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hutch and run combo for guinea pigs

6 replies

autumnmoon · 06/03/2018 17:56

Advice please on best hutch and run for 2 guinea pigs. They are going to live outside (mostly). I'd like a hutch connected to a run but for colder months, I'd like to be able to bring the hutch inside separately.

'I've found this one:

www.notcutts.co.uknotcutts/fcp-product/19852

Any good? Any others you'd recommend??

thanks so much

OP posts:
70isaLimitNotaTarget · 06/03/2018 20:16

I bought a couple of BunnyBusiness metal runs (advantages - can fold flat to store, no rotting like wood can, nice height so I can put a box inside and the pigs are protected from predators) I peg ours down with heavy duty tent pegs.

I got a 2nd hand rabbit hutch , got DH to strengthen the wire, cut a dor in the end and secured it to the run with hooks and padlocks.

It is a blooming pain to move it all every 4-7 days depending on how they destroy the grass Grin but my Himmy loved the shade.
I had a small wooden hut inside the big run , the hutch attached to the smaller run.

The rabbit hutch has been in the Pighouse for the last year and even under cover the quality isn;t great (its a well known PetStore Chain) .

You might be better with a seperate indoor cage ecause there will be days they can go out a while but you won't want them out all the time. I don't let mine 'choose' when they go out - partly because the grass needs to be dry and partly because they need to be safe from predators. I don't leave mine alone unless its 30 minutes and my NDN are out in their gardens to deter foxes and cars .

Best thing for outside is a shed or playhouse - look on Pinterest fr ideas on rabbit houses and adapt. It is so much nicer cleaning the cages and chatting to them in a shed. You can have hutches+floor space.
Needs to be ventilated, they get warm.
You could attach a run (but you wouldn't be able to move it about which is the big advantage of metal runs)

70isaLimitNotaTarget · 06/03/2018 20:17

cats not cars I don;t have cars in my garden Grin

autumnmoon · 07/03/2018 08:53

Thanks for those tips! v helpful.

I'll look into metal runs. I like idea of putting hutch inside the run. Not sure I can stretch to a shed... garden isn't huge. Can't seem to find anything that fits the bill yet - it's tricky!

OP posts:
bunnygeek · 07/03/2018 12:30

Always remember you when you're buying housing. This is why sheds/playhouses are better!

With that Nottcutts one it looks like the only access for the run is the door on the front - how do you feel about lying on the floor in the rain? ;)

Hutches are a very old fashioned style of housing. Invented in the Victorian era and the design hasn't changed. The only interaction the piggies get is giant human hands coming in at their little faces. Eek!

How much depth could a house have? I had a hutch with a run underneath for my rabbits, I upgraded them to a shed which was on the same 6ft x 4ft footprint.

ASDismynormality · 07/03/2018 12:38

I have the hutch mentioned in your OP. It’s not very strong which is a consideration as my Guineas eat so much grass I need to move it frequently, I also found one of the boys in the other side of the run as he managed to squeeze out! Now I’ve made it more secure! The positive is that the length the boys can run, one loves to zoom the length of the hutch and run.
Mine live indoors and only go out to play/eat grass. We also have a metal collapsible run which I use in the front garden which is good.

autumnmoon · 07/03/2018 23:38

thanks so much for your replies. I have just come across a large wooden run that is high enough to fit a substantial hutch inside. is this a
solution? (driving myself a little crazy now!)

rabbithutchworld.co.uk/product/westbury-run-and-shelter/

OP posts:
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