Can someone please sense check my guinea pig plans

[Sprogonthetyne]

We're hoping to add some pigs to our family in the next few months, but before we get to far into planning would someone with guinea pig experience mind checking that what we'll be able to offer will be appropriate and maybe answer some questions.

I was looking at a double story hutch (50×100cm x2 'floors'), then a run (1mx2m). If possible I'd like to connect them, possibly with a short length of drainpipe (would this be OK?) so they can have permanent access to both spaces. The hutch would go on concrete, which has about a 20cm step down to the grass, so the connecting pipe would need to be at a slight incline.

We could also keep a cage and bring them inside for really bad weather, but don't really have room for anything big enough for them to be in long term, so I was hoping to insulate the hutch and keep them mostly outside. Would this be OK? And if so how long each winter would I be looking at having them inside? I could set up the run in the living room temporarily, but wouldn't want it in for months.

So questions

1. Will this be suitable?
2. How many pigs could we house?
3. Should I get single a sex group or neutered m/f couple?
4. What should I put in the huch? I've heard sawdust is a no, so what do I use? fleeces liners have been mentioned, but never actually seen them for sale. Is it just normal fleece fabric cut to size?
5. Bedding, do they have straw or anything else to sleep on or just use hay for sleeping and eating?

Sorry for the dumb questions, just want to make sure I know what I'm getting into. Any help would be much appreciated.

Just to add that you may not be able to put them out in a run as much as you think, we can only put ours in the garden when we're at home as have foxes in the area and they dug in and killed previous guineas unfortunately.
We have an indoor run which they go in for a run around if not in garden.
Also lots of people have said not boys. We have 2 boys, half brothers got at 5 and 8 weeks old never had problem with any aggression and now nearly 2 years old so don't be put off boys. We got boys as he was the only breed we wanted that was available.

They really are indoor pets, it's not good to keep them outside. Mine are indoors, 2 females in a 4 x 2 C&C cage with fleece liners. Ramps aren't very good for pigs, they can be a bit clumsy and really hurt themselves if they fall off things.

I don’t think they’d like to be shut in a shed. They like to be able to see out and see what’s going on.

You need a much bigger hutch, 100cm is well below the minimum length. Only one level counts towards floor space as they are not climbers and ramps can be dangerous. Ideally you need something at least 140cm (for two pigs) and one level.
My girls are in a 200cm C&c cage and that doesn't seem particularly spacious.

An (insulated) shed would be fine. It'd be more protected from the elements than a hutch (and predators) and offer more space. The woman I rehomed mine from runs a small rescue, hers are kept in a big shed in a huge C&c cage using all the floor space (just grids you buy from amazon) and she uses a heater in the winter. They are only advised to go in a run between 12-20 ish degrees Celsius so you'll find a run is only usable from April to October ish anyway. I use a wooden fold away one with a lid

@Bagelsandbrie

I don’t think they’d like to be shut in a shed. They like to be able to see out and see what’s going on.

That was my initial thought to, but pp's seem to be very pro shed. To be fair almost all the hutches I can find are either tiny or have the space split over multiple levels, so adapting a shed might be the easiest option.

I was thinking of making a mesh inner door, and leaving the main doors open when possible.

I think the pro shed group is more as opposed to being in a tiny outdoor hutch… rather than being pro shed as such. I really do think guinea pigs need to be indoors in a huge c and c cage but that’s just me. I know not everyone agrees. I just think for their sake and also to be able to enjoy them as fully as possible there’s nothing like having them indoors - ours wheek and get so excited every time the fridge opens (they’re like a fridge alarm!) you’d never see half the cute stuff they do if the only time you’re seeing them is when you actively go to the shed / move them to a run. They’re very scared of everything - prey animals- so they tend to just freeze if startled or a door is suddenly opened etc. They wouldn’t manage a cat flap - they’re too scared of anything that moves!

These are ours

Their beautiful. Unfortunately without moving one of the children into the shed, we just don't have room in the house. Also my toddler wouldn't leave them alone, so I think they'd be happier with their own space.

I totally agree with @Bagelsandbrie , my sisters piggies are so tame they wait to come out of their cages and love being stroked , any outdoor pigs we had as children were never like this . When my son was teaching from her house during the last lockdown one of them slept on his desk in a fleecy bed during the day .

We have 2 lovely boars. They are fantastic pets, so gentle and full of character.

We keep ours outside all year round in a well insulated hutch which has a tube attached to give them access to their (covered) run. They're often out on even the most rainy or cold days as they're under cover.

We shut the door to their tube overnight so they're all safe and warm in their hutch. We make sure their bed area is stuffed with hay and fleece blankets in cool weather and they snuggle up together very warmly,

My DH built the hutch and run as the shop bought one we had originally didn't feel big enough once they were fully grown. We love our piggies and they are very pampered pets!

As others have said they’re really indoor pets. You can’t you bringing them inside and then outside as their respiratory systems are far too delicate and it can make them very ill.

I have no experience keeping them in a shed but you will need to ensure there is no damp, it is well insulated but also cool enough in the summer.

Hay makes the best bedding, you can buy bales from farm shops for around £5. They need unlimited hay for their diet however hay is an excellent enrichment tool, to run in, bury in etc.

Boars are more friendly in my experience. If you have a well bonded pair they will be fine together, however you should never have more than 1 boar with females as they will fight regardless of neutering which is why pps maybe had issues with fighting. If you have 1 neutered boar and girls you should be able to add to the beard fairly easily if you wanted to / has the room.

