Is this a bad idea?

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StarGirl

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Hello

I have been considering an indoor cage for the piggies but my OH is totally against the idea as a full sized cage (5ft x 2ft) would take up too much space. So we will most likely get a hutch as originally planned. The pigs will be living in an enclosed verandah, but it is not heated, so although it will not be as cold as outside it will still be pretty cold!

If I got them a smallish cage just as sleeping quarters then moved them out to the hutch in the day would that work? Or would that just mess up their internal heating systems and make them unhappy because of having less space at night? Am I better off just having the hutch and warming their sleeping quarters with one of those microwaveable pad things?

Mind you they would be coming inside anyway to run about so I guess that would mess up their internal thermostats just as much! Aarghh so much to think about and decide!
 
I don't know whereabouts you are, but speaking for the UK personally I don't think moving piggies in & out from inside to out in the autumn/winter months is a good idea. They are very susceptible to respiratory infections & the change in temperature could be very dangerous. The only time I have done this is in the very hot summer months, when mine did go & live outside even at nighttime because it was too hot indoors at night.

Could you have them inside but in a large cage or build a C & C cage with an upper storey at all?

How many piggies have you got & are they male or female?
 
This is the problem, it took a while to persuade my OH to have them at all, and he is not liking the idea of having a massive cage in the house (and we don't have lots of room). He used to have guinea pigs and rabbits when he was young and "they always lived outside" I think he thinks I've gone slightly potty about the whole thing!

Do people with their piggies in hutches not bring them inside then? What about letting them have a run around? Sorry for all the questions but I haven't had guinea pigs before so this is all new to me.
 
PS I'm in the Midlands. I'm getting two boars at the end of September.
 
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Okay so you will need a fairly large cage or hutch as they are males, I haven't had males before but I have learnt from this forum they like a bit more room :)

Are they babies? I would say that if they are then they really ought to be inside as it may be a little late weatherwise to put them outside.

If you have no option then try to get a 5 foot hutch or bigger & try to make sure it is a good quality one to insulate them from the cold. You could try to put the hutch near a wall so it's sheltered, away from draughts, then get a hutch cover which will keep rain off etc. When it's very cold you could also put an old duvet over the top & sides (they still need air at the front).

You can also buy heatpads from petstores you can warm up & put under their bedding & top the bed end up with lots & lots of hay for them to snuggle into.

Hope that helps! :)
 
Oh & as to exercise I never put mine out on the grass in a run in the winter months, but you could in the spring/summer, as they shouldn't be out on damp or wet grass. That is why a large hutch will be important. If the weather is warm still you could bring them in for a run for half an hour I guess then put them back out, but personally I wouldn't like to risk it myself, the change in temperature may make them ill.
 
Thank you for your responses.

This is the hutch I have been planning to get

http://www.petsathome.com/shop/dandelion-den-hutch-for-rabbits-and-guinea-pigs-by-pets-at-home-29284

They will be 8 weeks old at the end of September, but they won't be outside as the verandah is part of our house, it just isn't heated, so they won't have to deal with wind, rain etc although the windows do get frosty on the coldest days.

I would definitely get the heated pads, lots of hay and some of the fleece snuggle cozies I have seen mentioned on here, and the covering with a blanket is a good idea too.

I could let them run around on the verandah as it is a lino floor so won't be damp but would be cold (but would mean more consistent temperatures) If this would be better than bringing them in and exposing them to the change in temperature?
 
Hi

My two boys are 7.5months old and have always lived outside as have the other piggies I have had. Now I know many people will suggest that guinea pigs should always live indoors and unfortunately a minority seem very "anti" to keeping guinea pigs outside in a hutch. Its a personal preference and as long as you plan for the changing weather they should be fine.

I have a very small house and small children so while these indoor piggy palaces look great they just aren't an option for everyone. This is what I do with my piggies - hope it helps.

As the weather starts getting colder at night I put a snuggle safe heat pad in their bed inside a snuggle oo ultra made by cosy cavies. Its like a thick fleece igloo and my guinea pigs love it. I then pop a cardobard box with a hole cut out over the top of this and stuff the whole sleeping area with loads of hay. Wrap the hutch in blankets (old duvets work well) and a water proof cover (I have a hutch hugger which is quite good). Guinea pigs are far more susceptible to draughts and damp than the cold.

You need to think about moving your guinea pigs inside if look likes the temperature is getting towards freezing. Last year we had temps of minus 8 and I really didn't want my guinea pigs out in that.

I used to house them in a potting shed so they had plently of sunlight in the day and were nice and warm at night. I didn't move them indoors for winter and outside for summer and they lived to the grand old age of 8 with never seeing the vet! Unfortunately our garden is smaller now and I can't do that.

Once it starts getting cold I will be bringing them in and putting them in an indoor cage in my daughters room. It wont be as big as their 2 storey hutch outside but thats the only option I have.

You don't want to be bringing them inside at night to a lovely warm heated house only to be putting them outside in the cold again in the morning. Its not good for them.

Either bring them in permanently until the frost has gone and house them in an indoor cage or you could consider bringing them in for the night and placing them in a colder part of your house. Now I know I will probably be shot down in flames for suggesting this but I have done it in the past for a couple of months when I had no other option - its better than them being out in below freezing temperatures.

For a couple of months my guinea pigs came inside at night into an indoor cage that was in our downstair loo. It was still quite chilly but a lot warmer than outside and better than going from below freezing to 20c every day.

