1 Outdoor guinea pigs living in a hutch
- How to prepare your hutch for Winter
- Insulation
- Daily care
2 Outdoor guinea pigs living in a shed/garage
3 All outdoor guinea pigs
4 Indoor guinea pigs
- Preparing your cage
- Preparing the room
1 Outdoor guinea pigs living in a hutch
How to prepare your hutch for Winter
Autumn is the time to start preparing your hutch for the Winter months ahead. Even when the daytime temperatures are still warm, the nights are starting to get colder and your guinea pigs need extra support to stay warm and healthy.
Now is the time to think about where your hutch is positioned, and if possible consider moving it to a more sheltered location. Guinea pigs find it difficult to cope with draughts and damp, and every effort should be made to put their home into the most sheltered enclosed area. Putting it against a wall or in a corner will offer additional protection, and also make your daily visits to check and feed more pleasant for you too.
Inspect the hutch for holes, cracks, gaps – now is the time to re-treat it with a pet safe paint and add additional external insulation.
Make sure it is raised off the ground to stop the bottom getting wet, and damp travelling upwards to the areas where your guinea pigs live.
Consider that Winter may mean not only cold and wet weather, but also storms and high winds. Now is the time to make sure your hutch cannot be blown over in the event of a storm. Having items like adjustable webbing straps or paving slabs on hand in case of extreme weather is important.
Think about lighting. With shorter days chances are high that at least some of your visits to the hutch will take place in the dark. If possible have an outside light that illuminates the area around your hutch, but if this is not an option think about getting a head torch which will leave your hands free while allowing you to still see what you are doing.
Insulation
Even the best made hutches will require additional insulation if they are going to keep your guinea pigs dry and cosythrough the cold months ahead.
Outdoor hutches need both an insulating cover and a waterproof cover. The insulating cover can be made to measure, or be old blankets or duvets, which then need to be covered with a fully waterproof/windproof layer.
Properly made waterproof hutch covers are well worth the investment, and are much easier to fit and handle in the pouring rain when it is blowing a gale.
Inside the hutch make sure you keep everything as dry as possible with daily spot cleans.
There should be several areas stuffed with hay, and adding thick cardboard to the roof and walls can offer an additional layer of insulation and draft proofing.
If you haven’t done so already, consider lining the floor of the hutch with a snug fitting piece of lino, which is easy to keep clean and offers more protection from damp and drafts. This should always be well covered with an absorbent layer and plenty of hay.
Fabric of any kind (fleece, towels) etc. are not appropriate for use in outdoor hutches during Winter, as once they get damp they will hold the moisture and make the whole environment very cold.
Whatever bedding you choose everything needs to be covered with a generous layer of hay (more in sleeping areas) and changed regularly to keep their environment dry.
Additional external weather proofing measures can include putting foam tiles, bubble wrap or other insulating material around the outside of the hutch using staples, nails or tape. Any local DIY store will sell a variety of insulation designed for outdoor buildings, and most of them can be applied fairly easily and then removed when the weather warms up again.
Obviously, this type of additional insulation should only be applied to external solid walls (not mesh doors) and not in any place where your guinea pigs may be able to chew it.
Daily care
No matter what the weather, you need to visit outdoor guinea pigs at least twice a day in Winter.
These visits should include:
2 Outdoor guinea pigs living in a shed/garage
Having your outdoor guinea pigs in a hutch that is inside a garage or out building offers many advantages.
The building itself will offer a lot of protection from the weather, as well as making it easier for you to clean, feed and spend time with your guinea pigs.
However, all outdoor guinea pigs will still require the protection of a well built and insulated hutch. Open style cages (such as C&C and Midwest) are not suitable outside as they do not offer enough insulation to be kept warm during the coldest months.
Additionally, they will leave your guinea pigs vulnerable to predators and vermin, as even the most well-built shed or garage rarely offers 100% protection.
How you manage your guinea pigs over Winter will depend a lot on the build quality and size of your shed, but here are some things to keep in mind.
