which run for guinea pigs?

[FariesDoExist]

can anyone recommend a good guinea pig run? thanks

[70isaLimitNotaTarget]

Depends on what size and surface, but we got this for our 2 boars.
It has a door at one short end, a door at the other end on the top, and half way down the long side,on each side, another door to attatch a 'house'.
No wood to trear either.

We chose the 85"x44"x24" option . It folds down flat to store, it has 'tent pegs' to secure on the grass and a green cover with velcro tags that covers about 25% of the roof.

It's sold as a rabbit run IIRC but there's no base .Not a problem for GPs but rabbits dig.
Lots of runs I've seen as just far too small, or have wire sides and a mesh on top. If a cat landed on it ,the GPs would be at risk.
Our boys love it! Only problem is catching them


www.ebay.co.uk/itm/84-XXL-RABBIT-GUINEA-PLAYPEN-METAL-ROOF-ENCLOSURE-RUN-POULTRY-DUCK-/280859010141?pt=UK_Pet_Supplies_Small_Animals&hash=item416480645d

[70isaLimitNotaTarget]

just looked on link and they don't recommend a house attatched to the side.

We wired up the side doors (mainly so that they wouldn't get accidentally left open) and put a couple of strong clothes pegs on the door at the short end.
They have a wooden box with 2 doors cut out in the run.

[dietcokeandwine]

We have this one - it is fab, and very heavy duty so feels really secure for the pigs (we have a major problem with foxes in our area). They also do an 8x6 version but to be honest for 2 guineas the 6x4 seems fine (the bigger one would be great if you had lots of pigs, though). The price has rocketed a bit since we bought it unfortunately, I got ours for £99...

www.the-rabbit-hutch-shop.com/giant-6ft-x-4ft-x-2ft-rabbit-guinea_pig-run-folding-lid-awr64r.html

The one downside is that it doesn't fold flat, but the roof does fold back so that you can climb right in and try to catch the little horrors . That said, though, it would be easy enough to remove the screws holding the panels together for winter storage. It didn't come with a shade but I bought an attachable one on ebay for a tenner which works well with it.

The pigs seem to love it and feel secure in it - even when a damned fox strolled into the garden one lunchtime and sat down about a metre from the run they were still out of their hidey holes munching the grass and clearly not fazed at all (though I scared the fox away pronto )

[dietcokeandwine]

//www.the-rabbit-hutch-shop.com/giant-6ft-x-4ft-x-2ft-rabbit-guinea_pig-run-folding-lid-awr64r.htm

Sorry, link didn't work in previous post

[70isaLimitNotaTarget]

dietcokes run has the distinct advantage of being able to open the top to get the little rotters out.
I have to send my DD (who being 10 yo and a gymnast is well able to climb into the run)
But gymnastic DDs are not included in the price

[FariesDoExist]

Thanks for the replies, I really like the look of dietcoke's

We don't have guinea pigs yet, I'm just trying to plan for when we do get them. I'm a bit unsure whether we need a run which attaches to the hutch, or just a seperate run.

[FariesDoExist]

What I mean is I don't know whether to get a hutch with a run attached underneath, or a hutch and seperate run.

I've seen a hutch at Pets at Home, it's a 6ft single hutch, called the Ivy Den hutch. I was thinking that might be better because I've read GPs aren't always keen on using a ramp, so they might prefer the single level. And then a large seperate run, which I can put on the grass during the daytime.

[70isaLimitNotaTarget]

The Ivy Den Hutch (6') if my maths is right measures 6'x2'x2'. Total srface area 12' square so that gives them more than the recommended space for 2 GPs ( C&C cages recommend 7.5 sq min , 10.5 sq feet being recommended)

If you can get a run secueley attatched then they'll have the freedom and choice. But it would be difficult to move when they eat/dirty the grass in this area. (I've moved our run again and there's a rectangular patch that looks like locusts have been there.And left poohs)

Baby GPs will use a ramp, but when they are adults they tend to use them less-too much effort- my boars will go up their wide,shallow,carpeted ramp if they want to lard about on top of their haybox, but they are a bit meh.

The door catches look a bit flimsy, you'd be best to add some bolts.
And check how big the sleeping area is, this is where they'll spend most of their time.

Why not look on Amazon for cages (or Ebay-alot of new ones there or pre-used. The pre-used ones tend to be assembled and the vendors generally want the buyer to collect).

Mine live in my DC old playhouse. My DH put a big hay box in with a ramp to the 'lid' both are carpeted. Plenty of space for those all important little houses. We have a house on the lid of the haybox, a softbed under the ramp, a willow hedgehog house and a shallow tray lined with newspaper in a cardboard box. (For their littertray. They do pooh/pee in it. But also in the hay, in the hedgehog house and ,oh, anywhere their bottoms tough the floor)

[70isaLimitNotaTarget]

srface= surface
secueley= secureley

[FariesDoExist]

Thanks, that's really useful to know, especially about adding some bolts, I would never have thought of that because I would've just assumed that the catches they put on them would be suitable (I expect the manufacturers just put whatever is cheapest on them!). A bit of added security for the piggies would be good.