FROSTS

[samvdh]

Good morning, l have two female guinea pigs Shadow & Nutmeg who has a large two tier hutch outside with a thermal cover. As the weather is becoming colder they have lots of extra hay, several fleecy blankets and enclosed little pods to sleep in, with the weather coming even colder (-4 ish) can they still sleep outside?

Thank you.

 

[Piggies&buns]

If you have the ability to either move them to live indoors in the winter or at least move their hutch into a shed or garage then it is best to do so where possible.
Below 15 degrees is too cold for piggies so lots of extra measures need to be taken if you cannot move them inside/into a shed to ensure they are kept warm enough. It is perfectly possible to do so though.

Please do not use fleece items (beds or blankets) outside in winter as they will not dry properly and can expose piggies to damp areas.
Do you have microwaveable Snugglesafe heat pads? If not then please do get some. They are essential for outdoor piggies to provide them with somewhere warm to sit.

My four boys live in hutches in my shed. Even with the protection of the shed, their hutch has a thermal cover, two blankets and then a normal (non thermal) hutch cover. I then pull a duvet over all of it. They also have multiple snugglesafes each along with the hutch and hides being filled with hay. . My aim is to keep them as close to 15 degrees as possible. If I cannot keep the shed above 10 degrees then they will move into the house for the rest of winter. (As it stands all my measures usually work well and they are fine out in the shed)

 

[Bill & Ted]

Hello and Welcome to the forum
Piggies can manage quite well outside provided they are kept dry and protected from wind and rain. A shed or garage is better if you can’t keep them inside your house. Could you buy a pair if Snugglesafes. They are microwaveable, have a fleece cover and the heat lasts for about 10 hours.

 

[aredgrave90]

They can stay outside, but it requires extra work.

I keep my girl's on a sheltered patio (it has a roof and walls on three sides). I have insulated the hutch with foam pads and bubble wrap, three fleece blankets, a windproof/waterproof hutch cover, and a tarp that has a heat-reflective lining on the underside. On top of hutch I have also placed a quilt, which can be pulled down over the front.

Inside the hutch, I line the floors with cardboard, then add a layer of wood shavings, and then a layer of hay. The bedroom is packed with hay from floor to ceiling, and they have two snuggle safe heat pads to sleep with. I usually warm the heat pads up morning and evening, but with temperatures being so low at the minute, I am doing it on an 8-2-8-2 rotation, so the pads get reheated every six hours. I change out the damp bedding once a day at least, and try to keep on top of any condensation.

Every hutch set up will inevitably be different. The most important things are to keep it dry inside, free from drafts and protected from the elements. Your girls will need plenty of hay to burrow in, a source of heat, and insulation.

 

[aredgrave90]

I hate this time of year. So much worry about the piggies