Help what should I be doing?

[MrsB]

Hi all, again reading around on here I am wondering if anybody's pigs 'over winter' outside?! I have had pigs before and they have always lived outside all year round ") and been healthy.

My 2 babies are only 3 1/2 weeks old and I have had them outside in the day in a really thick, heavy duty box stuffed with soft dust extracted straw, I have packed newspapers all round it. This box is in the low and cosy hidey hole bit of the hutch which is thick wood inside the sleeping area of the hutch in a protected spot but gets the sun.

I have been bringing them in to the garage at night which is draught free etc. they are housed in the same cardboard as the hutch with newpapers on top and a foil baking tray do reflect heat (my crazy idea, i thought would be helpful lol!) this is all in another box off of the floor (wooden) that is 2 foot by 2 foot by 2 foot with a lid but vetilation vent.

I have come home from work this evening at 9.30 and transferred them into their night 'den' and they felt really lovely and warm in the hutch box and feel fine in the mornings from their other hutch. It's going to get colder, help what should I be doing?

 

[Poppy'sMum]

At 3 1/2 weeks old they are probably too young to be outside this winter. Are they still with their mum? Can you not bring them indoors in a cage until next Spring/Summer when they will be able to cope with temperature changes better?

 

[Connie]

Ive tried re reading your post but I'm obviously tired cos i cant get my head around the explanation (mallethead)

Are you saying during the day they are in a hutch outside, and at night you move them to a smaller space in the garage?

Just some general information.

As guinea pigs do not sleep at night as we do, they will need as much space at night as they do in the day. They run around then just as much.

Keeping them in the garage is absolutly fine, provided the garage is never used for a car. If it is the fumes are very harmfull to the piggies.

Ways people keep piggies warm - hutch snugglers. Heat pads.

If the garage isnt used for a car, have you thought about simply moving the whole hutch into the garage?

Dont panic. We can help.

 

[MrsB]

Hi no Poppies mum they are not with their mothers anymore. They are not litter brothers but came from 2 out of 4 piggies dumped in the woods one was dead, 1 wasn't preg. but 2 were pregnant and produced 2 boys each. I took and rehomed one from each litter when they were 3 weeks old.

Connie yes you've got it right out in the hutch in the day and inside the garage at night-not used for cars no. I'd keep them in there all of the time but there is no window :0( leaving the door open isn't an option in bad weather otherwise there's plenty of room. I would abslutely love to bring them inside but bringing them inside would be difficult for a few reasons. We have an 11 month old staff. who I couldn't guarantee around the pigs just now, although our old dogs a staff. and a jack russel terrier woud run loose in our walled garden with our other GP's no probs. at all! Yes both terriers and YES really! My hubby would be less than pleased as he didn't really want me to get them in the first place-although it didn't take long to get around him lol! Hmmmm we have a conserveratory which is an option but with no heating in it would it be any more ideal that the garage? Well I suppose in the day it would be warmer right? But again there's the dog (the conserveratory is a through and only exit to the garden). I could put a cage on the table I guess.... Is that my compromise folks? What size indoor cage would I need? Would I still need something warmer than a cage? If all goes well maybe I can upgrade them to the proper inside ;0) x

 

[Connie]

I believe you about the terriers, i have a terrior and so many people tell me not to let my dog near the piggies or she will rip them to shreds *rolls eyes* she has even saved one for me once!

It is possible to keep them outside perminantly, you would just need to insulate there hutch. There are a few threads on that this time of year in the housing section. I think a cage may be a little chilly, unless it was perhaps covered with a blanket at night, and if you put heat pads in there for them. (these are gel filled and animal specific, they stay warm for agessss)

If they were to come inside i would recomend fleece as this holds the heat well, and get some nice cosey beds *triangle beds or cubes or coseys would be good to snuggle into, i have recently made a padded hidey house big enough for 2 adult male piggies out of a baby sleeping bag, i can find the thread if your interested.

The cage size rules are the same outside for inside, they would need a minimum of 2ft by 4ft of space. Raising it would be good to aviod the dogs getting them, but ofcourse only if the table was high enough.

 

[MrsB]

thankyou Connie for still being up and replying so fast! I am really wanting them inside - the conservatory at least- plus much better to watch and cuddle them in lol! I will begin my search for the inside cage then! So it would be ok as long as they have a really nice warm bed to share and cover it with a warm blanket too at night-warmer than fleece though surely, it's cold out there! Tbh I *think the dog would be fine, just super curous but wouldn't like to risk it just now. Could you poss. give me a link for the warmer pads or a makers name so I could google sounds like I could do with those sooner rather than later although like I said this evening they were really lovely and warm and cosy in their box, in a box, in a box lol! x

 

[Connie]

snuggle safe heat pads. You can buy these online in lots of places (as mine are inside in a centrally heated room i dont bother with them, so cant give you an exact shop) my local pet shop even has them but for a little more than the online price. If you go down the fleece route cage liners are best, (matress protector on the bottom, then fleece) as these stay clean and dry the longers. However, as they need to come in fairly soon, if you buy yourself a king sized matress protector (assuming you get a 2ft by 4ft cage this will easily be enough to make 2 cage liners) and some fleece, you could cut these so size without needing to sew it together in the short term. Alternativly there is a memeber on here called 4piggies who makes them to your sizes.

