Extra warmth during winter

[Suzie36]

Hi Everyone,

I’m a New Guinea Pig owner to two gorgeous Rex boys. I’ve done ample research on piggies throughout the winter. I’m just looking for some more tips.

Our Guinea pigs live outside. I’m allergic to them sadly, so my daughter gets most of the cuddles. I’m just worried about them with winter around the corner. They live in a hutch, within a small shed and have a thermal hutch cover over their hitch. They have fluffy hideouts. I use puppy pads and lots of straw for their bedding.

I do also have a Guinea pig heat pad that you can warm in the microwave. But I’m just worried this will not be warm enough for them.

Is there any other ideas anyone can send my way.

Thank you Suzie.

 

[Piggies&buns]

Welcome to the forum

Mine live outside in my shed also.

I have insulated all walls, floor and ceiling of my shed with silver foil insulation, which helps a lot
They have silver foil insulation, blankets and old duvets put over their cages (when they were in hutches they also had a thermal cover as well as the insulation and blankets).

We don’t recommend the use of straw for guinea pigs. It’s sharp and has no nutritional value. Hay is a better choice for bedding as they will snuggle into piles which also hekps keep them warm. It is obviously also their main food source.

You will need two heat pads so that they can each have one each. They are warm enough - they provide a warm spot to sit rather than heating the area - but I find they don’t last the 10 hours they claim to particularly not in the depths of winter - I get around 6-8 out of mine. I therefore time putting them in appropriately to get max out of them - last reheat for the night at 10pm so it stays warm throughout the night. They will also need them during the day too (I tend to reheat at 7am, 4pm and then the last at 10pm).

Also ensure you have a thermometer on the hutch so you know exactly what is happening in there.

Be very careful using fabric and fluffy items outside - their use isn’t recommended. Unless your shed has electric and can be heated, any fabric bedding is going to get wet and then runs the risk of not dry properly as it gets colder and the piggies are then at risk of being on damp and cold items. Sometimes it’s ok but it depends on the shed set up, how insulated it is, how well it is ventilating etc - something for you to monitor.
Wooden hides with two exits are recommended for outdoor piggies (single exit hides are not recommended at all as the dominant piggy can trap the other inside it with no means of getting out and that is how fights can start) . Plastic hides are also not recommended due to the risk of build up of condensation inside in winter and the heat risk they pose in summer.

I hope that helps

Thread 'Cold Weather Care for Indoor and Outdoor Guinea Pigs'

Dec 11, 2022

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...

• Swissgreys
• cold weather care outdoor guinea pigs outdoor hutch shed snow wet weather winter
• Replies: 1
• Forum: Housing, Enrichment, Travel and Climate

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[sam1]

Our piggies live in our summer house as we are allergic to the hay!
We have a heater in there we make shore it is not to hot or to cold.

 

[poopie]

Hi Everyone,

I’m a New Guinea Pig owner to two gorgeous Rex boys. I’ve done ample research on piggies throughout the winter. I’m just looking for some more tips.

Our Guinea pigs live outside. I’m allergic to them sadly, so my daughter gets most of the cuddles. I’m just worried about them with winter around the corner. They live in a hutch, within a small shed and have a thermal hutch cover over their hitch. They have fluffy hideouts. I use puppy pads and lots of straw for their bedding.

I do also have a Guinea pig heat pad that you can warm in the microwave. But I’m just worried this will not be warm enough for them.

Is there any other ideas anyone can send my way.

Thank you Suzie.

Hi Suzie, my Peruvians live in a similar set up outside. They have been fine and I think if they aclimatise well ,possibly they are hardier for it. I have a thermometer next to the cage . My rule of thumb is if the temp drops below freezing I keep a close eye but for 3 winters we havent had any issues, as long as they have plenty of hay and more pellets. They come into a utility room, should the forecast show a below freezing outlook. I am lucky to be able to check on them several times during the day and evening . They have a wooden hide and snuggle together very happily. Hope this reassures you. PS ,they never had any URI anytime

 

[Piggies&buns]

The guide is these anything below 15 is too chilly but I use below 10 degrees. However they do seem to adapt to cooler temps a lot easier than hotter temps.
My shed has never dropped lower than 10 though even when in the minus figures outside.

 

[Suzie36]

Hi Suzie, my Peruvians live in a similar set up outside. They have been fine and I think if they aclimatise well ,possibly they are hardier for it. I have a thermometer next to the cage . My rule of thumb is if the temp drops below freezing I keep a close eye but for 3 winters we havent had any issues, as long as they have plenty of hay and more pellets. They come into a utility room, should the forecast show a below freezing outlook. I am lucky to be able to check on them several times during the day and evening . They have a wooden hide and snuggle together very happily. Hope this reassures you. PS ,they never had any URI anytime

Thank you for the advice and reassurance. I’ll get a thermometer and will be checking on them throughout the day. Fingers crossed all goes well for our first winter with them.

 

[Suzie36]

The guide is these anything below 15 is too chilly but I use below 10 degrees. However they do seem to adapt to cooler temps a lot easier than hotter temps.
My shed has never dropped lower than 10 though even when in the minus figures outside.

Thank you for this. That’s really good it hasn’t dropped. Definitely will be getting a thermometer and keeping a close eye. I think I will be adding some extra bits to the shed to try and keep the temperature up.