A few questions..

[CheezyB]

Hi, I'm new here, just registered, I currently have 2 bunnies, who are my life x) but I've always wanted a pair of guinea pigs, and we think we will be ina position to offer two a home in May next year, but I want to know all the facts before then, so I have a few questions:

Can guinea pigs live outside all year round? Our rabbits currently have the entire shed, so putting the guinea pigs in there isn't an option, I was considering getting the guinea pigs a hutch - will they be ok?

Following from this, how big of a hutch do they need? I can find differing sizes all over - I was thinking a double hutch (can they manage the ramps ok?).

Can they eat the same hay and veg as rabbits? (I know they need guinea pig food - do they have guinea pig pellets - I give my rabbits burgess excel rabbit pellets, was thinking I'd use burgess excel guinea pig pellets).

Is there anything else I'm totally not realising they need? They'd have plenty of toys etc, you should see how spoilt my bunnies are, the guinea pigs would be treated the same

 

[flintstones]

Some members do still house there guinea pigs outdoors there is no right or wrong answer but guinea pig's are very sensitive to drops in the weather and with the winter's being so cold they really need to be brought inside.

I do know many people who have had to bring them in at winter as the temperatures get so extreme, many have realised just what they have been missing out on, the squeaks when they go to the fridge. It's only a matter of time before they become permanent lodgers. I personally wouldn't have my pigs outside I feel you would miss out on so much, there is nothing better than walking into a room full of wheeks or sitting in your pj's cudling and watching the guinea pigs in front of the fire on a cold winter's night.

They can eat the same vegetables as bunnies in fact they have much more variation in terms of how much veggies they can have.

You can get excel guinea pig pellets and the same hay as the buns would be perfect for them.

RSPCA standards for 2 guinea pig's is 2ft x 4ft but as always more is always better.

Have a look around the forum and feel free to ask any questions.

 

[SpinningNickel]

Can guinea pigs live outside all year round? Our rabbits currently have the entire shed, so putting the guinea pigs in there isn't an option, I was considering getting the guinea pigs a hutch - will they be ok?

Generally it's not recommended. A lot of people have them indoors year-round, or in sheds; others have them in a hutch outside but bring them in over the worst winter months. I know a few people successfully keep them outside, but your hutch must be VERY well sheltered against the elements, especially in winter, and you may have additional expenses like fleece or SnuggleSafe pads, etc. in cold weather.

Heat is an even more dangerous extreme for them, and while it isn't often a concern in the UK, some warm summers might lead to heatstroke if their premises isn't well-ventilated, shaded, etc. A hutch in your shed would be much, much safer for them if you could find a space for it.

Following from this, how big of a hutch do they need? I can find differing sizes all over - I was thinking a double hutch (can they manage the ramps ok?).

A double hutch is fine for a pair. Young pigs usually take to a ramp no problem; older ones may struggle. A ramp usually needs sides to it as they can injure themselves if they fall; sides also make them more comfortable using it as they can't see how high up they are. Some hutch ramps may be a little steep for them so you may want to modify. There are also fleece tunnels and such you can buy that go over ramps, which makes skittish pigs much happier running up and down as they feel enclosed and safe.

Can they eat the same hay and veg as rabbits? (I know they need guinea pig food - do they have guinea pig pellets - I give my rabbits burgess excel rabbit pellets, was thinking I'd use burgess excel guinea pig pellets).

Burgess is great for piggies too. A lot of people use meadow or timothy hay for both rabbits and pigs. Straw should be avoided, however; although it's fine for rabbits it's too stiff for guinea pigs and they can injure eyes and ears burrowing in it. Most veg will be the same, but double- check before you feed anything new. There's lots of information on this forum, and I also highly recommend these charts.

Pigs have pretty specific dietary needs and can have health issues if they get too much/not enough calcium in particular, so the amounts of certain veg they can take may be different. Vitamin C is another concern (they can't make it themselves) although they will usually get a sufficient amount from high-quality pellets. Supplementing with veg is always good, although 80% of their diet needs to be hay, so you need to be sure not to fill them up with TOO much.

I'd also use the next few months to scour the health & illness boards here and learn the early warning signs for piggie sickness. They hide it until the last possible minute when they're unwell and can go downhill quickly, so a vet with plenty of guinea pig experience and a broad knowledge of things to watch for will help a lot.

 

[Amysmom]

We have a pair of boars who have always lived outside. We bring them into the shed during winter and they've always been okay.

I have a herd of 4 girls indoor too and indoor compared o outdoor is so much more fun! The squeaks when you enter a room and cuddles throughout the day simply because they are with you more. If I had the room to bring the boys in too I would. They are brought in everyday for cuddles but there's always that guilt that if they lived inside they would have more attention.

 

[kate7590]

My guinea pigs have always lived outside, previous piggers have been in runs/hutches in an outbuilding, my current ones were in a shed last winder but this winter will be in hutches.
Hopefully by next winter we will have moved house so they can have a shed again!

As long as they have plenty of hay and maybe a heat pad they should be fine outside.

 

[CheezyB]

Thank you for the replies I'd definitely give them heat pads (Rupert and Tia, my bunnies have one each). Putting them into their shed isn't possible, as I'd not want to change their set up (which is a 6ft x 4ft shed, with two extra levels). Bringing them inside during winter COULD be an option - we have a converted garage, which is now an office, and we could potentially put their hutch in there thru the winter.

The area I plan on putting their hutch outside is sheltered, the rabbit's shed is between the fence and house, with bamboo (huuuuuuuuuuuuge) behind it, to shelter it, so in summer its sheltered from sun and in winter sheltered from wind, I was thinking the GP hutch could go between shed and bamboo

 

[primrose]

Hi. My current piggies live free range style in a shed, but all my previous ones lived outside. I personally think that they can cope with the cold (as long as they have plenty of bedding/heat pads/insulation, but can't cope if it's cold and damp. You could get them one of those waterproof hutch covers to protect against wet. Maybe you could also make some sort of rain canopy that somehow attached between the shed and bamboo? It is definitely possible to keep piggies outside and them be okay, it just requires a bit more ingenuity!