3 All outdoor guinea pigs
Thermometers are important. No matter where your guinea pigs are living, if at all possible try to have a thermometer in their living area (or as close as safely possible) so you can keep an eye on the temperature in their hutch/shed.
Adding smaller boxes stuffed with hay can provide good nesting opportunities, but they need to be replaced regularly once they are wet. Expect to get through at least double the amount of hay you would usually use in the Summer.
It is important to have a backup plan for extreme weather, particularly as this becomes a more common occurrence. Guinea pigs do best between 15-25°C (59-77°F). What they do not cope well with is with sudden large temperature jumps over 5°C (40°F).
Because of this you need to think about how you would handle an emergency situation. You should always have spare accommodation available in case it becomes necessary to bring them inside. This could simply be a regular indoor cage, C&C grids tied together and folded away until needed, or even a large dog crate or play pen.
If you need to bring them inside you need to think about how realistic it would be to put them back outside afterwards. Sometimes you may need to bring them inside overnight for a few days during a major cold snap, however other times there may be prolonged periods of extreme weather when it simply isn’t possible to keep them warm, safe and dry outside.
If you have a cool place you can keep them (like an unheated conservatory or garage without a car) then it may be fine to bring them in during the most extreme weather and then put them back out into their hutch, however if the temperature difference is more than a few degrees they may need to stay inside until Spring.
- How to prepare your hutch for Winter
- Insulation
- Daily care
2 Outdoor guinea pigs living in a shed/garage
3 All outdoor guinea pigs
4 Indoor guinea pigs
- Preparing your cage
- Preparing the room
1 Outdoor guinea pigs living in a hutch
How to prepare your hutch for Winter
Autumn is the time to start preparing your hutch for the Winter months ahead. Even when the daytime temperatures are still warm, the nights are starting to get colder and your guinea pigs need extra support to stay warm and healthy.
Now is the time to think about where your hutch is positioned, and if possible consider moving it to a more sheltered location. Guinea pigs find it difficult to cope with draughts and damp, and every effort should be made to put their home into the most sheltered enclosed area. Putting it against a wall or in a corner will offer additional protection, and also make your daily visits to check and feed more pleasant for you too.
Inspect the hutch for holes, cracks, gaps – now is the time to re-treat it with a pet safe paint and add additional external insulation.
Make sure it is raised off the ground to stop the bottom getting wet, and damp travelling upwards to the areas where your guinea pigs live.
Consider that Winter may mean not only cold and wet weather, but also storms and high winds. Now is the time to make sure your hutch cannot be blown over in the event of a storm. Having items like adjustable webbing straps or paving slabs on hand in case of extreme weather is important.
Think about lighting. With shorter days chances are high that at least some of your visits to the hutch will take place in the dark. If possible have an outside light that illuminates the area around your hutch, but if this is not an option think about getting a head torch which will leave your hands free while allowing you to still see what you are doing.
Insulation
Even the best made hutches will require additional insulation if they are going to keep your guinea pigs dry and cosythrough the cold months ahead.
Outdoor hutches need both an insulating cover and a waterproof cover. The insulating cover can be made to measure, or be old blankets or duvets, which then need to be covered with a fully waterproof/windproof layer.
Properly made waterproof hutch covers are well worth the investment, and are much easier to fit and handle in the pouring rain when it is blowing a gale.
Inside the hutch make sure you keep everything as dry as possible with daily spot cleans.
There should be several areas stuffed with hay, and adding thick cardboard to the roof and walls can offer an additional layer of insulation and draft proofing.
If you haven’t done so already, consider lining the floor of the hutch with a snug fitting piece of lino, which is easy to keep clean and offers more protection from damp and drafts. This should always be well covered with an absorbent layer and plenty of hay.
Fabric of any kind (fleece, towels) etc. are not appropriate for use in outdoor hutches during Winter, as once they get damp they will hold the moisture and make the whole environment very cold.
Whatever bedding you choose everything needs to be covered with a generous layer of hay (more in sleeping areas) and changed regularly to keep their environment dry.
