Cold weather on the way *brrrr*

Woke up this morning and checked the pig room temp - despite the heating being on overnight, it was registering 13.5° as the lowest temp. Heating's not been off since 8am, heh.
 
It was -6 here at 7.30 am and has only now risen to 0. The water I put out for the garden birds at 9am was frozen by 11.30 so I’ve been out cracking the ice periodically. The heating has been on several times in the night and is on and off on thermostat this morning. The pigs are hiding under the blanket covered end of the cage where they have made hay nests and look quite cosy.
 
For anyone who's got draughty windows: -
I spent this morning covering the windows in the piggies room and my lounge with this.
It's surprisingly easy to do even for someone as useless at diy as me, and does make a difference (I did it last winter)
The temperature in the cage went down to 15.1C last night even though I had wrapped three sides of the cage in an old quilted bedspread to cut out the drafts from the windows but I'm hopeful that it will be warmer tonight. The temp in the room as a whole is now a comfortable 19.1 though the cage being on the floor is alwasy colder.


IMG_3918.webp

(I'm hoping that by NEXT winter I will have the new double glazed windows that I was supposed to have had installed by THIS winter :roll: 🤞🤞)
 
LondonLady said:
For anyone who's got draughty windows: -
I spent this morning covering the windows in the piggies room and my lounge with this.
It's surprisingly easy to do even for someone as useless at diy as me, and does make a difference (I did it last winter)
The temperature in the cage went down to 15.1C last night even though I had wrapped three sides of the cage in an old quilted bedspread to cut out the drafts from the windows but I'm hopeful that it will be warmer tonight. The temp in the room as a whole is now a comfortable 19.1 though the cage being on the floor is alwasy colder.


View attachment 215974

(I'm hoping that by NEXT winter I will have the new double glazed windows that I was supposed to have had installed by THIS winter :roll: 🤞🤞)
Click to expand...

This is the stuff my mum kept going on about! Except all she'd say was "it'll help the windows, you just put it over the windows" which is not helpful for trying to find this stuff lol. Thank you for this.
 
LondonLady said:
For anyone who's got draughty windows: -
I spent this morning covering the windows in the piggies room and my lounge with this.
It's surprisingly easy to do even for someone as useless at diy as me, and does make a difference (I did it last winter)
The temperature in the cage went down to 15.1C last night even though I had wrapped three sides of the cage in an old quilted bedspread to cut out the drafts from the windows but I'm hopeful that it will be warmer tonight. The temp in the room as a whole is now a comfortable 19.1 though the cage being on the floor is alwasy colder.


View attachment 215974

(I'm hoping that by NEXT winter I will have the new double glazed windows that I was supposed to have had installed by THIS winter :roll: 🤞🤞)
Click to expand...
My parents used this for years and it did pretty good at helping keep the house warmer. I wish I could use it, but I have a four year old that would rip it down.
 
As a cheap alternative I was told you can use bubble wrap and I don’t think you have to stick it to the windows - the little air bubbles warm up with the sun - I haven’t tried it but it sounds a good idea 😂
 
Roselina said:
As a cheap alternative I was told you can use bubble wrap and I don’t think you have to stick it to the windows - the little air bubbles warm up with the sun - I haven’t tried it but it sounds a good idea 😂
Click to expand...
We have it on the french door glass. Looks a mess but does seem to help. You mist the glass with water to stick it on :)
 
For the first time ever, I had to give up on keeping the piggies outside. I spoke to the homeowner, and thankfully they conceded to allowing them into the conservatory. The temperature in there is a good six or seven degrees warmer than outside (more with the heating running). With all the protection thay I've added to their hutch, a ton of hay, and multiple snugglesafes, I can finally relax enough not to check the hutch thermometer every 30 minutes! This weather is unbelievable🥶
 
aredgrave90 said:
For the first time ever, I had to give up on keeping the piggies outside. I spoke to the homeowner, and thankfully they conceded to allowing them into the conservatory. The temperature in there is a good six or seven degrees warmer than outside (more with the heating running). With all the protection thay I've added to their hutch, a ton of hay, and multiple snugglesafes, I can finally relax enough not to check the hutch thermometer every 30 minutes! This weather is unbelievable🥶
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It's always difficult if you live in rented accommodation. I adopted Lexi and Thea from someone who's Estate Agent told them that they could have piggies but then the Landlord said that they couldn't. You are so lucky that your Landlord said you could keep your piggies in the Conservatory not everyone is
 
I completely agree. I've never been permitted to have them inside before, so this time of year is always stressful, but when I saw the forecast for the upcoming week, I wondered how on earth we would manage. Sometimes outside owners get criticised harshly, but the responsible ones will be working round the clock now to keep their piggies healthy. That often gets overlooked.
 
aredgrave90 said:
Sometimes outside owners get criticised harshly, but the responsible ones will be working round the clock now to keep their piggies healthy. That often gets overlooked.
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I totally agree with that statement. My piggies (all Rainbow Bridge piggies now) were kept outside for 3 years until I moved here when they went in the garage because of the foxes. It is hard to keep them warm enough in the winter. It's important that they acclimatise to outside and they don't go from being nice and warm inside to being freezing cold outside. The insulating fur needs time to grow and this is stimulated by the darker evenings from September. Then of course mountains of hay, warm hideys and snugglesafes.
 
We woke up to snow this morning. Thank goodness I cut grass for today yesterday. I think I am going to be in trouble tomorrow though. They are going to scream at me non stop, extra hay, dried forage or shredded lettuce don't come up to scratch. I know I've tried it before!
 
piggieminder said:
We woke up to snow this morning. Thank goodness I cut grass for today yesterday. I think I am going to be in trouble tomorrow though. They are going to scream at me non stop, extra hay, dried forage or shredded lettuce don't come up to scratch. I know I've tried it before!
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Have you tried sitting down with them and explaining the concept of snow?
You may have to draw pictures to help them.
 
Merab's Slave said:
Have you tried sitting down with them and explaining the concept of snow?
You may have to draw pictures to help them.
Click to expand...
They don't understand the concept of no grass. I am expected to find it whatever the weather or state of the grass. Never ever start a routine involving food with guinea pigs, you will pay the price. :))
 
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