Have a think about the best option for you and your piggies and I am sure they will be fine

HTH

Claire
 
i have the same problem with space in my tiny flat, i have a hutch for the summer months,

317476_10150295165459193_589284192_7994968_1681171_n.jpg


and this is the indoor cage

IMG00485-20110524-1712.jpg


it gives them space without taking up the room a giant floor cage would, but i get them out to excersise on the living room floor too.

http://www.google.co.uk/products/ca...a=X&ei=Ty5UToyhCNKBhQeKlbySBg&ved=0CFMQ8wIwAg
 
Ok well firstly it must be raised off the floor as guinea pig hutches are better with the long legs or up at a higher level. I had a hutch like like & it was much less sturdy than my previous one & I thought colder for them :( I had to get some wire with much smaller gaps as the wire front on it has gaps that are wide enough for mice to get through, especially at that level.

You could let them run on the verandah if the weather wasn't too cold or windy, you could put a fleecy blanket down & a small enclosure. I wouldn't leave them unattended though just in case of cats or foxes getting in. :)
 
Have you got a shed or garage? Maybe move the hutch into a shed or garage (as long as no cars in there) when it starts getting colder?

Not everyone can have theirs indoors, as claire8234 says, modern dwellings aren't often designed with guinea pig colonies in mind :))
 
Poppy'sMum said:
Have you got a shed or garage? Maybe move the hutch into a shed or garage (as long as no cars in there) when it starts getting colder?

Our garage is full of camping gear and bikes! Plus its pitch black in there - no windows so our piggies would be in darkness for months :(

I will have a nice big shed again one day :))
Click to expand...
 
Thanks again :)

I'm not sure I'm explaining my verandah properly, I guess it is a bit similar to a conservatory which has been built on to the side of the house, so it is definitely warmer than our garage, it is a bit like the one on this website (only not as posh lol! and has an opaque glass roof) http://www.bishopsadelaidehills.com.au/property/henrys.aspx - click on middle pic

So is kind of a step in between having them outside and indoors. I wouldn't let them run unattended anyway, as cats do sometimes try their luck and sneak into the house, plus which I have young children as well.

Thanks for the cage suggestions Jinny, but I think if I was to spend that much on a cage it would have to be their main residence as we wouldn't be able to afford a large hutch as well. In fact I only have permission to spend £90 as it is on their hutch so it's £35 over budget! :(
 
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Very nice I like the verandah lol :))

I would say try looking on ebay, you will probably find something a bit more substantial that will last you longer, or try a local wood merchant we had our first hutch built for us, it was much better than any shop bought one & lasted much longer. (And in fact was cheaper too!) :)
 
BTW your comment about guinea pig colonies made me laugh Poppy's Mum - OH would have a heart attack! :(|)
 
I've searched and searched on ebay, but there doesn't seem to be many single storey hutches on there and it needs to fit under the windowsill of our posh verandah! :)) (3ft high)
 
StarGirl said:
BTW your comment about guinea pig colonies made me laugh Poppy's Mum - OH would have a heart attack! :(|)
Click to expand...


Hahaha oh yes I would love all my rooms filled with piggies an outside shed or something too but my OH would probably divorce me rolleyes

That one looks good, maybe you could put it on something just to raise it up a little off the ground then it would be perfect! :))
 
I didn't feel like reading all the posts. But I have to males in a 2x4 cage. They are litter mates and have no problems, the only time they have a problem is when they are in there carrier for an extended period of time (the vet lives an hour away) In all honesty if you plan it right, the cage doesn't take up that much space. What I did was make a 2x4 cage, or 2x5 if you think that's what you need, and build it up. Mine is two grids up off the ground. Basically half the the under space is for there food and such, the rest is a book shelf. If you have another place, like a closet or something, for there food, you can convert the entire under belly into a book shelf, then not only is it a cage, but it's as if you added a new stylish shelf into your living space. Made my OH quite happy because we needed a book shelf. : )
 
xchocolatexmustardx said:
I didn't feel like reading all the posts. But I have to males in a 2x4 cage. They are litter mates and have no problems, the only time they have a problem is when they are in there carrier for an extended period of time (the vet lives an hour away) In all honesty if you plan it right, the cage doesn't take up that much space. What I did was make a 2x4 cage, or 2x5 if you think that's what you need, and build it up. Mine is two grids up off the ground. Basically half the the under space is for there food and such, the rest is a book shelf. If you have another place, like a closet or something, for there food, you can convert the entire under belly into a book shelf, then not only is it a cage, but it's as if you added a new stylish shelf into your living space. Made my OH quite happy because we needed a book shelf. : )
Click to expand...

And you have very well educated piggies too I expect lol :))
 
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/UNUSED-DW...et_Supplies_Small_Animals&hash=item19c5addb0f

i have these, they are 7ft x nearly 2ft wide, lots of room, i have put mine up on legs for easy access but on a couple of bricks to raise them off the ground I'm sure it would be fine,they sit off the floor by a couple of inches as it is. the base is an inch thick solid wood so well insulated, and the bed area ive found to be nice and warm even on chilly nights,and the metal on the corners stops any draughts from blowing through. we put chinchilla nest boxes in the bed area too filled with hay, they like to snuggle into those and they have one each and it still leaves plenty of room for them to run around. the whole lid lifts up and the bed area door flips down like a ramp so a run can be added. i cant recommend this guys hutches enough :)) our 2 sows have 2 of these 7ft hutches joined together so 1 of the hutches is a 'run' hutch and the guy made it with a full wire front and no partition. £65 each, cant go wrong there :)
 
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