How do I keep guinea pigs warm?

Wheek!Wheek!

Wheek!Wheek!

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So my Guinea pig David lives outside and I have a snugglesafe heat pad and plenty of hay. But how do I keep him warm as although it didn't settle, it snowed yesterday. We can't bring him inside so anything would be appreciated.
Thank you,

Amelie
 
Snugglesafes are very important, along with a lot of hay and hay stuffed into hideys.
The other important things are thermal and waterproof hutch covers. Even a tarpaulin would work to keep draughts and damp out. You can buy silver foil insulation which you can use to make your own thermal hutch cover.
A thermometer is also a good idea so you can keep a check on the temperature the hutch is actually getting to.
Ensuring the hutch is positioned out of wind and rain also.

My two boys live in a hutch in my shed. Being in the shed, they are quite a bit warmer than outside already (5-10 degrees warmer usually) but they have four snugglesafes in the hutch, loads of hay. On the hutch there is a thermal hutch cover, two blankets, a normal waterproof hutch cover (although being in the shed it obviously doesn’t need protection from rain), and then when necessary there is also a duvet which I can pull down over everything.
 
Piggies&buns said:
Snugglesafes are very important, along with a lot of hay and hay stuffed into hideys.
The other important things are thermal and waterproof hutch covers. Even a tarpaulin would work to keep draughts and damp out. You can buy silver foil insulation which you can use to make your own thermal hutch cover.
A thermometer is also a good idea so you can keep a check on the temperature the hutch is actually getting to.
Ensuring the hutch is positioned out of wind and rain also.

My two boys live in a hutch in my shed. Being in the shed, they are quite a bit warmer than outside already (5-10 degrees warmer usually) but they have four snugglesafes in the hutch, loads of hay. On the hutch there is a thermal hutch cover, two blankets, a normal waterproof hutch cover (although being in the shed it obviously doesn’t need protection from rain), and then when necessary there is also a duvet which I can pull down over everything.
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Thank you! I already have all of these things but David is still very cold? Perhaps it is the small hutch witch he has for now and it being to wet from his pee?
 
Wheek!Wheek! said:
Yes but for now until I can build it back up he is in the small one
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Oh ok, I thought you said you were doing it the next day, that’s all.

Being sat in wet bedding will be a huge problem, particularly while it is cold. Being cold is one thing with being damp and cold is really terrible for them.
As the hutch is too small, then he doesn’t have much choice where he pees so you are going to need to clean it out more often. Plus, with the bottom part of it being exposed to the concrete (assuming he is still having access to the bottom part), it will make it worse for being cold.
 
Piggies&buns said:
Oh ok, I thought you said you were doing it the next day, that’s all.

Being sat in wet bedding will be a huge problem, particularly while it is cold. Being cold is one thing with being damp and cold is really terrible for them.
As the hutch is too small, then he doesn’t have much choice where he pees so you are going to need to clean it out more often. Plus, with the bottom part of it being exposed to the concrete (assuming he is still having access to the bottom part), it will make it worse for being cold.
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We clean it every day and we've shut off the bottom
 
With my outdoor rabbits I found that good hutch covers and multiple snuggle safes were key to getting them through Swiss winters.

I add 2 new snuggle saes every 5-6 hours (so I have in total that I rotate.
All the inner walls are lined with thick corrugated cardboard to provide an extra protective layer.
The whole of the outsdie is covered in sheets of polystyrene insulation with a blanket over the top and a waterproof cover over that.

You need to add insulation to the hutch as it is small and poorly made and won't offer much protection on it's own.
Even with multiple snuggle safes it won't hold much heat. Cut pieces of cardboard and wedge them against the inside walls.
Replace the snuggle safes 3-4 times a day (you need at least 2, but 4 would be better).
Make sure it is covered at all times with an insulating layer (blanket/fleece) and a waterproof cover.
 
You’re in such a difficult position until he can get into that bigger hutch.
The catch 22 is that the bottom half is definitely not going to be warm enough but by shutting it off, he has nowhere else to pee so the damp is going to accumulate even more!

I definitely agree that you need good quality insulation - even once he is back in the bluebell, as they aren’t particularly great either - and more snugglesafes. As I said I have four between my two boys so can either add them all (done so overnight) or hafe enough spare to rotate 2 in, 2 out during the day.
 
