Cold weather

[Shanj19]

My living room was rather cold this morning when I woke up and I noticed my guineas did not want to leave their hideys even when their salad came! They are fine as long as I passed them the food and I’ve since warmed the room up and they began to come out again. I’m just wondering what I can do to help keep them warm? They are indoors so I suppose that of course is much better than being outside. I’ve heard of heat pads but they seem so expensive! I do not want to put hay in their hideys as they seem to pee and poop mainly in their hay corner so I don’t want to put any anywhere else as I think their house will be covered in wee and poop (they’re very good at doing it in one part of the house) any advice would be truly appreciated! Thanks oh and if anyone knows an alternative to the heat pad or cheaper places to buy them from hay would be great as I’m guessing they will need one each! Thanks again

 

[Swissgreys]

I know that the heat pads seem expensive but they last for years, and if your piggies are cold then they really will benefit from them.
Plus I am sure 2 heat pads won't cost as much as running an electric heater would!

Another alternative would be to stuff their hideys with large pieces of fleece.
What are their hideys made from (plastic, fleece, wood?).
I cut up a cheap fleece blanket into wide strips and dumped these in my piggies cage and they loved playing in them and nesting in them.
I imagine if you put a few inside a hidey that would help keep them warmer.

You could also cover part of their cage with a blanket at night to cut down on drafts and trap some heat in.

 

[Swissgreys]

There is a good post here with lots of suggestions too:
Cold Weather Care For Guinea Pigs

 

[Piggies&buns]

I can definitely recommend the heat pads. My boys live in my shed so it is essential for them to have them. They have four heat pads between the two piggies and not only do they provide a warm space for the piggies to sit, they also help to increase the general temperature of an enclosed area as well. I put two pads under their hideys and I have been able to keep their beds at around 16 degrees despite it being just 4 degrees outside.
The snugglesafes are only £11 on amazon at the moment! That’s a bargain given my local pet shop sell them for £25!

 

[piggieminder]

I give my indoor piggies small cardboard boxes and/or their travel boxes with the doors off stuffed with hay at night when it's cold. I cover the cages with extra fleece blankets, they also have fleece tunnels they can lie in and fleece snuggle pouches. I cut a puppy pad to size to line the bottom of the cardboard boxes so that they last quite a while before they have to be thrown away. One of my boars who loves his warmth has a snugglesafe in his log tunnel, he likes to sleep with his head resting on it. I put a snuggle safe in the cage of my older boars, they don't lie on it but I feel it warms the air a bit.

 

[Hannah Boyd]

if you get lots of parcels, cardboard boxes stuffed with hat are good too as you can chuck them away when they get messy!

 

[Merab]

I have indoor piggies and as well as plenty of fleece tunnels and snuggle pouches I have wrapped fleece around the cage to help insulate it

 

[Bill & Ted]

Bill and Ted spend their nights in the conservatory over winter, it’s cool, and background heating will come on if it drops below 11 degrees, we use Vet bed on the floor of their beds (cardboard boxes plus lots of hay. I love placing my hand under my piggies on a morning to find bellies really warm and toasty.

 

[Betsy]

Have you got any snugglesacks? that'll keep them nice and warm.



In an emergency you could always use old fleece hats.