Guinea Pig market research!

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hils78

Hello piggy slaves!  As some of you may be aware I am currently trying to either save up to buy or have custom made an indoor hutch/cage.  My house is small - mid terrace and even 2 plastic bottomed shop cages take up so much room & I don't really like the look of them.  In the warm weather I am fine because the piggies go outside - but winter they come in.  Now I do have a shed but to be honest when they're in there I only visit them 2x/day and I miss them being inside. 
I have come up with a good idea for indoor housing which I am tempted to start manufacturing & retailing if it works & has enough interest.  I would like to ask you guys your opinion on whether you think it would work (the idea), how it wouldn't work, basically what you think.
Here's the idea based on the guinea pigs I have at the moment:
There are 2 compartments - for 2 groups of pigs.
They are 5 ft long & 2ft deep.
Each compartment sits on top of each other but giving the option to divide into 2. (like a breeders hutch).
The frame work will be built out of angel iron (right angled metal) and welded together.
What is done now is the back is bolted on (ply wood) and the 2 floors are slotted in & bolted in place(ply wood).
The sides are bolted on - what ever material you wish ply, perspex, mesh panels
The front doors are bolted on - neat wooden framed mesh on hinges (I would use chicken wire as inside as I think its prettier).
The top I would add some really big chunky nice pieces of wood to make it look like a side board - like pic below.

Because of the bolt ons you can change panels as they deteriorate or as not needed. So if I only needed to use 1 compartment for my pigs I could take the doors off the front & use that as a book or plant shelf.

When the weather got warmer & the pigs went outside I could either modify the unit into a cabinet bookshelf, storage, cupboard. Or take off the panels and just store the metal frame outside to give you more space indoors.  Or make up some weather proof panels & use it as an out door hutch - but wouldn't like the idea of the sun on the metal frame as would get v hot.

My dad built me a fishtank stand using angle iron & nice chunky wood - you can get the idea with this old pic, it does look really good (better than the pic).
DSCF0025.jpg


I would appreciate your comments & thoughts.  I will be hopefull building one very soon as I have now learnt to weld  8) and quite like using a saw, so will be able to show the prototype.  Thanks
 
I like the idea, and from the pic (cute little un by the way) we used to have a double fish tank like what you described and I think it would be perfect :)
 
I forgot to add that I'm undecided as to weld the frame solid or do it as a mechano bolt together for easy posting & easy storage...
 
Maybe both. The tank one we had was solid. When we had a problem and lost all the fish in one tank, that space was just made into a general shelf
 
I don't have the tank anymore was too much like hard work! I would prefer the general frame to be solid for more strength - but obviously piggies don't weigh as much as water! Its quite hard to make angle iron & wood sound nice without a visual reference and the only pic I have with anything near what I would like to do is this tank table - which as with yours is now a plant stand!

I would like to do that funky circular patterning on the frame work too. Not sure how its done but I could find out.
 
I know what you mean, I can visualise them though. :)

The pattern would be realy good - god knows how it's done! ;)
 
Sounds good. Don't know why but I'm fascinated by guinea housing - whether it's hutches, sheds or indoor set-ups. I love to see what other people have got. I recently brought my girls in and wanted a custom made hutch. I wanted a 3 tier hutch that each tier could separate off (have small doorways so needed to be able to dismantle it). I wanted the ends to have wire with solid panels which could fit on when the hutch went outside. I was a bit fussy about it because we live in a cottage which can be quite dark so I wanted to get as much light in it as possible and wanted removable wire panels here there & everywhere! The quote came in at over £400 :o The company that quoted said they thought it was probably going to be too expensive but that he was quite interested and might try making a couple anyway and if it turned out cheaper, he'd let me know. I would be particularly interested in anything with removable panels which can be converted to inside/outside accommodation.

I do think there is a market for other types of hutches. What saddens me is that designs very often are geared towards what the owners want to look at rather than how the animals will benefit. Take hamster cages, very often they're like spaceships, all bright coloured plastic, but I'm not sure that it's any better for the hamster.

You definitely ought to give it a go - just make sure we're the first to see it! Hopefully you'd get some sales.
 
Sounds good to me! Sounds interesting. :o I would love to see some picc'ys of it after you have finished it ;)
 
I should have the basic frame work by the end of next week :D so next weekend i will be posting pictures.
I have decided to get the framework made at a local steel fabricators who the OH used to work for & do the wood work myself.
This first one is just the prototype, I plan on elaborating on this first design when its warmer outside because I'm really slow at the cutting & welding because I've not had much experience (yet!). I haven't found out how much the frame will be yet because the OH has offered to get it done as a xmas present. I think he's mellowing with age!

This first one will be only 120cm (4ft ish) long by 50cmish deep (just under 2ft) deep. It will have 2 levels ie 2 appartments! I have been experimenting bending perspex so one of the levels may have a bow fronted perspex front, with mesh sides. Although this might not happen becuase to get enough ventilation the top would have to be open and the cat would definately be taking naps with the pigs!
I've got hold of 2 pieces of really chunky reclaimed oak which will be the top of it.

Sorry this is so long winded but I'm very excited that I'm actually doing something for me for once & the OH is helping. Maybe 2007 isn't so bad after all ;)
 
ooh sounds exciting :) I too am always really interested by other peoples cages - especially indoor ones (I couldn't imagine keeping my boys outside and not seeing them all the time!)

I have a one bedroom flat and a very small garden so space is important for me too.

I will be v interested to see what you come up with!

Sarah x
 
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