Newb Question: Hutch/run Confusion

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bobsie

bobsie

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I am planning on getting 2 cavies this month ( I'm 25 with 2 children ) but we have no pets and my husband finally agreed. I am a pet lover but all my pets have died from old age and I never got new and my husband got complacent teehee

Anyway I'm telling you my life story.

On pictures of hutches post I see a lot of enclosures that have no run attached. Do you take them out of the cage into a run when the grass isn't wet?

I could get a hutch with run attached but my feeling are that if set in one place after a while the grass will turn to mud and be really unsuitable.

Also which hutch is better a long single story 4-5foot or a 3foot double level with ramp?

Thanks guys x

Rachel
 
Hi, welcome to the forum!

I only speak from personal experience but my pigs all live indoors and free range around the downstairs of my house in the evenings for exercise. If the grass is totally dry then they have a large outdoor run as well, but it's good to build up grass time slowly to avoid bloat and other nasties.

A larger single level cage is better, as only the bottom level counts when floor space is being added up.

Where do you plan on getting your piggies from? There is a great rescue locator at the top of the page, and so many gorgeous boys and girls waiting for their forever homes :)

I'm sure a more experienced member will be along shortly, but good luck! This forum is a great place for information and it's a very friendly place to be :)
 
So if I buy ( get my lovely dad to make ) a large run I can move them from the cage to the run? Does the run have to contain shelter/food/water?
 
hi! i have my 2 pigs in a hutch outside in the summer, and then move them indoors to a c&c cage in the winter. when it's dry enough they go outside in a large run all day (from about 9-7) and when it's wet i build them a makeshift run in the lounge so they can have some exercise.
 
Welcome to the forum @bobsie. It sounds like you have already thought through this.

If you have the space, I think it is better to have a run that is separate to their hutch as you can move this run around and it will give time for the grass to recover.

I don't like my guinea pigs being out in their run when I am not at home - I like to be around just in case . I'm a home bird so it doesn't bother me - but I'm spending far more evenings in than I ever used to do.

I provide mine with hay and water while they are in their run - they don't need pellets during the time they are having grass time.
 
Hello and welcome to the forum.

My piggies are now indoors all year round but when I did have outdoor piggies living in a hutch, I had a 6ft single story (for 4 females) and a separate run I would put them in on nice days.

I am not a fan of double story hutches where the bottom level sits on grass as when the weather is bad, the guinea pigs won't be able to use the bottom level and if you choose a 3ft double, they will be confined to only 3ft of space.

I also do not like the thought of them being out in the run when I'm not home or overnight. The hutch also has to be sturdy enough so not to blow over in heavy winds. I have heard horror stories of owners finding their double story hutches blown over after a heavy wind storm.

Of course this is just my opinion but it is good that you are doing your research.
 
My two are in an outdor hutch and I take them out and put them in a run on the grass when we are home and it is dry enough, the hutch is on concrete nearer the house. Their out door run is a play pen type that comes in sections so I can bring indoors when it's too wet or cold. It came with a base and a net/ sunshade. Outside I attach a water bottle to it and they have an igloo for hiding in and a couple of other tubes to run/ hide in, I put hay in for them too.

When I bring them indoors for a run I put towels and a fleece blanket in the bottom of the pen and put the ususal igloo, tubes, water and hay in for them.
 
Thanks guys it makes more sense to me now, I'm thinking of getting a single story as they can run along, I'm trying to look for a 5foot or larger but they are hard to come by.

I'm not sure of the hutch placement either there's a full shade spot but might be too cold and spot in full sun ahhh so difficult.

In winter piggies will be outside so the run will be put on ground with toys and such, or in the kitchen to have a run round.
 
bobsie said:
Thanks guys it makes more sense to me now, I'm thinking of getting a single story as they can run along, I'm trying to look for a 5foot or larger but they are hard to come by.

I'm not sure of the hutch placement either there's a full shade spot but might be too cold and spot in full sun ahhh so difficult.

In winter piggies will be outside so the run will be put on ground with toys and such, or in the kitchen to have a run round.
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I can see you are a guinea slave in the making so welcome to the club !

Please look at this thread before you go any further ...
http://www.theguineapigforum.co.uk/threads/cold-weather-care-for-guinea-pigs.54309/

I am not sure what part of the country you live in . I live in South Yorkshire and have had a bespoke made for me which am very pleased with

http://www.theguineapigforum.co.uk/threads/bespoke-hutches-south-yorkshire-area.116869/#post-1580974

If I had a choice, I would prefer to have them indoors all year round.
 
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I have read that info a few weeks ago, I'm going to weatherproof the hutch as much as possible we have a garden shed that's big enough to house the hutch and I will take other measures to make them happy. I have no room in the house unfortunately for indoor pets.
 
This was mine, which they had access to every day (when we where home) even in the rain as i put a partial cover over it :)

10485899_10154336205170363_4339683872856082478_n.webp
 
Ooo that looks nice exactly like I had in mind, is this the cage from pets at home? How do you find it being double levels? I'm only after 2 males so would this be enough/too much space? :)
 
Yes it's the bluebell hideaway! Fab hutch and very easy to assemble with two people. Lots of access too. It's very big so plently space! :)
 
Rabbithutchesonline.co.uk also sell hutches of the size you are looking for and not too expensive. They also do a very large run. I've got that run.

I would definitely say you need to move anything on grass around otherwise it will end up with no grass.

Also look at zooplus. You can get someone from here to "invite" you to zooplus if you decide you want to buy from them and that gets you 10% off your first order.

If your budget wil stretch to it, Ryedale Pet Homes make very solid hutches. They are very thick wood which may help when it comes to winter.

we've got some piggies living indoors and others in a hutch. They all get to go in separate runs on the grass when it's not wet. I cover the runs to provide shade and protection from any showers before I can rescue them!
 
My out door run is effectively another cage! It has food, water, hay, shelter, hideys etc and they will stay our there all day if it is warm and dry.

I have an Indoor run for wet days! My cages aren't huge so I like to make sure they are out your a good part of the day.
 
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Flutterby said:
This was mine, which they had access to every day (when we where home) even in the rain as i put a partial cover over it :)

View attachment 14587
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This is a fab set up and I like double hutches like this. It's the ones where the bottom level sits straight on the grass that i'm not keen on xx
 
Thankyou! Luckily this hutch was a couple of inches off the floor which is very handy :)
 
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