There is also a memeber, audioheart, who could make you the beds i mentioned above if you didnt have time to do it yourself. If you search them hopefully you will find there products.

Here is a picture of the house i made. *I'm not plugging them, i dont sell them, just an idea!*

The blanket you cover the cage with will ideally be fairly thick *but obviously not too tight so the cage can still breath*

Have you thought about C&C cages? There is a memeber on here, whos name i cant remember, that sells kits for these so you could just say the size you wanted, then the grids and cable ties and corex would come all together.

 

[Poppy'sMum]

I really wouldn't recommend them being outside as they are so young, a conservatory would be fine until next year when they could go outside in the warmer weather as conservatories can get too hot in the sun With regards to the dogs, a proper cage is probably better as there is less chance of the dogs getting into them if there is a lockable lid. If you can get a 140 one such as this one even better :

http://www.justguineapigcages.co.uk...le&utm_medium=base&utm_campaign=shopping#v_10

You can get stands to put them on. At a push a 120 would do for 2 piggies but boys need a bit more room really.

 

[MrsB]

Hi you 2 and big thanks. I have been thinking and thinking ... I was awake alot last night lol! Our conserveratory is ONLY an option in colder weather it is south facing and as you say gets sooooo damn hot - it's even warped the tv out there a ridiculously stupid design with 2 doors but no windows and is full glass - are you thinking it sounds like a greenhouse - it doesn't in looks but it's just like one freezing in winter and boiling in summer so it's like a glorified boot room and messy 'play room' for my children! Anyway so yes fine until the warmer days come I think a def. step up from outside but not a huge one lol!

I am actually considering out there in the day right now and inside the lounge/diner over night. The dog is in the kitchen. Yes, I def need a lidded cage the all in one job looks good thinking that is the way forward however could I ask would a cage be better or the perpex style lid be better re mess, obviouisly it would eliminate draughts better but I'm not is it matters or not. thanks going off to internet hunt! x

ps I can't upload this pic. as my avitar I dont know why! But here anre my gorg. babies!

 

[Poppy'sMum]

They are gorgeous piggies

Personally I would go for the cage rather than perspex top, I have had both in the past & prefer the cage type, the bottom of it usually contains the bits if hay etc that gets kicked around. I'm not sure they do a perspex one as big as you need anyway? You do need to raise the cage on a stand or something very stable though in case the dog jumps up at it.

With regards to bringing them in at night & putting them outside in the day, I really wouldn't advise it as piggies body temperatures would be fluctuating too much, & the younger they are the worse that could be & you may find yourself with 2 pigs with respiratory infections (URI's) which can be very serious & costly to treat. Is there any reason why once they are in they cannot stay in all day & night until they are bigger next summer?

 

[Connie]

Unfortunatly the perspex cages are unsuitable for guinea pigs as the amonia gets trapped and can harm there respatory system.

Keeping them in in winter and back out in summer is what lots of people do, and seems to work fairly well, however once they come inside they can only go out on unseasonably mild days untill the summer because as said above, they cant regulate there own temperature so bringing them in from the cold to a heated house and vice versa could be very dangerous.

 

[Suzygpr]

I agree with Connie, the piggies will be much better off being indoors with you from now on, they are simply too small to be able to deal with the cold.

The perspex/tank type enclosures are not suitable for piggies as they require good ventilation, not only to prevent URI's but also to stop fungal skin conditions developing, fungal thrives in humid cages.

A cage 120cm x 60cm is the minimum recommended - if you can accomodate something bigger the piggies will love it. If you would like some cages to be recommended just ask - some are better value/design than others and as you have other pets a secure one would give you peace of mind.

HTH

Suzy x

 

[MrsB]

thanks everyone that's really helpful. I have looked here on the housing sticky set ups you guys all have and have been on line today looking at various cages. I have been to a couple of shops to look at them in 'real' today too.

You're right the perspex style are rare and I am now thinking inside in the actual house over night and in the conserveratory in the day. My only worry is when it does get nicer weatherwise the conserveratory will be a dangerous place if left on a warm OR sunny day so I will have to ensure I am very vigilant and bring them inside on warmer/sunny days too!

I am liking a ferplast 120 right now can anybody recommend a value for money set up this kind of size? I would like to get a large set up but it's not possible as I will be moving them around and before anyone suggests a stand...I don't want one in the house I want to be able to see them easy whilst sofa surfing lol and we have a large table in the corner in the conserveratory so that is perfect for them out there. I will do a new post re cage thanks guys x

 

[Connie]

Infortunatly i cant recomend a set up, but i will say have a look into what beddings you want to use inside, as it will ofcourse have different needs than the outside bedding.