In A Shed Or In My Flat Over Winter?

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Rattypuff19

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Hi all,
A quick background to why I'm posing this questions - my friend has gone away for over 2 months and i am caring for her 5 guinea pigs. Currently they are in a big shed, which ive found has subsequently developed a leaking roof - Ive moved the piggies to the other side of the shed, so they are safe and dry. I drive 45mins twice a week to clean them out (ive found this isnt enough for 5 piggies), and an agency worker feeds them every 2 days.
I am not happy about their current housing situation - although they are inside and dry, the shed is quite dark (it does have small windows), not particularly warm and is going to get damp due to the leaks. My other options are to move them into my very small flat - I will house them in the front room - but it is small - i can provide around about the same amount of room as they currently have - with a run and a housing area - but this means a 45 min car journey for them. Its not ideal for me either, but i am concerned about them.
Otherwise a friend who lives nearby has offered to have them at her house...but in the garden - under a shelter, but not 'inside' anywhere - just outside in hutches and then with a run (which I'm due to make today for them)....I do know that foxes are rife in her area...and now thats worrying me.

I am in a real dilemma - ive emailed my friend whos piggies they are, and she hasnt replied - shes in a remote part of Spain!
Can anyone suggest the best plan? Thanks all
 
The car journey will not be too much a problem for them. Definitely choose the indoor housing, specially with the cold weather settling in. Damp can cause health problems for piggies.
 
Hi Chief, thanks for your input - I'm going to drive up to clean them out in an hour or so - i was awake nearly all night the other night, because of our high winds, worrying how they were..! As they are 45 mins away its not like i can pop there. I also work full time, so can only get there at certain times. Any ideas what i can put down on the floor if they are to stay in my flat? I have laminate flooring.
 
Rattypuff19 said:
Hi Chief, thanks for your input - I'm going to drive up to clean them out in an hour or so - i was awake nearly all night the other night, because of our high winds, worrying how they were..! As they are 45 mins away its not like i can pop there. I also work full time, so can only get there at certain times. Any ideas what i can put down on the floor if they are to stay in my flat? I have laminate flooring.
Click to expand...
You can put down a cheap one pound shower curtain, towels and then anti pill fleece.
 
They would ideally be better off in your house, where you can keep them safe. But will they be going back to the shed? The problem is here, you will bring them in to a nice warm home, then when your friend comes back, they will end up back in the shed? Moving them to a warmer place at this time of year is fine, but moving them back to the shed in December or January is far from ideal.
They also need feeding twice a day, not once every two days, so they will be better off in your flat. But, who's idea was it to only feed them once every two days?
Piggies being pray animals will not display signs of illness until they are usually really poorly, therefore, should one die, it could be in there for a day or more before someone finds the poor thing.
 
I would take them to yours for your own piece of mind and their health.Its possible your friend doesnt even realise the roof is leaking.They need a lot of attention and every two days isnt enough.They can get ill very quickly.I was away for two nights and paid someone to come in every day.As you say in bad weather you coildnt get to them to help and wouldnt kniw if the shed was holdong up for them
 
I think it's not ideal but they will cope as they are assuming they have plenty of bedding etc. As a previous post pointed out, if you move them indoors you won't be able to put them back out until around May unless your friend puts heating in the shed. Could you get some plastic sheeting and cover the shed roof as a temporary measure?
 
I agree with the posts as stated above. I think as she has left you 'in charge' then asking for help/ideas from this forum is great and as the weather is changing they need to be kept warm. Also you housing them in your flat will give them human interaction and attention rather than them being stuck in the shed for 2months. You will also be able to feed them every day and top their hay up.
You will also have peace of mind!
 
Hi and welcome to this fab friendly forum, you have done the right thing by asking on here your clearly kind and caring towards these piggies. If I was you I wouldnt risk them in your friends garden, due to the foxes and you will need to keep them warm and dry during the winter.
I would take them to your flat, I have a waterproff backed picnic blanket I put down in the house when my boys come in for run time, shower curtains are another option (ive not used these though). The human interaction will do them the world of good too, just remember that you may need to have them a bit longer that a few months as moving them from your warm flat to the cold damp shed when their owner is back is not good. I hope you find the best way around this for these piggies. Can we see a pic of them if you move them in with you :) we love piggy pics on here.
Keep us posted. Kell
 
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