talking of cold does anyone leave their guinea pigs outside all year? esp this winter? temps were below freezing here?:{
I'll probably get given out to for this, but I do. I live in the south of Ireland so it doesn't get quite as cold as parts of the UK. I had two guinea pigs for 7 years (one died last summer, one this spring, well after the cold weather btw) and I was always just told they could stay outside all year and never knew any better. My dad and his sister had guinea pigs outside all year when they were kids (in reading in the 60's, so I'm guessing it got colder then, because he always says there was feet of snow when he was a kid) so he kept telling me they'd be fine.
Even last winter when there was snow, I only had one 7 year old left (before I got new ones) and I was worried for her, because she was old and on her own. I kept asking my dad if I should bring her in or put her in the shed, but if I did she'd have to be kept in a small dog carrier, because I had no suitable cage (the hutch and run I had was too big for inside/the shed). But my dad assured me she'd be fine, and I didn't really want her to have to sleep in a small cage, so I left her outside.
I made sure her hutch was dry and was stuffed with hay every evening, and you know what, she did just fine! She was quite fat so I guess it insulated her
I also made sure she had loads of food for energy to keep her warm. Even during the day she came out in her run and ran around on the snow on the ground (her run was on concrete).
I hope she didn't suffer during that time, but I do know for sure that she had no ill health affects because of it and she seemed happy enough really.
But now that I have new piggies, I'm either going to get them hutch covers and give them heat pads in the winter, or I'm going to put them in the shed. I'm thinking the hutch covers, because that way they'll still have access to their run too, instead of being in a smaller space in the shed. Also I hate the idea of an animal being in the shed all day for the winter, when it could be out in the run, with interesting things to see and all.
When I have my own house I'm going to keep them in at night and during bad weather I think. For their own comfort, and because I hate bad weather so much, it's such a chore to go outside in the rain . . . until I can move to the South of France . . .
I don't know if a smaller animal would get colder because it's smaller? Does anyone know that? I mean small wild animals can survive, so for instance, would a guinea pig get colder than a horse?
And guinea pigs do have compact fat bodies with short legs and small ears and no tail, and that should make them good at keeping in heat. They don't have fluffy fur though. All I know is mine have always lived outdoors and were fine.
I am concerned about guinea pigs being outdoors when it's cold, but I don't know if it's really terrible for them because some people might just exaggerate it. Like people often tell me not to leave my dogs outside because they're small, but they've really long hair and have been outside all their lives, and are completely fine. They have a shed to live in and on winter nights i shut them in. And they have each other. I really don't think dogs need to be inside to survive.
Anyway sorry for rambling off topic!
