Guinea Pig/Rabbit Hutch

EPL

....or similar.

Has anyone ever made one themselves instead of buying ? was it difficult/cost effective.

My daughter has wanted a guinea pig since she started reception in September due to her friend having one. Came home on Friday evening from work to find her mother had bought one. Cant stand them myself so wasn't really impressed.

However, I've got the rest of the week off from work so decided to make it's hutch and was just wondering if anyone had any experience/pointers ?

Cheers

Usagi_2

A g-p will be very lonely on their own and have a sad life- they need another g-p friend.

It will be far too cold to go outside at this time of year, especially if they haven't been out before now - too much of a shock. Might be best to look for a 2nd hand indoor cage for now.

Once we had a commercial wooden hutch,but the base was rubbish.Be aware g-p pee will eat through any ply wood base, so it needs to be made of thick solid wood.

This is also essential for the rest of the hutch if it will eventually be outside with a friend to cozy up to, to keep them safe from the elements. Make sure you create enough of a sheltered area in the hutch and entirely fox proof! Inside would be best though...

mmmsnow

I had guinea pigs when I was young and my father made me two hutches. As I recall, they were both really simple (I helped out but I was very young at the time and can't remember much about it!).

I would be cheeky and go to your local Pets at Home or other large pet shop with a measuring tape, pick one you think would do, note down the dimensions and have a good look at the construction. If you are quite handy (like my dad!), I'm sure you can knock one up in no time.

Googling "building a hutch" gives lots of results like this one:
http://www.clickpets.co.uk/pet-advice-guides/building-a-rabbit-hutch/

I'm sure there's even a youtube video out there with step by step instructions.

Good luck

mmmsnow

Also, I would recommend keeping the hutch in a shed, if possible, instead of out in the elements.

mumtosix

Hi I agree with Usagi, 1 little cavy will be lonely! They do eat their cages so I always put in some old pine chunks for mine to chew. The most cost effective hutch would be freecycle. We got ours from eBay. Wood isn't cheap. My oh made a run for ours & with the chicken wire etc (although it is huge) but he did complain about the cost!! Guineas are lovely & make excellent pets!

Ps ours are kept in the garage with an old blanket to cover the hutch at night. Mainly because of foxes!

meritaten

I think our winters are too cold to keep G-Ps out in the garden. mine were in a shed in a thick hutch with an old mat tacked around it and I still lost them during one very very cold spell.

shirlgirl2004

If you're able to let it (and the new friend it will need) free range in the garden they won't need a large hutch and the hutch won't get really dirty because they will spend their time outside living the life a guinea pig should lead. As has been mentioned though if it's been inside until now at its previous home it will need to be inside until it is much warmer.

shirlgirl2004

meritaten wrote: »

I think our winters are too cold to keep G-Ps out in the garden. mine were in a shed in a thick hutch with an old mat tacked around it and I still lost them during one very very cold spell.

My friend has lots of guinea pigs and they played in the snow last year and survived. I really don't think the problem is cold.

meritaten

shirlgirl2004 wrote: »

My friend has lots of guinea pigs and they played in the snow last year and survived. I really don't think the problem is cold.

Perhaps not - but both were fine the day before! and I mean it was cold!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! record breaking low temps if I remember rightly.

pandamonium

Our guinea pigs wintered indoors in a homemade cage. Google cavy cages. (Sorry can't do links.) There are some great designs. It's the top of the non highlighted results.