Additional external weather proofing measures can include putting foam tiles, bubble wrap or other insulating material around the outside of the hutch using staples, nails or tape. Any local DIY store will sell a variety of insulation designed for outdoor buildings, and most of them can be applied fairly easily and then removed when the weather warms up again.
Obviously, this type of additional insulation should only be applied to external solid walls (not mesh doors) and not in any place where your guinea pigs may be able to chew it.
Daily care
No matter what the weather, you need to visit outdoor guinea pigs at least twice a day in Winter.
These visits should include:
- Replacing water bottles to reduce the chances of the water freezing, and make it nicer for your guinea pigs to drink
- Adding or removing hutch covers when needed. On warmer days it is fine to open the waterproof cover to allow some fresh air into the hutch, however make sure you are going to be around to close everything back up before it gets too cold again. All waterproof covers should have a clear front to allow light in, and in extreme weather this can be left closed all the time (except for essential feeding and care) to help trap warmth in the hutch.
- Spot cleaning, removing damp bedding, and topping up hay and pellets.
- Adding or removing snuggle safe heat pads. You will need several of these as in very cold weather they only stay warm for 6-8 hours, so should be replaced 2-3 times a day.
2 Outdoor guinea pigs living in a shed/garage
Having your outdoor guinea pigs in a hutch that is inside a garage or out building offers many advantages.
The building itself will offer a lot of protection from the weather, as well as making it easier for you to clean, feed and spend time with your guinea pigs.
However, all outdoor guinea pigs will still require the protection of a well built and insulated hutch. Open style cages (such as C&C and Midwest) are not suitable outside as they do not offer enough insulation to be kept warm during the coldest months.
Additionally, they will leave your guinea pigs vulnerable to predators and vermin, as even the most well-built shed or garage rarely offers 100% protection.
How you manage your guinea pigs over Winter will depend a lot on the build quality and size of your shed, but here are some things to keep in mind.
- Before it gets too cold think about insulation. Block obvious gaps and consider adding additional insulation around the internal walls and roof. Things like foam tiles and bubble wrap work well, and if your guinea pigs have free range time on the floor then place all insulation well about the height that they can reach.
- Cover the floor of the shed with well fitted lino or foam tiles.
- Shed windows tend to be quite basic, so add an additional piece of solid perspex over any windows to cut down on drafts. Clear perspex will allow natural light in, but offers an additional level of glazing that can easily be removed again in Summer.
- If you are lucky enough to have a power supply in your shed think about adding a simple heater. Even better is one that can be set to come on automatically when the temperature drops below a certain level.
- Even if it is undercover, an outdoor hutch still requires an insulating cover (which could also be blankets or a duvet) and in many cases will also need a waterproof cover too. Remember that a waterproof cover helps to trap heat, block drafts and protect from damp.
3 All outdoor guinea pigs
Thermometers are important. No matter where your guinea pigs are living, if at all possible try to have a thermometer in their living area (or as close as safely possible) so you can keep an eye on the temperature in their hutch/shed.
Adding smaller boxes stuffed with hay can provide good nesting opportunities, but they need to be replaced regularly once they are wet. Expect to get through at least double the amount of hay you would usually use in the Summer.
It is important to have a backup plan for extreme weather, particularly as this becomes a more common occurrence. Guinea pigs do best between 15-25°C (59-77°F). What they do not cope well with is with sudden large temperature jumps over 5°C (40°F).
Because of this you need to think about how you would handle an emergency situation. You should always have spare accommodation available in case it becomes necessary to bring them inside. This could simply be a regular indoor cage, C&C grids tied together and folded away until needed, or even a large dog crate or play pen.
If you need to bring them inside you need to think about how realistic it would be to put them back outside afterwards. Sometimes you may need to bring them inside overnight for a few days during a major cold snap, however other times there may be prolonged periods of extreme weather when it simply isn’t possible to keep them warm, safe and dry outside.
If you have a cool place you can keep them (like an unheated conservatory or garage without a car) then it may be fine to bring them in during the most extreme weather and then put them back out into their hutch, however if the temperature difference is more than a few degrees they may need to stay inside until Spring.
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