Bluebell hutch sizing!

[Piggiebaby]

Hi guys,
Does anyone know the INSIDE sizing of the bluebell Guinea pig hutch from pets at home? I already know the outdoor sizes but looking to change our bedding to fleece for our piggies instead of sawdust - it gets everywhere! If anyone also has any recommendations for fleeces for cages, let me know!

thanks.

 

[Piggies&buns]

Just to check as you are using a hutch and given they are normally an outdoor housing, that your piggies are indoors?
(If they are outdoors, then you won’t be able to use fleece as it wicks moisture from the air and won’t dry properly.)

It also depends on whether you’ve got the 5ft or 6ft bluebell.

I’ve got a 5ft bluebell and the internal measurements are 142x52cm.

Given the internal measurement is approximately 8cm shorter than the external, the 6ft bluebell is likely to be 172x52cm.

 

[Piggiebaby]

Thank you, yes they’re outdoors. I didn’t actually know that! So thanks for letting me know. If I was to get waterproof fleece lining would it be ok? Or would you still not recommend?
Thanks so much.

 

[Piggies&buns]

Thank you, yes they’re outdoors. I didn’t actually know that! So thanks for letting me know. If I was to get waterproof fleece lining would it be ok? Or would you still not recommend?
Thanks so much.

No it’s not recommended for use outside at all - it wont dry properly so they will be constantly on wet bedding. Plus it can suck moisture out of the air and then stay damp. You might get away with using it during the height of a warm and dry summer, but definitely not between now and next June I would say.

As outdoor piggies, they need an absorbent layer of your choice, plus lot of hay on top to snuggle into to keep warm. (along with thermal hutch covers and microwaveable heatpads etc - keeping outdoor piggies warm is a lot of work as anything below 15 degrees is too cold for them)
Mine live in my shed (they have a hutch in there also). I occasionally use fleece on the shed floor during the height of summer when it is definitely warm enough for it to dry, but as soon as the weather gets cooler, or is damp, then I stop using it.

 

[Lady Kelly]

I agree as someone who has tried fleece for outdoors piggies previously, it's not good at all and just feels constantly damp. There are alternatives to wood shavings though. I currently use raviera but previously used aubiose. I would have carried on with aubiose but there have been huge issues getting it hence the switch. It's horse bedding but let's the wee soak to the bottom while keeping the top layer dry

 

[Piggies&buns]

I really like aubiose but cannot consistently get hold of it. I therefore use megazorb as my next favourite option, and Snowflake Softchip or Snowflake shavings as a third option. I find a wet section of megazorb seems to hold together much better than wet shavings so its easier with the daily removal of wet areas.