# New lease on life.



## csmlg (Apr 16, 2013)

This took almost 2 days for me and my lovely little mummy (who some how always gets roped onto our shamozals) to built from scratch. We spent a few hours at our local bunnings annoying the poor sales guy, who though we were crazy! Lol lol. Purchased wood an screws that were needed. Went off to two dump shops (recycle shops some local council dumps have these days) miles apart, as we were originally on a mission for parts for our other mammoth project 2/3 finished. Got a grate deal on corrugated metal sheets an a screen door, at a fraction of what bunnings wanted for them. The random door purchase is for the chook pen project in progress which has ending up huge for the sum total of 2 cooks and about 10 quails. Chook pen at the moment is 6m x 3m x 2.8m high, with room to grow that again each side. (Jury still out on that one, thank god!) We woke up and started project Tash-ma-hall we have now called Cyclones humble abode. Having never built or even owed one before, I think we did well. Yes I prob took longer then others could have built it in an would have done this an that different for this and that reason, but over all we enjoyed the built and are very proud of our end result. Just for comparison of Cyclone's old life to his new one with us.Cyclone is an ex breeder and show guinea pig from a lovely couple who have australian 1st and 2nd's in a large number of events for their amazing piggies, they are very well known in the show piggies environment. So he comes from about a 350long x 450wide x 400 high box, these boxes are in rows of about 20 long an 3 or 4 high, 1m off the floor on legs. In a clean well ventilated shed. Despite this they are amazingly well looked after, loved and fed only the best. We thought since we have 5 acres and he had never been in the grass for more then 20min a day on average. We decided a full time out side on the grass hutch a little bigger then lets say, his humble apartment style living prior to us getting him, would suit him. So we started what ended up a 2.4m long x 1.20m wide x 0.6m high hutch with 1m fully closed in covers area. That now takes 2 people to lift and move around, our pet goat Billy thinks this his personal climbing toy and sneek a snack spot, buster the cocker-spaniel seems to want to wee on it every time his eye catches site of it from anywhere he may be, the kids are now complaining he needs company (a wife), which I have now arranged for arrival tomorrow and finally it needs a step of some description for them to climb in an out more freely. So that means more building! We are very happy to say this hutch cost me around $35.00 in total, compared to the cheapest tiny second hand ones around starting at $80-$100, or new at ridiculous $250 + in price. In saying all that the 2 new piggies cost me twice the hutch price, but they were just to funcky to not bring home for the kids and Cyclone. Funny enuf After all this, Cyclone would rather be on the kids laps in the home made, old school billy cart being pushed around the yard, or in an old fruit box with straw bedding on the kitchen floor with the radio on an us shuffling around. At the end of the day it wonderful to see the enjoyment the kids get from him. It wonderful being able to give the loving,wonderfully natured big guy a loving home were he is enjoyed as much as he seems to enjoys being here. 
Hopefully a few picks of finished job will upload and open. 







lol


----------



## Zeusy (Apr 16, 2013)

Hmm I'm confused. Where's the snake?? Lol just kidding. Nice work. Well done


----------



## harlemrain (Apr 16, 2013)

Impressive


----------



## montysrainbow (Apr 16, 2013)

what gorgeous girls! and awesome hutch! great job, good on u  u should be very proud!

Im so jealous....my family all live in the redlands and i used to too waahhhhh lol i wanna move back there one day  .


----------



## ronhalling (Apr 18, 2013)

Nice job, how come no top on the outdoor area, aren't you afraid the yowies will reach in and make a snack of your piggies at night, or maybe a nice big coastal will beat the yowies to them........................................Ron


----------



## nintendont (Apr 18, 2013)

you know how people put out seed in bird feeders, is this the snake feeding version?


----------



## csmlg (May 18, 2013)

In the time we have been on our property and clearing the 2 acres of bush I have not come across anything other then a cane toad!!! I was just saying a few days ago how sad it was. We now have 3 of those hutches up and piggy full, with not on missing as of yet. We have babies even.


----------



## bohdi13 (May 18, 2013)

cool build, so simple but looks great!


----------



## andynic07 (May 18, 2013)

csmlg said:


> In the time we have been on our property and clearing the 2 acres of bush I have not come across anything other then a cane toad!!! I was just saying a few days ago how sad it was. We now have 3 of those hutches up and piggy full, with not on missing as of yet. We have babies even.


I have worked around that area and believe me there are some nice big coastals that would easily snack on a piggy.


----------



## csmlg (May 18, 2013)

I think come a little warmer weather we should see some action. Well that wat we hoping. Although we also have our rat an mice breeding system in the carport, so we may have to put another shed up for them before then. Lol lol. In the floods there were about 30 blind snakes at the waters edge that we moved up to dryer bush about 10 m away. So we know there things out and about.


----------



## Demansiaphile (May 19, 2013)

I live in the Redlands. Plenty of reptiles if you know where to look. 
Browns, Red Bellies, Lace Monitors, Small Eyeds, Tree Snakes, Brown Tree Snakes, Keelbacks, a myriad of skinks, Bearded Dragons, Blue Tongues, Golden Crowns, White Crowns, Sand Monitors all live in that region. Plenty more as well and of course many resident Carpet Snakes.


----------



## sharky (May 19, 2013)

Very nice, I love piggies!!!! Well done


----------



## wokka (May 19, 2013)

nice looking hutch. A wire lid may save some dissappointment if you have any cats or lacies about.


----------



## ronhalling (May 19, 2013)

I just noticed down the back yard a bit there is what looks like the makings of a very nice outdoor coastal enclosure or maybe even put a couple of sandy's in there, you are already breeding the food for them  .....................................Ron


----------



## Skeptic (May 19, 2013)

I wish I had a yard like that


----------

