Cold Weather Care For Guinea Pigs

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I am glad you have brought them back indoors.

Generally guinea pigs who have been indoors over the winter shouldn't go back outside until night time temperatures are a steady 10 degrees or so. Here in Manchester temperatures are due to fall to -1 tomorrow night
 
Hi, I'm wondering if it would be a good idea to keep guinea pigs in my greenhouse. We do have a shed, but it has 2 key problems, one is being full of stuff that we have nowhere else to keep, and the other is having no windows, which would make it unsuitable even if it was empty! on the other hand, we have an empty 4x6' greenhouse made of polycarbonate. If I put the hutch in there, and a run (or netted all around more like so the whole floor was a run) and I was thinking on the floor put some insulation of some kind, some thick mdf (which I happen to have) and one of those thick table protectors I saw on here from argos to provide a nice warm floor. I could therefore leave the door open so they wouldn't get baked, or close it up in the winter (it's by no means airtight), and if it was hot they would be out on the grass anyway. Is it a terrible plan?
 
katali said:
Hi, I'm wondering if it would be a good idea to keep guinea pigs in my greenhouse. We do have a shed, but it has 2 key problems, one is being full of stuff that we have nowhere else to keep, and the other is having no windows, which would make it unsuitable even if it was empty! on the other hand, we have an empty 4x6' greenhouse made of polycarbonate. If I put the hutch in there, and a run (or netted all around more like so the whole floor was a run) and I was thinking on the floor put some insulation of some kind, some thick mdf (which I happen to have) and one of those thick table protectors I saw on here from argos to provide a nice warm floor. I could therefore leave the door open so they wouldn't get baked, or close it up in the winter (it's by no means airtight), and if it was hot they would be out on the grass anyway. Is it a terrible plan?
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A greenhouse is basically a large car.

You'd need additional heating for the winter and be extremely aware that it will heat up very quickly in sunlight; not just in summer! Piggies have died in greenhouses because their owners have underestimated the effects and the fact that guinea pigs are very exposed in a green house that is not well insulated and temperatur controlled.
 
They would be in the hutch as well, not just in the greenhouse. It's pretty sturdy, made of 2x2" posts and old pallet wood, not thin plywood. I was just thinking it would be extra protection from wind and rain, like a shed. Also should have a thermometer.
 
I wouldn't keep piggies in a greenhouse because of the potential temperature range & changes - you also couldn't leave the door open to allow heat to escape if the floor is used as a run.
Having said that I don't think I'd keep piggies outdoors over winter anyway even in a shed or garage as the freezing temps are so dangerous for them, as well as it being an isolated experience for them, for a number of months.
 
Great ideas! My girls are all outside, and i think i have them well prepped for winter. But got a few great tips from reading this thread.
 
My piggies live inside, and although I have heating. My house is an old Victorian house so even we get cold so I make sure they always have a good supply of hay in their hidey hole and a cool playform if needed. I personally think it's far too cold outside for little animals, I have one very long haired pig and one very short haired so you also have to work around them. Hope all your pigs are warm this winter x
 
Jadeybug94 said:
What month would you bring outdoor piggies inside then take them out again? :)
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It depends on where in the world you live, but a good rule of thumb is to treat guinea pigs the same as tender plants - they need acclimatisation and should not be out during frosty/cold nights and big day/nighttime temperature swings. They also need protection during heat waves. ;)
 
I would bring piggies in when at night it is 15 degrees or less and put them back out when the nights are 15 degrees or higher.:)!
 
My girls have been indoors since I got them in September but we are planning to get an outside hutch/run so that they can go outside during the day. We are a bit worried about them getting cold and/or attacked by predators if we leave them outside at night.
 
Liz Roberts said:
My girls have been indoors since I got them in September but we are planning to get an outside hutch/run so that they can go outside during the day. We are a bit worried about them getting cold and/or attacked by predators if we leave them outside at night.
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We live on the rural fringes of the town so as well as two very curious cats next door, who visit all the time, we have the occasional fox. The crows are very interested in small furries as well. Our hutch is on the covered patio, just outside the living room so it's easy to keep an eye during the day. At night I cover the hutch with blankets and an old but waterproof PVC tablecloth. A solid child's chair keeps the front of the covers from flapping - even in the really high winds we had over night - and this has kept the piggies safe and any predators at bay. Even a fox would have to be pretty smart to get through all those layers and then undo the bolts on the hut doors !

I'm having to keep the girls inside the hutch all day - apart from cleaning and grooming sessions - because the grass is so wet and soggy that they'd catch a chill if put out at the moment. I don't think there's a lot of nutrition in grass at this time of year anyway ?
 
I think I will leave them inside until Spring whenever that might be! I think my husband is going to make a run for them and they will come inside at night. We have a conservatory so they can live in there as long as it isn't too cold or too hot! He is going to make a double run as we now have two girls and two boys!
 
Well my last remaining piggies are coming in tonight, I have some work to do to get the utility resorted again, so I'll clean out the hutches so it's fresh & ready for when they make a return, whenever that will be. Currently 3 indoors and 3 outdoors. My outdoors have been fine, inundated with heat pads, but so not risking it this week.
 
