from wood and mesh and fixed it to the door opening of the shed so they can see outside and not get out and they are easy to catch has they cant run under the hutches as the mesh blocks it off xx
also lino is good and can be mopped..
 
Luxury hotel for piggies

I have been to Claires and never mind me booking piggies in for holiday boarding ! I would not mind a short break in the shed its fab !
Carpet,curtains,heater food and drink oh and cctv ..could park me car in the garden ..lol
Helen xx
 
Oh wow, I love it! I feel inspired now. Will have to look into getting this done ASAP, I think my pigs would love the extra room. Thanks guys :)
 
Also, meant to say -the only downside for me is that it's quite tricky to clean as you have to sort of get in it, and you have to lean across it to get to the other hutches which means you have to be careful not to drop stuff on the pigs! rolleyes
 
It looks really nice, Sophie! I know about the careful while cleaning... My cage is so big I need to go into it when cleaning and then it's like playing twister. I can't move my feet because you never know if a piggy has hidden somewhere around you :)
 
I want to make mine easier to clean out you see. My mum and dad are splitting up, and dad used to help out with the cleaning, but I'll be doing it all myself from now on. It breaks my back as I have eleven hutches :o
 
My guineas have recently moved into the outhouse off my kitchen. I have a group of 6 that share a 2 story hutch and the floor space in front. It seems to work really well and they seem really happy with all the space (28 sq ft). The only problem is a couple of them are becoming a little wild and tricky to catch, when they were housed in pairs the now 'wild' ones did seem to interact with me more. I suppose as long as they're happy - thats the main thing!

This is a picture of their palace. The top apartment is home to a married couple, the rest is for the colony. This is one of the first pictures I took - I subsequently tried thick towels/fleece over the lino but they didn't really seem to like it and I rarely saw them there apart from at meal time. The floor is now covered with newspaper and thick hay, which they love!

piggiespalace2.jpg
 
These pics are fab, and are the sort of thing I have in mind. But I'd need something to secure the top, as the shed door is open all day. Maybe just a mesh lid?
 
Tracyxx said:
These pics are fab, and are the sort of thing I have in mind. But I'd need something to secure the top, as the shed door is open all day. Maybe just a mesh lid?
Click to expand...

A mesh lid or a mesh door (like a fly screen) on the shed door would do it.

Let's see pics once you've done it!

Sophie
x
 
Tracy,

I love your piggie house, I'm now re thinking mine (bigger job for o/h I think.

Clair,

Do you have any pic's of yours?

Thanks :)
 
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