piggyme234
Adult Guinea Pig
I was planning on redesigning my shed in the coming months. I currently have 2 large hutches 5.5ft x 2ft with 3 floors and ramps which are about 4.5ft tall. I also have a 7.5ft x 2ft single storey hutch across the back of the shed on a shelf. The current layout is capable of accommodating 5 pigs in each of the big hutches and 2 in the smaller one a total of 12, at the moment there are just 10.
The trouble I am having is that the hutches are over 7 years old now and are getting a bit tatty and difficult to clean. Also the big hutches have quite a few areas that are difficult to reach, especially on the ramps so the piggles know where to hide when they don't want to be caught. This becomes even more of an issue when trying to medicate elusive piggies in the morning while trying not to be too late for work.
I was thinking about creating some luxury single storey "apartments" rather than tall thin "townhouses" that would be made of perspex sheets screwed to a wooden frame. The idea is to create a large U shaped structure that would be 6ft x 7.5ft around the walls of my shed and 2ft deep. I would have a 3.5ft wide space in the middle to stand and the first floor of the new build would be storage. The middle two levels would be two large U shaped hutches. The side walls where the windows are would be clear perspex to let in light, there would be removable wooden bedroom boxes in the two corners and the interior walls would all be doors made of mesh or c&c grids for easy access. The fourth level would be two L shaped hutches effectively 6ft x2ft with an extra 1.75ft x 2ft section which would increase my shed capacity by 2 pigs as it would give me a second "small" hutch.
I am not the best at diy but definitely not the worst. If I do my maths right, get the pieces precut and make it in sections it shouldn't be too much harder than a big piece of flat packed furniture, just I won't need to have to figure out the instructions because they will be in my head.
Has anyone ever tried to make anything like this before? I am hoping that the open plan style gives the piggies more light and helps me catch them more easily and calmly rather than having to try and get them out of hard to reach corners. One of the biggest things I hope is that the perspex will make it much easier for me to clean.
Any ideas, suggestions, criticisms (friendly ones) that I haven't thought of would be appreciated. Thanks
The trouble I am having is that the hutches are over 7 years old now and are getting a bit tatty and difficult to clean. Also the big hutches have quite a few areas that are difficult to reach, especially on the ramps so the piggles know where to hide when they don't want to be caught. This becomes even more of an issue when trying to medicate elusive piggies in the morning while trying not to be too late for work.
I was thinking about creating some luxury single storey "apartments" rather than tall thin "townhouses" that would be made of perspex sheets screwed to a wooden frame. The idea is to create a large U shaped structure that would be 6ft x 7.5ft around the walls of my shed and 2ft deep. I would have a 3.5ft wide space in the middle to stand and the first floor of the new build would be storage. The middle two levels would be two large U shaped hutches. The side walls where the windows are would be clear perspex to let in light, there would be removable wooden bedroom boxes in the two corners and the interior walls would all be doors made of mesh or c&c grids for easy access. The fourth level would be two L shaped hutches effectively 6ft x2ft with an extra 1.75ft x 2ft section which would increase my shed capacity by 2 pigs as it would give me a second "small" hutch.
I am not the best at diy but definitely not the worst. If I do my maths right, get the pieces precut and make it in sections it shouldn't be too much harder than a big piece of flat packed furniture, just I won't need to have to figure out the instructions because they will be in my head.
Has anyone ever tried to make anything like this before? I am hoping that the open plan style gives the piggies more light and helps me catch them more easily and calmly rather than having to try and get them out of hard to reach corners. One of the biggest things I hope is that the perspex will make it much easier for me to clean.
Any ideas, suggestions, criticisms (friendly ones) that I haven't thought of would be appreciated. Thanks
