ARe they cold or scared?

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rubynoodles

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I have had my two lovely piggies for 8 months and all has been fine with them especially during the summers months when they both spent their time happily in their summer run.

However, a couple of weeks ago because it was getting cold I brought an indoor cage and put them in our conservatory and out of their outdoor hutch.

They seemed ok for a while but this last week or so they have slowed down quite a bit and are spending alot of their time snuggled up and not moving around much, even when I get them out to have a mooch around the conservatory they hop back in the cage.

Do you think its the cold weather which is slowing them down? I put lots of straw in for them and they have lots of tubes and a bed to snuggle into and I wrap a blanket over the cage at night to make then extra cosy:)

Ps. ive just seen some guinea pig snuggle pockets on ebay are they any good?
 
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Does your conservatory have heating? They do sound like they are cold. Maybe you could get them a heat pad to help keep them warm. Straw is not an ideal bedding for guinea pigs as it is very harsh for their delicate skin. They can also get it in their eyes. Cuddle cups and snuggle pockets are lovely for piggies. They enjoy them.
 
I agree with piggy fan, straw is not good. Snuggle sacks are great and heat pads are ace, mine love them.

If you find the conservatory cold, then they will. Make sure the cage isn't on the floor away from draughts,also they might be nervous with a change in surroundings and smells. Lots of comforting words when approaching and warm surroundings should bring them out..
 
Our Piggys are in a room with half glass roof and now it's winter it can get very chilly. We now have an oil filled radiator on during late afternoon and night time and it really takes the chill off-having a thermostat makes it economical. During the day if the suns shining it warms the room so I dont need it on then.

We also have two boys in the shed and they have a mixture of hay and straw. they also have snuggle sacks for extra warmth and they are happy with that.
 
I do find it cold in the conservatory but then again I have no blood and am freezing from Oct-Apr anyway! We do have a radiator in the conservatory but its huge and costs an absoulte fortune to heat but I will look into one of those heat pads.

I have just ordered some snuggle pockets for them so hopefully they will enjoy those.

What do you use instead of straw we were told by the breeder to use that for warmth?!
 
It's true that straw is a good insulator but it can also be sharp so can potentially cause eye injuries.

Meadow hay is the preferred choice for guinea pigs. They should also have access to hay to eat 24 hours a day.

We do have some members however who mix short cut barley straw in with hay as a insulator.

Zooplus have heatpads on offer at the minute and new customers receive 10% off their first order http://www.zooplus.co.uk/shop/dogs/dog_beds_baskets/thermal_heated_blankets/59060
 
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Plenty of hay, it's softer and they will happily eat and sleep on it. They will really love you for your heat pad, hay and snuggle sacks..

I put my pad on a night before going to bed and before I go to work in the morning when the heating has gone off.

My jack lost his eye due to a silly pet shop and using straw!
 
I have lots of hay which they have all of the time.

The heat pads look great and my puppy would love one too but unfortunately I dont have a microwave - I have hot water bottles but I imagine that would be a bit of a danger incase they bit into them or it leaked.
 
rubynoodles said:
I have lots of hay which they have all of the time.

The heat pads look great and my puppy would love one too but unfortunately I dont have a microwave - I have hot water bottles but I imagine that would be a bit of a danger incase they bit into them or it leaked.
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That's a shame :( But no, I would never recommend giving a hot water bottle to a guinea pig in case they chewed through it.

Cardboard boxes stuffed with hay are great for keeping piggies warm too :)
 
I have found that mine are getting a bit cold at the moment as the temperature has dropped again. They are happy to run about if I put the little electric heater by their cage :)) Spoilt piggies. I agree with the cardboard boxes stuffed with hay, mine love to snuggle in their hay. I also cover the cage with fleeces and blankets at night to keep it a bit more insulated.
 
Can you move them inside? They have to be in a room with heating. It is far too cold otherwise.
 
I would love to bring them inside but there isnt anywhere the cage could go.

Most of my friends have their piggies in the garage (infact one still has hers outside:( ) and I am wondering if that is warmer than our conservatory but I like them there because they are still with us and part of the family they would seem kind of shut away in the garage.

My mum and dad have an electric fan heater they dont use I will borrow that to keep them warm if i can not think of anything else.

Also, I have loads of small knitted blankets which my MIL has knitted for my daughters dolls. Could I not make some of those into snuggle pockets would knitted ones be ok for guinea pigs?
 
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To be honest, I think your girls will be fine in the conservatory. It is much better than them being outside in a hutch.

Drape a fleece or 2 over the cage at night to keep out the chill, provide plenty of nice warm hay and cosies etc.

My girls live outside free range in a shed with one of these either end http://www.wiltonpets.co.uk/MoreDetails_44552_Lazy-Bones-LB315-Small-Animal-House.aspx with a thick fleece blanket draped over them from one to the other to keep off the chill. It kind of looks like a giant hammock. These lazybones houses are packed with hay and on really cold nights, they have a snugglesafe heat pad in each. They also have lot's of cosies and stuff and are perfectly fine :)
 
Thanks Claire- I wrap a nice thick blanket over the cage at night and I'm going to make a couple of homemade snuggle pockets tonight until my ebay ones come- hopefully that will keep them happy.
 
Knitted things aren't suitable as they can catch their claws in the holes. Is the cage on the floor? I used to put my cage on a mat on the floor, the mat insulated the cage from underneath a bit.

I don't think it should be too cold for them as long as you have plenty of hay, boxes or fleeces for them to snuggle into. Mine live in my dining room & we never have heating on overnight so last winter I made hideys for them out of fleece & also I made little hammocks that hang over the corners so the heat from their bodies is kept in & each corner has a thick towel draped over the end to insulate it. I also put a snugglesafe in at night under the fleece but only when very cold. :)
 
I didnt know you can get little hammocks I've just looked on ebay they are great I will get a couple-thanks
 
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