They need handled regularly to stay / become tame and you will need to check them daily for any signs of illness as they go down hill FAST! look for a cavy or exotic savy vet near you first. Have critical care, fibreplex and syringes in always in case they stop eating and become a master of their poop, it can tell you a lot about how they are doing health wise. Oh and ensure you have a knowledgeable sitter for when you’re on holiday etc. You don’t want someone just slinging in veg without paying attention to them.

Is it a shed with windows? Don't leave them in the dark all day. They don't need constant access to grass but they need plenty of hay!

Don't currently have a shed, just scoping out a bit of the garden it might fit, but plan for it to have windows. Also planning to put power our to it so they can have heat and light in darker winter months.

Mine had a wooden playhouse (it belonged to my DC originally)
The base was a heavy duty raised wooden plinth so kept them well away from damp. I used rubber carmats and cardboard as the base + newspaper and some shredded paper or equine bedding ( check its cavy safe)
My DH converted two of the four windows and put a metal bar/wire/mesh liner in the space , so if the window frames were taken out for ventilation they were still protected against anything getting in. The windows had bolts to secure them back..
Strong bolt and padlock for the door plus a heavy cement bucket to put in front .
DH rigged up a power supply so I had a light (essential) fan ( for summer) heater ( to take the chill off ) You can get a little greenhouse heater -it was like a tubular radiator pipe ) , I had a small radiator too . Just keep all wires away from teeth and secure so it annot tip over .

We started with two boars ( floorspace was 6'6" x 6'6" spuare ) they had a haybox 3'x3' made from an old cupboard laid flat . We tried a shallow ramp to the top of the haybox (about 18" high) they could not have beeen less bothered if they tried
We took out the ramp to give more floor space .
When we had more pigs we used a hutch and a plastic trunk ( on the floor with two doors cut out ) so they had a hiding space and no steps /ramps .

I preferred putting mine out to graze then I knew the grass was dry . Rabbits like to choose when they excercise , guinea-pigs need to be protected from damp/cold/heat/predators .especially foxes .

Mine loved their shed. They came indoors for night time over winter . With fresh dry bedding and a little heater to keep the temperature constant (and the pigs' room being cool-ish) we put them out in the daytime , but if it was really cold or bad weather they stayed in. When they got older we kept them in all winter .

They like space and other pigs .
A lot of breeders keep them in outside buildings -shed or garage . And most Rescues .

I know my pigs had loads more space too.
Boxes , tunnels , hayboxes .
They need hay - its the hay that smells , not the pigs ( if you clean them obvs )

I do miss the Rodenty Ones but I must admit looking back , they were hard work !

We use Kavee cages, with ramps both ends and fleece liners. I’m forever washing them but our 3 brothers are very happy. used hay / poop goes in the compost bin. Have tried outdoor living with previous piggies but inside is much better - they wheek at you when they hear the fridge / bag of veg .. so cute. Have tried puppy pads ( really easy but not environmentally friendly) and grey pellets but they like the fleeces and it is cheaper in the long run, I think. I brush the dirty fleeces then wash them in a special bag to save getting a hairy washing machine.

Guinea pigs should be housed indoors.

We have two neutered boats and their enclosure is 4ft by 6ft but the rescue we got them from recommend at least 140cm cage for two.

BOARS.
Not sure how you neuter a boat!!!!

People will tell you they can’t live outside but I’ve had pigs for 14 years and they have been fine outside in most weather. Our hutch is fully outside until about November then in comes into a shed. They tend to go back out in March. None have died of cold- as long as they have huge hay beds they are fine. They do eat grass super fast though so as long as you can move a run around you should be fine

If you use fleeces , Ikea do some good ones , rough fleece (so it 'wicks' the pee through ) fleecey plush just has the pee sitting there .
And a rubber brush like he Lakeland Brush Buddy
PetWash bag , zip up , use a non scented detergent , no conditioner . Saves your machine from piggie debris .

It breaks my heart when I see piggies for sale on the well known selling site where they have a small cage with a plastic platform that forms their hiding space and nothing inside to entertain them. Especially a single pig

Usually a 'kids got bored' or 'no time for it' . You wonder how long the piggie has sat there looking at four plastic walls .

We built an L shaped cage into a shed so it’s at the right height to see them, clean them etc. has a tube heater for winter and solar lights. We just put them in the run so it can be moved around the grass so they don’t over eat in one area.

Our pig is outside at the moment, sadly only one as her friend died. Every day she moves from her hutch to the large run which has a chicken coop thing which she goes up a ramp to get into- both our pigs liked ramps.

When it gets cold we have an indoor hutch and she lives in the playroom, the children spend a lot of time with her now she's alone so she doesn't get lonely (although I realise it isn't the same). She still goes out in the winter if it's dry and not too cold.

As much as I'd love to have a whole shed we just can't so this is what we have decided to do.

I think the insulated shed idea sounds fine. I have done this previously with mine a few years ago when keeping guinea pigs outside wasn't frowned upon like it is now. I did worry about them when the weather got very cold. You need to buy a little house for the run with a roof and a floor, that way if it rains when they are out they can shelter in the house. I keep mine outside 12 hours a day during May to October, they absolutely love it so I think the down sides are fully compensated for. I just observe their behaviour, if they are in the house a lot and not feeding on grass, they are obviously not enjoying it so its time to bring them in more.

Guinea pigs are extremely dull, get rats instead, We have had both.