Inside for the winter

[Piggylet]

Hey guys,

I'm currently in the process of trying to convince my other half that the pigs should be indoors over winter - but it's hard going. Especially as the argument "my family used to have guinea pigs outside all year round" gets thrown around a lot.

I haven't had my pigs very long so they are still quite nervy and untamed, and my other half is not interested in such skittish creatures and has barely looked at them. They are improving lots though

Anyway, if anyone has an convincing methods then I'd love to hear them!

I'm interested in these C & C cages that everyone talks about for indoors. I've trawled around but I'm sort of looking for an answer to how many I need for a standard size (they'll be going under the stairs if they come in so we're looking at about 120com x 120cm spacewise. They already have an indoor run which I am thinking I may be able to create some sort of tunnel to/from.

In the meantime outside they have a piece of carpet round their hutch, one of those insulating covers and a heatpad each, so am hoping they will be alright until it gets really cold.

Does anyone have any other indoor cage ideas? The ones I've looked at seem either very small or too expensive!

 

[kimlou5288]

You could have a c&c cage to fit that space, maybe a 3x3 cage ? I make and sell c&c cage kits (each kit has all the grids, connectors and ties, plus the correx cut to size and pre scored)

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Above is a photo of my cage as an example, its a 5x2.
If you need any further details please email me [email protected]
Or if you just want some advice at building one I'd be happy to help.

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[kimlou5288]

How strange I managed to upload one picture and now its not working !

 

[Suzygpr]

This is how I explain why any pigs that are rehomed from the rescue have live indoors - or at the very least in an insulated shed with supplemntary heating.

Rabbits evolved in our climate (descended from the European rabbit) so have developed means to cope with our weather - furred feet and ears and a dense soft undercoat that acts as an insulating layer helping them keep warm. Guinea pigs have none of these adaptations as they didn't need to develop them where they evolved. They have hair in the same density as us, more or less, and if he felt comfortable sticking his head outside in a hutch all night then I can see why he feels guinea pigs are fine outdoors. Me? I like my bed and all my pigs live inside - shed in the summer, indoors in the winter.

HTH

Suzy x

 

[Member W]

i tend to use the 'wait till he's at work and surprise him with an indoor cage when he gets in' technique x

 

[Piggylet]

The last approach is what I'm going for I think!

Growing up we had Pigs, and they were indoors all year round (with an outdoor run), having them outdoors is a little foreign to me but we are all getting on good at the moment - I'm just worried about nighttime when shortly the temperature will be dropping an awful lot.

And thanks KimLou I may get in touch with you shortly Do you have a website or anything that I can have a look at?

 

[Pepperdog]

Mine came in last month, couldnt get c&c at the time so brought two puppy pens off ebay and made my own - well plus the grids were not tall enough incase dog got close, puppy pen at the shortest height on old double bed makes a perfect pen for mine.

My OH is not very keen on the piggies, well he wasnt and now he loves them. Having them inside is great, you get to see more of them and them of you and it will help them settle around you more - I have found this myself.

Just move them in, once its done and he gets to see how fun they are he wont object anymore

 

[kimlou5288]

And thanks KimLou I may get in touch with you shortly Do you have a website or anything that I can have a look at?[/QUOTE]

I haven't got a website yet, but if you send me a quick email with any questions you may have, I can send you all the details plus the price list etc along with some more photo's

[email protected]