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New Hutch.

mcdermott1956

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I am going to Design an new hutch,It will be 6 foot long,2 foot wide,and 2 foot tall.it will have a roof that lifts up and a tray at the bottom that slides out for easy cleaning.all together It will measure 12 Square Foot.It will have 1 inch thick House insulation on the top ,back and sides.the front grid will be coverd by perspex clear plastic to stop rain getting in.The hutch will be as warm as an indoor cage.Would there be anything wrong with my designs.It is for 3 guinea pigs.
 

skirbo

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I don't know where you are location wise, but in the summer all that plastic which insulates in the winter will turn into an *OVEN* in the summer. Your piggies won't be able to survive it.

Sarah


mcdermott1956 said:
I am going to Design an new hutch,It will be 6 foot long,2 foot wide,and 2 foot tall.it will have a roof that lifts up and a tray at the bottom that slides out for easy cleaning.all together It will measure 12 Square Foot.It will have 1 inch thick House insulation on the top ,back and sides.the front grid will be coverd by perspex clear plastic to stop rain getting in.The hutch will be as warm as an indoor cage.Would there be anything wrong with my designs.It is for 3 guinea pigs.
 

mcdermott1956

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The plastic is detachible,So all of the heat will escape from the front.
 

my2humandads

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The size is pretty reasonable especially considering the amount of time they spend outside the hutch. My concern is ventalation. Keep out the cold of course also keeps the cold air out. I suppose you have them in a similar hutch now that's smaller?

Aside from basic oxygen, the other concern is the buildup of ammonia. Ammonia results from breakdown of urine, so if the hutch is cleaned regularly, that can probably be mitigated reasonably.

Do you line the tray?
 

Kriket

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My only concern is that your going to be keeping them where the rain can get to them in the first place... outside.
 
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mcdermott1956

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with newspaper,if that was your question then the answere is no,but i clean the tray out every week with disenfectant,the small animal safe kind.
 

mcdermott1956

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Kriket said:
My only concern is that your going to be keeping them where the rain can get to them in the first place... outside.
It is impossible for any bit of rain to get into them.
 

Kriket

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That was not my point. My point was that I disagree with them being kept outdoors. If they were in the house, with you, then the rain wouldn't even be an issue.
 

mcdermott1956

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Kriket said:
That was not my point. My point was that I disagree with them being kept outdoors. If they were in the house, with you, then the rain wouldn't even be an issue.
Guinea pig were origanly outside in the wild,so whats so wrong with them being outside.
 

Kriket

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Unless you went out and caught your guinea pig IN THE WILD, then they are not made to be outside. Look at the many threads on this site advising against it and why, and how much better it is for them to be inside. I have a feeling I'm writing at a brick wall though, and you'll do what you want in the end anyway.
 

Ly&Pigs

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Wild guinea pigs live in the wild of the outdoors. Domesticated guinea pigs are meant to live in the house. They are not livestock and should not be treated as such.

As fas as your "hutch" plans, it's too small for 3 guinea pigs to live in.
 

Da_3_mad_pigs

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I agree it is to small for three pigs. It should be atleast 13 square foot, and is the minimum. I ams ure you have good intentions, but keeping them INDOORS would be even better?!.
 

mcdermott1956

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Well its says in your home page that the minimum size is 10.5 SQ Foot for 3 Guinea pigs.And mine will be 12 Sq Foot.So whats the problem.
 

Mummy

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There aren't many places in the United States where the climate is appropriate to keep pigs outside. Where do you live?

Also, remember that the domesticated guinea pig is a very different creature from the wild guinea pig. These animals are much more fragile. If you keep them outside you can easily miss the first signs of illness, which can make an easily treatable illness fatal in just a day or two.
 

rabbitsncavyluv

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https://www.guineapigcages.com/location.htm

Excerpt from "The Essential Guinea Pig:"
"It's impossible to truly appreciate life with a guinea pig unless you keep him inside your home. Just like a cat or a dog, guinea pigs are companion animals with personalities all their own. If you don't actually live with a guinea pig day in and day out, you'll never get to know him as well as you could. Likewise, the guinea pig won't get to know you. </FONT>

If your guinea pig is outside most of the time, the two of you will lead separate lives. You will miss out on the chance to have your pet sleep on your lap while you watch TV and gaze up at you from the floor while you eat dinner. People who live with indoor guinea pigs enjoy these antics and more from their pets. </FONT>

There are also many other practical reasons for keeping a guinea pig indoors. Guinea pigs who live inside tend to live longer than outdoor guinea pigs. Bad weather and predators are responsible for the demise of many outdoor guinea pigs. These are consequences of outdoor living that even conscientious owners cannot always control. </FONT>

Illness is a major cause of death among outdoor guinea pigs, mostly because outdoor pets are more difficult to monitor. Signs of sickness can be subtle at first, and because outdoor guinea pigs spend less time with their owners, it can be a day or so before the owner recognizes the illness. In the case of rapidly progressive illnesses, a delay of even one day can cost a guinea pig his life. </FONT>