Piggies&buns said:
You’re in such a difficult position until he can get into that bigger hutch.
The catch 22 is that the bottom half is definitely not going to be warm enough but by shutting it off, he has nowhere else to pee so the damp is going to accumulate even more!

I definitely agree that you need good quality insulation - even once he is back in the bluebell, as they aren’t particularly great either - and more snugglesafes. As I said I have four between my two boys so can either add them all (done so overnight) or hafe enough spare to rotate 2 in, 2 out during the day.
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Yes, we added insulation to the bluebell but then it started getting mould
 
Wheek!Wheek! said:
Yes, we added insulation to the bluebell but then it started getting mould
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What insulation did you add (covers or fitted, plastic, wood, polystyrene, etc), and how did you add it (inside/outside/roof etc)?
The choice and placement of insulation can really have an effect, and some types simply keep the damp in, hence the mould.
Can you post pictures of what you tried, so we can give you more specific advice?
It is snowing hard here now, but I will try and get some photos of my rabbit set up over the weekend which might be useful.

The position of the hutch may also be an issue - maybe it needs a drier or more sheltered location so when you are airing rain can't get in.
 
Swissgreys said:
What insulation did you add (covers or fitted, plastic, wood, polystyrene, etc), and how did you add it (inside/outside/roof etc)?
The choice and placement of insulation can really have an effect, and some types simply keep the damp in, hence the mould.
Can you post pictures of what you tried, so we can give you more specific advice?
It is snowing hard here now, but I will try and get some photos of my rabbit set up over the weekend which might be useful.

The position of the hutch may also be an issue - maybe it needs a drier or more sheltered location so when you are airing rain can't get in.
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Thank you! I have tried foil back bubble wrap but it won't fit on this one as is too small. He will be getting a new hutch soon.
 

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Wheek!Wheek! said:
Thank you! I have tried foil back bubble wrap but it won't fit on this one as is too small. He will be getting a new hutch soon.
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Do you mean a new hutch or that he will be moving into the Bluebell one you already have?
If it is the old one then as it is exposed to the elements it would benefit from being re-treated externally with a pet safe weatherproofing stain.
 
Swissgreys said:
Do you mean a new hutch or that he will be moving into the Bluebell one you already have?
If it is the old one then as it is exposed to the elements it would benefit from being re-treated externally with a pet safe weatherproofing stain.
Click to expand...
Yes but also we are looking for a new hutch on Facebook market place
 
My neighbour uses layers of bubblewrap, a silver blanket (looks like tin foil but it's plasticky to feel - the ones runners use I think), and an actual wool blanket clipped round. Her wooden cage is tucked in an alcove by the back door. I think it mostly comes off in the daytime for ventilation. She always has 2 or 3 girls so they snuggle together in the bedroom which is floor-to-ceiling hay. They do get very hairy in winter! Hang in there David - the cold snap will soon be over x
 
What do you mean when you say the insulation bubble wrap won’t fit? You can cut it to size. My piggies live in a homemade hutch. I stapled insulation to the inside and outside. I then cover with a two pieces of fleece, a duvet and a fleecy blanket. That’s all covered with tarpaulin, the windscreen protectors you use on cars in winter and a repurposed plastic bag to keep the rain off the blankets on one side. I do plan to make better covers during the warmer weather.

I think it’s your hutch I saw but I would take out the bowl of water and consider giving him a bottle. Stuff it full of hay (leave some room of course). Also put a heatpad inside a hide and cover with hay, then stuff some inside the hide. Another heatpad somewhere else in the hay. If you can, put some in in the morning then put a second lot in in the evening.

It should theoretically be easier to keep a smaller hutch warm. But the issue is that there aren’t many places for him to pee. Hopefully you can keep him warm.

Is there absolutely no way for you to move him inside at all?
 
The silver foil does come in different widths and lengths (and I think different thicknesses as well) but you can cut and stick it together no matter what size it comes in ie two strips of a narrow one can be stuck together together to make it wider.
One of my hutches has a proper thermal cover, but I have made the others using this foil insulation.

What sort of hutch covers are you using? Is it a tarpaulin or a proper cover made for the hutch measurements?

If you are looking for another second hand hutch, then you need to check quality - plywood hutches are never going to last as well as more solid wood ones, that it has always been protected while it has been outside with covers and therefore not already suffering from damp etc and double check the measurements - it needs to be ideally 150x60cm but 120x60cm as an absolute minimum.
 
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