Grass time in winter

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Muzzy83

New Born Pup
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Hello all,
For those of you that have outdoor guineas, what do you do with them in the winter in regards to outdoor time.
Do you still put them on grass if its dry? Can a run go on a large patio area provided it has hay and blankets for them to sit on etc?
 
Mine only go out while grass is dry and warm and the air temperature is above 15 degrees. My guide is, if I can’t stand on the grass or ground with bare feet then the piggies cannot either and if it feels chilly for me then the piggies will be too - therefore they don’t go out (not on grass or patio)
Mine live in a hutch in my shed so they get their exercise time in the shed instead.
They are on the lawn today but looking at the weather report for my area, it’s getting to be the last time.
 
Don’t forget they can’t be exposed to large temperature changes, so outdoor piggies can’t come into a house in winter for exercise time and then taken back out.

I’ve just seen your other thread though about a pup being born. Is mum and pup outside also?
 
Piggies&buns said:
Don’t forget they can’t be exposed to large temperature changes, so outdoor piggies can’t come into a house in winter for exercise time and then taken back out.

I’ve just seen your other thread though about a pup being born. Is mum and pup outside also?
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Yes
 
Muzzy83 said:
Yes
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New pups and their mum should be brought indoors due to the baby’s inability to regulate their body temperature and susceptibility to cold.

What are the night time temperature in your area doing at the moment? I know it’s due to get too cold in my area over the next few nights
 
Muzzy83 said:
I dont have an indoor cage big enough for all 5
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Do you have or can you get some c&c grids to make a cage indoors?

5 piggies need a cage or hutch on a single level of 8 foot by 2 foot (upper levels of any hutches dont count)
 
Piggies&buns said:
Do you have or can you get some c&c grids to make a cage indoors?

5 piggies need a cage or hutch on a single level of 8 foot by 2 foot (upper levels of any hutches dont count)
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We have a 3 story 6ft x 2ft cage. I will just have to put extra hay in and cover the hutch with thick blankets over night
 
Muzzy83 said:
We have a 3 story 6ft x 2ft cage. I will just have to put extra hay in and cover the hutch with thick blankets over night
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Ah ok, unfortunately its only a 6ft hutch then so is really too small for 5 piggies (6ft hutch is big enough for three piggies). Being three storeys doesnt make more space.

Its a good idea to use thermal hutch covers, and snugglesafe heatpads are essential for outdoor piggies. You will also need a thermometer on the hutch so you can monitor the situation.
 
Muzzy83 said:
Well that baffles me. Why sell hutches like that if they aren't more space?
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Unfortunately there are many things which are for sale which aren’t suitable.
Piggies are ground roaming creatures and need their space to be big enough on a single, bottom level to meet size requirements. Upper levels are considered as a bonus space only.
 
Tbh they seem really happy and use all 3 levels. I cant do anymore than that really. We try really hard to look after them and hope thats enough
 
That’s all you can do.

Make sure you keep the hutch as warm as possible particularly with a newborn baby in there.
Also ensure there are sides on the ramps etc so baby can’t fall down.

It would be a good idea, if you can, to get a load of c&c grids though so you can make an indoor enclosure for when it’s needed (for five piggies you need a 7 grid by 2 grid cage (or 6x3)). You can use a shower curtain or plastic sheeting to protect the floor.
Keeping piggies outdoors is hard work so having thermal covers, heatpads for winter and a back up plan to be able to bring them indoors during hot or cold weather is always a good idea.
 
Muzzy83 said:
Will adapt the ramps and pets at home will be getting a load of money for heat pads etc 🤣
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They are cheaper on amazon!
Don’t forget you’ll need spare covers so you can have some being used and some being washed. Heat pads will need to be reheated twice a day in winter but they don’t tend to last the full 10 hours of warmth when outside
 
Muzzy83 said:
Well that baffles me. Why sell hutches like that if they aren't more space?
Click to expand...
One level is big enough for 2-3 piggies.
A lot of people buy this sort of hutch if they have multiple pairs - they close off the ramp and then have different pairs living on each level - but without the need for multiple hutches. Not having multiple hutches makes it easier to insulated and fit into a sheltered space.
So there is a logic behind this.

Because of the new baby is there some way you can move the hutch undercover somewhere to help avoid drafts, rain, etc?
Remember that Winter will be here soon so you will also need thermal and waterproof covers, as well as lots of additional hay and heat pads.
 
Swissgreys said:
One level is big enough for 2-3 piggies.
A lot of people buy this sort of hutch if they have multiple pairs - they close off the ramp and then have different pairs living on each level - but without the need for multiple hutches. Not having multiple hutches makes it easier to insulated and fit into a sheltered space.
So there is a logic behind this.

Because of the new baby is there some way you can move the hutch undercover somewhere to help avoid drafts, rain, etc?
Remember that Winter will be here soon so you will also need thermal and waterproof covers, as well as lots of additional hay and heat pads.
Click to expand...
Yes defo. We have a covered gazebo area outside that is sheltered.
 