The decision to keep your guinea pig indoors is a wise one. Even guinea pigs who have been living outside for years can acclimate to a life indoors." </FONT>

For more info

For additional support on the case for Indoor versus Outdoor housing, please see the page on the USDA regulations.


https://www.guineapigcages.com/USDA.htm
 

Ly&Pigs

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The minimum recommended size is 10.5 sq. ft but the preferred recommended size is 13 sq. ft. for 3 guinea pigs, especially if you have boars. Boars are more territorial than sows and need more space.
 

aqh88

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The minimum just means the size they may get along in without fighting but to give each guinea pig space to get away from the others, enough room for individual houses, toys, and most importantly running room without crashing into other guinea pigs or items you need at least the preferred size. Most people try to make at least the preferred sizes and more if possible. Alot will actually say the preferred seems too small when they watch their guinea pigs move around the cage.

There are technical problems with insulating an outdoor cage. Much of which I also run into with horses. The ammonia builds up and the air becomes stale which leads to respiratory problems. One year we had a supposedly sterile male horse(undescended testicles) breed 3 of the females and they foaled in the middle of winter. We covered doorways to the barn with tarps and kept the doors close most of the time so the babies wouldn't freeze. All the horses ended up with respiratory illnesses and when the vet came out he said it was due to the barn being so closed up. Even heated barns and houses draw their air from outside. Just cycling the indoor air causes health problems.

The problem with leaving even 1 side open is that the cold air will still get in as will the wet air. When it rains it doesn't just get things wet directly under the drops but raises the humidity in the air so that even things under an overhang will get damp. That means guinea pigs(and horses) in rainstorms will get somewhat wet even with shelter. If you are going to keep guinea pigs outside it's best to build a shed or sort of a mini stable for guinea pigs taking into account all the same things you would for horses. Normal sheds made for storage will turn into ovens in the summer and have all the same problems as insulating a small cage instead of a large specially designed building. You need vent areas along the top so hot air and ammonia filled air can escape, solid floor(concrete preferably) but at least something laid down to insulate and keep predators like stray dogs from digging their way in, and insulated walls/roof to keep it warmer in winter. A safe space heater, not a cheap one, can also be utilized to keep temps from dropping provided it doesn't get below 50F where you live. In a larger area like my stable we use a kerosene heater. A window big enough for a small fan can help keep it cool in summer provided it doesn't get warmer than about 80F where you live.

Even then we run into 2 more problems. Temperature like I somewhat pointed out above and actually getting to interact with them. As mentioned in other posts with guinea pigs outside you can't talk to them as you walk by, they don't jump on the bars to have their noses pet, you can't scoop them out for a quick pet, to admire their cute noses and lips, or while checking something on the computer. The temperature problem comes from the fact guinea pigs are not wild anymore. They have been domesticated for so long and originially come from a fairly temperate area so that they can't tolerate heat at all. Nothing above 80F preferably and at 85F they are at risk of heat related problems. I've had some suffer from heatstroke. They also have a higher risk of illness and more stress at temps below 60F(preferably not below 65F if there is any wind to chill them). Stress will increase the chance of illness and shorten their lifespan by possibly several years. It's very likely that you will eventually loose all your guinea pigs outside. Some stay safe for several years. When I was little we had guinea pigs running around our backyard and every winter we'd catch them and move them to a hutch in the utility room before it turned cold. It took about 4years but eventually they all got killed. It doesn't matter that they lived that way for years if you really care about them having it happen once in your lifetime is too many times.
 

mcdermott1956

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Mummy said:
There aren't many places in the United States where the climate is appropriate to keep pigs outside. Where do you live?

Also, remember that the domesticated guinea pig is a very different creature from the wild guinea pig. These animals are much more fragile. If you keep them outside you can easily miss the first signs of illness, which can make an easily treatable illness fatal in just a day or two.
I live In ireland
 

Hansel

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I have yet to understand why anyone would buy an animal and not be able to interact with it that much. I live in a two bedroom apartment with my boyfriend and another roomate. My pigs are in my bedroom and get much attention all through the day from the three of us. They LOVE the attention. I would feel very guilty if the only time I saw my pigs was during the time that I HAD to go outside and feed them.

Being that mine are inside, other than lap time and floor time, I dont NEED to make "special" time to go outside and interact with them. They are a part of my daily life...cooking, cleaning, studying, sleeping, etc. Even when Im not in the bedroom, they can still hear us talking and if they start wheeking we can here them too. I am constantly checking on them to see what they are up too. You cant fully appreciate a guinea pig, or any pet for that matter if your not around it that much. If thats the case maybe you or anyone for that matter, shouldnt have any.
 

aqh88

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I've actually had a horse in the house. lol Two Step's mom escaped and ran out on the highway when Two Step was just barely old enough to be weaned. I used to let her follow me around everywhere and one time she followed me right up through the garage and to the door. That's one reason my mom never let me get any smaller animals that are normally kept outdoors. I always wanted pigmy goats and guinea fowl. I've thought about turning the top of the stable into a living area. It's 2,592 sq ft so it would be like twice the size of our apartment.
 
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