Outide living... new ideas and advice pls

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Liesl

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Mar 29, 2017
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South Africa
Hi all,
So I have two rabbits and a guinea pig, they are pets and cherished and loved so I built them a nice run and hutch when I got them all however they all adults now, very active and the weather and the guinea have destroyed their place so need to build a new one. I want it to be easily accessible (getting in and out) and also spacious and safe for my babies. I also want to try have an open floor and not wire as the guinea just rips it all up and its just not safe for them. I also want to know if its possible to do an open top? Please can you assist, I am very new to this and want to make sure I do it correctly. Thanks so much guys. Any ideas and advice would be great.
 
Is this were they will stay 100% of their time? If so, rabbits will eventually dig out of an open floor. In my run I dug down about a foot and placed plywood on the ground, then backfilled it with the dirt I dug out. This gives them some dirt to dig in without being able to get out or hurt their feet on wire. Depending on the predators in your area they will also need a top on their enclosure. Hawks, dogs, bobcats, and coyotes will all get into an enclosure with no top.
 
AmberRae is right on both counts. Outdoor rabbits and guinea pigs need to be protected from predators and safely contained so the pets cannot dig out. I don't know what predators you might have in South Africa, but even neighbourhood dogs and cats can kill rabbits easily.

If your guinea pig is damaging the wire, I suspect you are using what is commonly called chicken wire or poultry netting. It is very flimsy and is really only meant to keep chickens out of a vegetable garden. Try looking for strong welded wire or chain-link fencing. It's more expensive, but I can tell you want your pets to be safe. The wire should go right over the top or else you should have a solid roof. I don't know much about your climate in South Africa, but I would think the pets would need protection from the weather at times too.
 
I line my runs and coops with patio stones or pavers so they cannot dig out and nothing can dig in. It also makes cleaning and disinfecting easier than a dirt or gravel floor.

Predators, including loose dogs and outdoor cats, mean most enclosures need to be fully fenced and roofed to keep the animals inside safe
 

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