Cage Looking at Purchasing an Outdoor Cage

I actually built the second cage and my boy loves it in the fall he will play in the cage for hours on end

i like the second one too

I'd opt for the second one. It is longer, so the pigs could really run. And the hutch is way better protected against wind and rain, should there be any.

Are you planning to leave them in it for the night? Then you should put wire netting at the bottom of the cage to make it fox and ferret proof. But I think you said you only want to leave them outside during the day, right?

If it's safe depends a bit on where you live and how your yard is protected.
Where we live, all I have to worry about during the daytime are birds of prey, dogs and cats. Both cages seem to protect against them. I would still not leave my pigs alone in it in my front yard, only in the fully enclosed back yard. And of course, not at night, or it would need protection from the ground.
And ALWAYS make sure it's partially in the shade!

I would get the smaller one because you will find that they sleep alot during the day and will mostly stay in the covered part and come out to munch grass at dawn and dusk. It will be easier to catch them to bring them in too from the smaller one and easier for you to move it around on different sections of your grass.

How much do they weigh? Can you move them around by yourself?

Thanks for the responses everyone! Just to clarify, this will only be used on weather appropriate days and they won't be left there at night.

I only intend to put the cage in my fully enclosed backyard (and if I'm on my computer, which I am most of the time, I'll be able to see them from my window). There are no ferrets where I live, and foxes and birds of prey are quite unlikely. I have seen cats in my backyard before, hence I'm looking at buying the cage. I would think that they'd be reasonably cat proof? At least sufficiently cat proof for me to run outside in time, should I see a cat slinking across my backyard.

I am unsure of the weight of either cages but I should imagine that me and my girlfriend would be able to pick either up and move it to a new section of lawn (mowing the lawn, Guinea Pig style haha). ShadeyPig does make a good point about catching them though. One of my pigs is fairly tame and quite easy to pick up, the other one may pose a little bit of trouble. I image if I can shut the bedroom area (which he will no doubt be hiding in if he's trying to avoid coming inside), I'll just be able to reach in and get him.

I'm seriously considering buying the second one at this point. The extra space allows for more future piggies that I may adopt (and I have to admit, I am considering it, I just love the little guys so much!).

I would sit outside with them, not just look from a window. If something goes down, by the time you get outside it may be too late.

Artista said:

I would sit outside with them, not just look from a window. If something goes down, by the time you get outside it may be too late.

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I can't imagine any realistically possible scenario where that would be the case, care to elaborate?

PharaohPiggie said:

I can't imagine any realistically possible scenario where that would be the case, care to elaborate?

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Sometimes you don't know all the creatures that are around you until they see something of interest. Where I used to live we never saw hawks. One day my friend has her cockatiel on her shoulder for a short while and before she knew it, a hawk swooped down and got him. Not saying it happens to everyone but that was enough to scare me that even though my birds were in a cage, I sat out with them.

Oh I'm aware of the issue with birds of prey, but guinea pigs in a fully enclosed cage with a wooden roof would be more than safe from such birds.

I think if you check up on them at regular intervals throughout the day, you should be fine. Foxes rarely come out in open daylight, so they're probably ruled out; if your yard is enclosed, the likelihood of dogs and cats are slim, and even if they do approach the hutch is fully enclosed and covered. Put a lock on the hutch and then even savvy cats can't open it (hutch locks can sometimes loosen and swing open easily). Provide them with hiding holes etc and then, if they do feel threatened, they have extra places to hide. The wooden roof will prevent birds, and you can always drape a huge blanket over the hutch, so that predatorial animals can't see the little fellas anyway. I wouldn't leave them out there all day- maybe four hours tops- and I would make an effort to properly check up on them now and again.

The only other thing to be wary of is poisonous plants, bits of sharp stone and debris on the lawn, and your own family and pets (xD); make sure you have no young toddler who'll swing open the hutch door to have a "hug". Make sure you put the hutch on balanced ground otherwise, even with the smallest gap, they're likely to escape!

Hi Shelbz, thanks for the response! I definitely be checking up on them, I do will only be keeping them out there for a few hours on good days. Probably a couple in the morning and a few towards the evening so they won't be outside when the sun is at its highest. I believe the hutch comes with a special safety lock but I'll definitely be inspecting it more closely when it arrives (I've just ordered the second one!). No kids here so that shouldn't be a problem! And I'll definitely be checking to make sure there are no gaps!

Thanks for all the advice everyone! Here's the link to the hutch I've bought:

At only $165 AUD (postage included) I feel that it was a very good deal (way cheaper than anything I've seen in pet stores, which quite frankly, are a joke). Unfortunately it only ships within Australia.

That is a good price. I didnt know you are in Australia too same as me my piggies also spend the day outside and come in at night (5pm), the only thing I worry about is snakes but most likely they would come at night so just a tip... make sure to check inside the hutch before you put them in just incase anything goes in at night. Im sure your pigs will love the new hutch and freedom and grass!

Oh cool, another Aussie Ah very good point about the snakes! I will be sure to check! Thankfully I haven't seen a snake here yet, but you never know!

I'd be concerned about snakes, spiders and biting insects. I've read about guinea pigs burrowing out from a hutch so that might be a concern, too. Personally, I'd never leave any of mine outside for a minute without being there. We have coyotes, groundhogs and raccoons here. A predatory cat might really stress them out, even if it doesn't get to them.

Insects are somewhat of a concern, although they're perfectly capable of getting indoors too. I can't imagine they'd even try and burrow out, mine have never seemed interesting in leaving their current, indoor cage, even though the probably could by climbing onto their various tunnels, hidies and toys. I remember reading that guinea pigs themselves are not particularly good diggers and in the wild, inhabit the abandoned burrows of other animals. A cat may stress them out, but the cage in question has a "bedroom" which they'll be able to hide in. Not to mention I will have view of them from my computer room's window so any cats that come along will quickly receive a squirt of the hose. Coyotes, groundhogs and raccoons aren't in Australia thankfully

I don't think there's any comparison between the amount of insects you'd find outside vs indoors. It's really easy to imagine sitting at a computer, watching them. Realistically, your focus wouldn't be primarily on them and I'd imagine you'd also be other places in the house besides looking out the window. My cages are within eyesight of my computer and are indoors. Even though they're that close, my attention isn't on them when I'm on the computer and most of the time what alerts me to something unusual are sounds (vocalizations or movement) coming from their cages. I don't think there's a great benefit from them being outdoors instead of inside, especially since you could offer them some supervised outdoor time in a much simpler and less expensive pen.

Hi, about snakes - they are cold blooded so they will most active during the day. Being in Australia they are a definite risk and I'm not sure how you would protect your pigs against them.