Housing Outdoors...

[Charlotte01]

My guinea pigs live in a 12ft by 10ft shed which half is sectioned off for them to roam freely about in. It has 2 glass windows and a small hole allowing them access to a large outdoor aviary (we also have 2 cockatiels). The guinea pigs have a hutch inside the shed and loads of little hides houses to keep them warm and they are bedded with hay all year round. I have been reading around the internet and many people are saying they should only be housed indoors. Does this shed count as indoors? On cold nights, i block their outdoor access so there is no cold at all and they have a hutch inside the shed and I have three guinea pigs so they always keep each other warm. I have never had a Guinea Pig become ill from the cold and the shed is very dry so they have never been exposed to mould. Do you agree that all guinea pigs should be housed indoors and do you think a shed counts as indoors?

 

[Seven]

A lot of forumers here house their pigs outside but they also take them inside during the winter. It is a good idea to have an indoor cage for them and many will endorse keeping guinea pigs indoors during the winter due to the health complications that can come from the guinea pigs becoming too cold.

That being said, if your guinea pigs have plenty of warm bedding and the shed is a moderate temperature and not extremely cold then the shed's a perfectly ok place for the guinea pigs to live.

 

[Mother Hubbard]

I think you have to take a view, if it's dry and warm and their housing is secure from predators then a hutch and shed would be fine all year round in my mind. For extra security i keep a thermometer on the outside and always check the weather too in case it's going to be really bad.

 

[Merrypigs Sanctuary]

We kept our previous pigs outside with no trouble Sounds like your pigs have a great outdoor setup, so I wouldn't worry! You should bring them indoors when they get old or if they're sick though. And be careful of those Cockatiel poops passing infections to your piggies!