Swissgreys said:
One level is big enough for 2-3 piggies.
A lot of people buy this sort of hutch if they have multiple pairs - they close off the ramp and then have different pairs living on each level - but without the need for multiple hutches. Not having multiple hutches makes it easier to insulated and fit into a sheltered space.
So there is a logic behind this.

Because of the new baby is there some way you can move the hutch undercover somewhere to help avoid drafts, rain, etc?
Remember that Winter will be here soon so you will also need thermal and waterproof covers, as well as lots of additional hay and heat pads.
Click to expand...
If one level is suitable for 2-3, is a 3 level hutch not suitable for 6?
 
Muzzy83 said:
If one level is suitable for 2-3, is a 3 level hutch not suitable for 6?
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No it’s not big enough for a herd of 6. For a hutch to be big enough it has to be cover the right amount of space on one level alone. The upper levels do not count and cannot be added to the total Floor space.

A 6ft by 2ft single level hutch covers 12 square feet. this is big enough for a maximum of 3 sows.
Being two storey does not make it 24 square feet. It is still only a 12 sq ft hutch with an upper bonus level.
A three storey 6ft hutch such as yours still only covers 12 square feet (because the bottom level is the only one which counts), but it has two upper levels. Therefore it is not big enough for the amount of piggies you have.
 
Muzzy83 said:
If one level is suitable for 2-3, is a 3 level hutch not suitable for 6?
Click to expand...
No, because only the ground floor counts.
So the additional floors don't count towards usable space because guinea pigs are essentially ground roaming creatures and need a large amount of horizontal space on one level.
Plus 3 levels is not 3 x the space. A lot is lost for the cut outs in the floor that accommodate the ramps.
Additionally levels create 'flash points' where piggies may come face to face in a confined space (such as on a ramp) and are not free to exhibit their natural behaviour of running away. It may also make for a more stressful environment if there is any friction between piggies, as they don't automatically know where the other's piggies are at any given point.
Many can and do use ramps, but this is not a natural behaviour for them, and not all of them will be comfortable with this.
I had several piggies who happily used ramps when they were younger, but stopped as they got a little older, because their legs and bodies in general aren't really designed for climbing.
Of course you can make the ramps more appealing and easier for them, but essentially only the bottom level counts as usable space.
 
That makes absolutely no sense. Especially because they use all areas and bedroom areas
 
Swissgreys said:
No, because only the ground floor counts.
So the additional floors don't count towards usable space because guinea pigs are essentially ground roaming creatures and need a large amount of horizontal space on one level.
Plus 3 levels is not 3 x the space. A lot is lost for the cut outs in the floor that accommodate the ramps.
Additionally levels create 'flash points' where piggies may come face to face in a confined space (such as on a ramp) and are not free to exhibit their natural behaviour of running away. It may also make for a more stressful environment if there is any friction between piggies, as they don't automatically know where the other's piggies are at any given point.
Many can and do use ramps, but this is not a natural behaviour for them, and not all of them will be comfortable with this.
I had several piggies who happily used ramps when they were younger, but stopped as they got a little older, because their legs and bodies in general aren't really designed for climbing.
Of course you can make the ramps more appealing and easier for them, but essentially only the bottom level counts as usable space.
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Fair enough. Its the best i can do as we don't have space or want them inside
 
Muzzy83 said:
That makes absolutely no sense. Especially because they use all areas and bedroom areas
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I am sorry that we are not able to explain it in a way that makes sense to you, but nothing will change the fact that you current hutch is not big enough for the number pigs you have living in it.
However if you are unable to give them more space, then there really is no point debating further.

Many animals live in cages/spaces that are far too small and do need meet welfare standards.
They are not all laying around being sad - they are hard wired to survive and make the best of what they have.
I have lost count of the number of times I have seen people say that tier pets are 'fine' or 'happy' so there is no point doing things differently.

The purpose of the Forum is to educate people so that when they know better they can do better.
I was in the same situation when I first joined, and had planned housing that was not appropriate.
So I read the advice of experienced owners and experts, admitted I had made a mistake, and got new cages - my piggies benefitted, and I also did because I got to see their full personalities emerge as well as a whole raft of natural behaviour that they were able to exhibit because they had the appropriate environment do so.
They were fine and happy in their original set up, but they were even better and happier in a bigger set up.
 
Muzzy83 said:
Fair enough. Its the best i can do as we don't have space or want them inside
Click to expand...

You do need to be aware that their space doesn’t currently comply with welfare requirements.
The absolute smallest hutch five piggies should be living in is 7ft x 2ft but that is an absolute minimum and actually 8ft x 2ft would be recommended for their health, exercise and bond point or view (a hutch which is too small can break relationships and cause fights). At 6ft, your hutch is sadly nowhere near.

You would be well advised from a cage size requirement point of view to actually block up the ramps in your hutch to make them two (or three) completely separate hutches, and then split your herd into a trio and a pair (and mum and baby would need to be the pair). That would mean each grouping has an adequate amount of space which meets their needs on a single level.

If your other sow turns out to be pregnant, then you really are going to need to split herds and get more hutches.
 
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