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Hi all - I'm a total piggy greenhorn and now a bit paranoid I'm not doing enough in the way of keeping them warm at night. Our piggies are in a hutch, in a shed. They have an upstairs, but currently don't venture up there (think I need to put some sort of non-slip type stuff on the ramp, but think that's another post). On the floor I have a layer of puppy pads, then newspaper, then (dust free) wood shaving stuff, then hay. Should I be covering the hutch with a blanket or something? Can they see OK if I do that (I wasn't kidding about the 'green-horn' bit)? What about these heat pad things? I don't have a microwave...sorry if I seem really stupid...
 
It would be good if you gave the hutch some extra insulation, especially on frosty nights like they have been announced for next week, or - if you can't have microwaveable snuggelsafes - you could additionally pack a cardboard box with soft hay so your piggies can sneak in there for warmth and comfort.
 
See if you can get an old winter quilt, I used to cover mine with a quilt when they were outdoors and then wrap the lot with a waterproof tarpaulin. You don't need to worry about the tarp as they're in a shed. ;)
 
Hi @Planty
I used to keep my pigs in a shed.

Puppy pads/newspaper/shavings/hay is fine.....(Lucky piggies!)

The most important thing is to make sure they have plenty of WARMTH: Outbuildings can get VERY cold during winter if you don;t routinely air them to allow warmer air in to circulate on good weather days. Once the temp in an outbuilding drops to 4deg C - unless you start airing it to allow warmer air in on good weather days, it will just contiunue to get colder with each cold weather day.

They will need extra hay (lots of it) to snuggle up in. It might help to put a small cardboard box inside the sleeping area stuffed with hay to provide extra insulation for them. On nights where the temp falls below 0deg - a snugglesafe pad can be a godsend for them....but you will need a microwave (some nice cheapy ones can be had at Tescos). Alternatively a cheap thermostatically-controlled oil-filled radiator (assuming you have an electrical supply in your shed) is also a good bet.
Old duvets draped around the back/top of the cage are great.

The second thing you need to be aware of is DAMP -
be it from condensation in the outbuilding, wee evaporating from the wet hay, too much waterproof covering around the whole of the cage preventing the wee evaporating properly- or lack of weatherproofing of the outbuilding.
Clean out all the hay a minimum of weekly (preferably twice weekly). Check for damp/condensation issues within the hutch and within the outbuilding. If you;re covering with a duvet then get this properly aired/dried on a regular monthly basis as otherwise it will continue collect condensation/damp and actually behave contra to its intended purpose.

Can;t think of anything else atm - but will update if i remember anything
HTH
x
 
Two of my pigs spent last summer outdoors and then I got two more. But the hutch was too small and one of the new pigs I adopted had an UTI so wasn't fair to house them outside. I've bought a bigger hutch (a Bunny Business Grove and thermal cover) and have a 12ft outdoor run too. But when can I leave them outdoors all the time? It's quite nice during the day but I'm worried the nights are a little too chilly here in Lancashire.

They are currently in my living room but I need to get them out as soon as possible. Next winter they'll have the hutch in a new shed but I can't afford one just yet.

Sorry it's such a long post but I just want my pigs to be healthy and happy and I worry so much!
 
Suze5202 said:
Two of my pigs spent last summer outdoors and then I got two more. But the hutch was too small and one of the new pigs I adopted had an UTI so wasn't fair to house them outside. I've bought a bigger hutch (a Bunny Business Grove and thermal cover) and have a 12ft outdoor run too. But when can I leave them outdoors all the time? It's quite nice during the day but I'm worried the nights are a little too chilly here in Lancashire.

They are currently in my living room but I need to get them out as soon as possible. Next winter they'll have the hutch in a new shed but I can't afford one just yet.

Sorry it's such a long post but I just want my pigs to be healthy and happy and I worry so much!
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Hi,
Most people say that when you can go outside without a coat and not feel cold then you can put your piggys outside and when the nights are above 15 degrees Celsius.
My piggys are outside in the bottom of a pets@home bluebell hutch. They have 2 snuggle safe heat pads, insulation, are kept in a garage, have a thermal cover, lots of hay and bubble wrap over the doors to keep out draughts. In an ideal world the piggys would be inside but the landlady hates rodent so cannot keep piggys indoors. :( But good news I am moving on Thursday so piggys will be inside at last in a 2 x 3 c and c with a 1 x 2 loft in a free range room! :)
Anyway,:btt: would you consider keeping your guineas in a heated shed in a c and c : http://www.candcguineapigcages.co.uk
They are brill, pop corning piggys and lots of room!
Hope this is useful!
 
They're in a c&c at the moment, but it's not practical for outside. The snuggle pads for outside sound a good idea. Think I've managed to persuade OH they can stay indoors a little while longer, the dining table will have to wait!
 
Is bringing them in at night into a cat carrier type thing an option?
 
My guinea pigs are in a garage in hutch with insulation and are most peoples piggies are.
In October to February your guinea pigs would prefer staying inside in a cage like 120cm long.
 
I don't have inside space big enough for permanent inside living, I'll have to find ways to make their hutch warmer. I can't remember how I did it fit my pigs I had when I was a teenager.
 
Hi I have 4 piggies one of which is a skinny pig and I always drive myself crazy when the weather starts to turn. I keep all my pigs inthe house and all have their own wooden beds they can go into ,with fleecy blankets and extra hay but I still worry about my skinny, Godfrey he's 10 months old now and has a special heat pad I warm up in the microwave for him every 6 to 8 hours , including waking during the night to reheat it . Does any one know of any other good heat pads that stay warm for longer or any special bedding that will keep in the heat? Any suggestions would be much appreciated.
 
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