Preparations

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peppermint

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I want to rescue some piggies in the future, and I was wondering if there's a good way to set up the space for them? I have a shed which currently isn't being used. It's not incredibly well insulated, but with some work it could be.
I'm going to start off with 2 or 3 as I don't want to get lots and have my hands completely full. The shed would very happily fit 3-4 hutches in there if I got to that point.
What I was also wondering is can you put together piggies in an outdoor run, that don't live in a hutch together?
And also anybody recommending what I should get for them would be great :)
Thank you!
 
Hi & Welcome
Rescuing piggys is a very expensive, you have the food, hay, vet bills, sometimes the vet bills can be 100s & 100s of pounds. Want do you then. You need donations to keep you going what if you have to buy medicines, you have to be expercised to use them. I admire you for wanting to rescue piggies, but I think it would be impractical. The best thing you could do is to work in a piggy rescue, ask them About costs illness how much it costs.
I don't know if you have piggies, but that is another way to learn.
 
Welcome to the Forum.
:wel:
It isn't totally clear in your first post if you are planning to set up a rescue for guinea pigs, or if you are planning to adopt a pair of guinea pigs from a rescue.
They are 2 vastly different topics, so maybe you could let us know which one it is, and then I am sure you will get lots of great advice. :nod:
 
Tiamolly123 said:
Hi & Welcome
Rescuing piggys is a very expensive, you have the food, hay, vet bills, sometimes the vet bills can be 100s & 100s of pounds. Want do you then. You need donations to keep you going what if you have to buy medicines, you have to be expercised to use them. I admire you for wanting to rescue piggies, but I think it would be impractical. The best thing you could do is to work in a piggy rescue, ask them About costs illness how much it costs.
I don't know if you have piggies, but that is another way to learn.
Click to expand...
Ah I'm so sorry, I meant rescue them as in adopt a few piggies. I don't think I could quite manage setting up a rescue, I don't have enough money for that (: I've actually had them before, but not for a good few years.
And the shed I own has never had rats in before, even when I've had chickens, rabbits, piggies. Obviously I would have a hutch in the shed (I thought it would be better than being outside as it can get cold so I thought the insulation would be better).
 
Swissgreys said:
Welcome to the Forum.
:wel:
It isn't totally clear in your first post if you are planning to set up a rescue for guinea pigs, or if you are planning to adopt a pair of guinea pigs from a rescue.
They are 2 vastly different topics, so maybe you could let us know which one it is, and then I am sure you will get lots of great advice. :nod:
Click to expand...
I meant adopting, I realize it wasn't clear now, I'm really sorry :)
 
No problem at all.
I sort of guessed that might be what you meant. :)

If they are going to be kept outside then a shed is a great option.
Lots of people on here have piggie sheds so I am sure they will be able to offer more specific advice.

It is also good you are thinking about things in advance.

Insulation and ventilation are important so those are two things to consider.
Heat and light might also be good in the colder weather, but you can achieve this with an oil heater and clip on LED lights, so you don't necessarily need electricity in the shed.
Storage of things that might attract vermin (food, hay, etc) need to be secure, but decent plastic tubs with locking lids should do the trick.

I will tag @BossHogg for you as he has a fab shed set up, and might know of others who can offer good advice too.
 
The shed I'm using already has electricity, insulation, and is safe from rats and foxes and such too which is a great starting place. The problem is, even with the insulation, it still gets quite cold in there because the windows aren't sealed, but I'm worried if I seal the windows, then there won't be enough ventilation for the summer?
Thank you :)
 
I'm no expert in sheds for pigs but ....

...with the hutch inside the shed it should be a lot warmer than the shed alone. The shed should have a temperature fluctuation of few degrees less than outside and equally the hutch will have a few degrees less fluctuation than inside the shed. Assuming the temperature range in your area is -2-12 degrees Celsius the temperature range could be only 3-7 degrees. this may seem horrendously cold but this is not taking into consideration the heat gain you will get from the sun and the Guineas themselves which could bring the heat inside up to 15-17 in a sunny spot in winter.

Air is the best insulator. think of those string vests you grampa used to wear. So extra hay (or I know some people prefer straw in winter as its better at insulating apparently) will be your pigs winter jumper. Proper insulation is expensive but if you can get your hands on the polystyrene packaging from electricals you can attach that to the roof and walls and reline them with wood so the pigs can't get to it. A lot of houses use similar stuff as insulation away. The most heat is always lost from roofs and Windows so insulating the ceiling area with something as simple as old blankets should make a difference (obliviously curtains can help too if you want to go that far). floors can lose as much heat as the walls believe it or not so lifting the shed onto legs or a small perimeter wall rather than having it on a concrete slab or the ground can make a big difference.

Failing this, If the shed has electricity would it be possible to put an electrical heater in their away from the piggies reach? Or would this pose a fire risk? You could put it on a timer so it comes on during the coldest parts of the night.

I'm going to say again, not an expert. But these are just a few ideas that may or may not be good enough to provide a answer to the problem.
 
I completely forgot about the hutch being a lot warmer than the shed itself - silly me! I always remember it being cold when I kept chickens in there, but chickens are a lot more durable so I got worried - but obviously the hutch will be warm. Plus I can always drape lots of blankets over the hutch to try and make it warmer if it is a problem, which of course it shouldn't be c: thank you again!
 
My shed is like Tahiti during the winter, my buns and piggies are very pampered. ;)
 
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