Can anyone tell me if this hutch and run will be suitable for two guinea pigs please?

[fingersonbuzzers]

Planning on getting rescue guinea pigs in the summer holidays. I'm just in the process of trying to sort out what stuff to buy.

They will be outdoor pigs (except when it's too cold). Can anyone just check this hutch and run and tell me if they think they will be ok?

hutch

run

Thank you!

[fingersonbuzzers]

bump!

[pimple]

Looks good, ours live in something similar during the summer and in the winter they live in doors in a 6ft plastic cage.

Their hutch is kept in a sheltered spot at night in our garage (to prevent foxes getting them).

Ours live a five star lifestyle tbh.


Good luck

[mumofthemonsters808]

Ours live outside all year round in a similar hutch.

[fortifiedwithtea]

It's ok, more suitable for a rabbit. The high ceiling is needed for a rabbit to stand up fully.

You'll need to make a step for the guineas to get up/down from run/hutch. Piggies don't like jumping and that height looks too much. Guineas don't have very flexible backs which is why they must never be put on an exercise wheel lots of tutting in the Cavy world about the G-Force film

I like that every door has a proper bolt. A hutch must be fox proof. The put out tray for easy cleaning appeals

Overall I'd give it a thumbs up with the addition of a step

[Midori1999]

I think you'd get something better for your money from //www.happyhutch.co.uk

I'm not sure how well guineas can use long/steep ramps, but when we had piggies years ago they had a small ramp up to their hutch, it was about 6" high and they always opted to jump in instead of using the ramp.

[70isaLimitNotaTarget]

My pigs don't use a ramp, but they are lazy.

GPs don't need the height but consider any boxes or igloos you want to put in.
And WRT the run- make sure you can catch them, which might mean someone going into the run (I send DD in - she's a gymnast You can't lift the run up , little blighters would scarper. Yes they are lazy but they'd take the opportunity . )

Sizewise, I built a pen that was 5'x3' with an extra bit in the alcove for their winter nights in the small bedroom. They were ok (tolerant) but very judgey in a 4'x2'

[fingersonbuzzers]

Ooh you lot are great, thank you. Hadn't thought about the step up (have only had rabbits in the past).

Should I maybe just get that hutch, and then get a separate run with a shelter attached so there is no step?

[fortifiedwithtea]

I would go for a separate run.

Mine live in 5ft wooden hutch intended for outside use in our living room. It's a real erm....feature

The run is huge. It's really a two person job to move. At one end it has what I call the pigs summerhouse the width of it with a wire mesh covered window and arch doorway. The run roof lifts off making it easy to step in pick up a pig.

[fingersonbuzzers]

Thanks fortified.

Where did you get your run?

[70isaLimitNotaTarget]

I got a Bunny Business (Amazon) rectangular one (it doesn't have a base but there are four sides + roof) it folds up flat to store , I can sort of move it singlehanded.
We peg it down with tent pegs.
The mesh top ones leave the pigs vunerable to cats.

I would definately get one you can move about rather than fixed to the run though.

Rabbits need an excercise area 24/7, piggies are a bit more fair weather.
They need enough space to keep them pottling about (especially boars) but rabbits cover 5 miles a day in the wild

[fortifiedwithtea]

Our run was a rare genuine e-bay bargain. An elderly couple thought it would be nice to have guineas. They bought all the equipment and had a carpenter make a run and hutch. Then they realised their health wasn't going to be good enough to commit to the life long care of a couple of gp.

The listing was buyer collect because it can not be dismantled. Because of that there wasn't much interest and we got ourselves a bargain.

I noticed the rescue where we got newest girls from had a similar design run not as fancy pants so that style of run must be available from somewhere.

Sorry that hasn't really helped you, but I didn't want to not answer your question IYSWIM.

[fingersonbuzzers]

Thanks both, I will have a look on ebay and at bunny business.