Hutch recommendations

SamK

SamK

Junior Guinea Pig
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Hi
I have two outdoor piggies, currently they are living in a six foot single storey hutch that I was given with the first pig, it’s a bit worn plus I can’t get a decent cover for it as it has an apex roof.... I’m just wondering if I should buy a new hutch ready for the winter months and all this bloomin rain 🤷🏼‍♀️
What is best? A single level long hutch or slightly narrower two storey? I’m tempted by PaH ones just because you can get the Scratch & Newton covers....
Any advice most welcome 🙂
 
Hi, personally I would bring them in when it's cold. There are some members who keep there piggies out in the winter but they are the ones that have drought proof sheds, heaters etc.
 
I have the pets at home bluebell hutch for my two boars. It is in my shed (where they live permanently) but the wood it is made from seems thin and I am not sure how well it would stand up to being outside in all weathers. I am not sure I would recommend it to be an outside hutch due to this. A good, solid wood one is always best for outdoor piggies, and as you’ve said it needs to have proper thermal and waterproof covers to be able to keep piggies outside all winter. I have a much better solid outdoor hutch (not a pah hutch) for my rabbit which has been outside for almost 7 years and still doesn’t show any signs of wear, I can’t say the pah hutch would do this.

Regarding being one or two storey – upstairs levels don’t count towards the cage size, so getting a smaller one but two storey may be actually reducing the cage size. As long as you can get one which, internally, still measures big enough, then whether it is double or single doesn’t matter. With that said, guinea pigs aren’t naturally climbers, they are ground roaming animals (they can be scared of heights) and some won’t ever attempt a ramp, so if your pigs are used to living single storey, then getting a double and then find that they won’t use a ramp will be a waste.
 
I had a PAH hutch outside and it lasted 18 months and was complete rubbish. I now have a Chartwell Double Hutches which is much better quality and I am very happy with it. I have both the covers for it Hutch Snuggles with Bye Bye Fly Screen™ and Hutch Hugger™. Before my piggies fell out, I covered the ramp with a bit of old carpet and let them wander over it to scent mark it and they just ran up and down it quite happily. Now I have 2 living upstairs and 2 living downstairs. They are outside all year and in the winter they have lots and lots and more lots of hay to keep them warm, snugglesafes, fleecy tunnels, fleecy snugglesacks and fluffy beds like this

Betsy in shoe 1.webp
which as luck would have it fits a snugglesafe and a piggie in perfectly.:) I also cover the front of the hutch with an old blanket to keep the heat in and the frost out.
 
Betsy said:
I had a PAH hutch outside and it lasted 18 months and was complete rubbish. I now have a Chartwell Double Hutches which is much better quality and I am very happy with it. I have both the covers for it Hutch Snuggles with Bye Bye Fly Screen™ and Hutch Hugger™. Before my piggies fell out, I covered the ramp with a bit of old carpet and let them wander over it to scent mark it and they just ran up and down it quite happily. Now I have 2 living upstairs and 2 living downstairs. They are outside all year and in the winter they have lots and lots and more lots of hay to keep them warm, snugglesafes, fleecy tunnels, fleecy snugglesacks and fluffy beds like this

View attachment 123628
which as luck would have it fits a snugglesafe and a piggie in perfectly.:) I also cover the front of the hutch with an old blanket to keep the heat in and the frost out.
Click to expand...
Thank you - thats helpful info :love:
 
SamK said:
Hi
I have two outdoor piggies, currently they are living in a six foot single storey hutch that I was given with the first pig, it’s a bit worn plus I can’t get a decent cover for it as it has an apex roof.... I’m just wondering if I should buy a new hutch ready for the winter months and all this bloomin rain 🤷🏼‍♀️
What is best? A single level long hutch or slightly narrower two storey? I’m tempted by PaH ones just because you can get the Scratch & Newton covers....
Any advice most welcome 🙂
Click to expand...
I have a Chartwell 6ft double on order. The covers that fit them are Scratch and Newton ones. The one for my current pah bluebell hutch is a pets at home one
 
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