Is this night time bed ok for conserveratory?

Status
Not open for further replies.
MrsB

MrsB

Junior Guinea Pig
Joined
Oct 23, 2011
Messages
78
Reaction score
0
Points
0
Location
Kent
Hi my piglets are coming into the conserveratory next week in a good sized wooden hutch. The conserveratory is not heated and it is cold out there, no doubt about it!

The thing is I am using fleece on their current hutch floor atm and a snuggle pad in a doubled up really thick cardboard box stuffed with straw and I want to eliminate straw as it is so messy.

I was thinking would it be ok to put a large fleece blanket all ruffled up in the doubled up thick cardboard box with the snuggle pad day and night? They will have a blanket over their hutch too.
 
Hi. You dont say whether your hutch is on legs. If not, Id probably put something on the floor of the conservatory before putting the hutch on it like a couple of thick blankets to help with any cold coming up from the floor. Can you put a heater out
there too for them to make them all cosy?
 
Hi, it's on legs yes but no heater no :(
 
Our conservatory was unbearable in winter, even just to go and collect something from there for a few minutes you would get very cold. Can you not get an oil filled heater?, otherwise there is not much benefit from being inside rather than outside.
 
I moved my 2 outdoor g.pigs into the conservatory during the really cold months, they were outdoor pigs and i did not want them in the house and adjusting to the warmth so i felt that the conservatory was the perfect place as it keeps them still reasonably sheltered. I think the fleece will be fine, but obviously it will get wet very quickly so as long as you change it on a regualr basis i dont think you should have any problems with it xx
 
I moved my 2 outdoor g.pigs into the conservatory during the really cold months, they were outdoor pigs and i did not want them in the house and adjusting to the warmth so i felt that the conservatory was the perfect place as it keeps them still reasonably sheltered. I think the fleece will be fine, but obviously it will get wet very quickly so as long as you change it on a regualr basis i dont think you should have any problems with it xx
 
Hi, thanks for that JoBo. My other male pair of GP's were outside pigs all their lives from little babies I didn't know it wasn't the optimum for them, but they were well protected and looked after etc. but had no snuggle pad and they lived well into their 7th year with no health probs. at all. Inside just isn't an option for many reasons and yes, it's colder out there in the conserveratory than inside our centrally heated house, but like you say it's def. a step up from outside, it's double glazed and south facing and I'm happy it will be just fine for them just wanted some advice re their sleeping arrangements.

Out of interest when roughly do you bring your in and when do you roughly put them back out again? xx

I am currently using my daughters old prefold nappies under their fleece which is working well as they are sooo absorbant and my 2 are only 5 weeks old so hardly big wetters lol! I have used a huge potting up tray from Dobbies in their hutch which is basically like a huge litter tray lol which again is working well with the mess from the hay as I've just got newpaper down on that bit. So looking forward to bringing them in and cuddling them on the sofa in there and getting rid of the messy straw
 
they should really be in now. and go back out in may. its all to do with the overnight tempretures
 
Hi, thanks for that, I didn't realise it would be as late as May, wow learning so much. They are well insulated overnight in our garage with a snuggle pad and out in their well insulated hutch set up with snuggle pad during the day too. They are toasty warm first thing and last thing when I bring them in.

Tbh I want them inside for many reasons but my husband doesn't plus we have a dog and we would need to be really vigilant there I think. With that in mind and 3 young children (7 and under) I obviously have some concerns. I have no where really secure to have them but am considering bringing them into my son's room....hubby is my biggest problem though! x
 
Our two boars are outdoor guinea pigs and during the winter they come into our lean-too-they are absolutely fine and when I go into them in the morning they feel warm amongst their hay.
Its nice in there during the day when the sun in shining-I catch them basking in it and they love it.:)
 
Hi Amysmom, thankyou and please could you tell me when do you bring yours into your lean to for winter and when do they go out again? x
 
i think the most danger to piggies outside in the winter is the cold wind and rain- they dont tolerate damp well, and the wind can be a real danger too, i think in your conservatory has to be better than outside, even unheated, as long as you give them lots of bedding, and keep them cleaned out well, so they dont get damp from their wee x and heat pads would be good too x
 
The real danger to piggies housed outside is from damp and draughts so although your conservatory will be cold they will be protected from this.

I have housed piggies outside over winter in a shed and they have been fine, as long as you make sure their hutch is dry and insulated they would be ok.

I found that a snugglesafe head pad inside a cardboard box stuffed with hay is a great way to provide extra warmth. I've used them in an outdoor hutch and it does make a big difference.

If you want to insulate the hutch then a roll of radiator reflective foil is good as it reflects heat back into the hutch. If you are really worried a fleece blanket over the whole hutch is an option and make sure you put plenty of hay inside their bedding area.

Generally they need to come indoors or into an outbuilding when the night temperature drops below 10 degrees and can go back out again when you see the last of the spring frost which is roughly early may.

When you do put them outside make sure they only go on the grass for ten minutes and build up the time gradually otherwise they may be at risk of bloat

HTH

x
 
We bring ours into the lean-to around mid September and they go back outside mid April. I find that they love to be back outside, you can see them sniffing the fresh air.

We also have 2 sows indoor and i love having them inside but i still think they like the fresh air-when we open the french door to let the dog out you can see them with their noses in the air sniffing the outside-its so cute:-)

The other piggies we had years ago lived in the shed in winter. On bright sunny days i would have the door open as i hate to think of them not seeing daylight.
 
These are a great alternate to the Snugglepads and much cheaper:
[ame]http://www.amazon.co.uk/Hotties-Microhottie-Microwave-Water-Bottle/dp/B000TAP5ZG/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1320761723&sr=8-1[/ame]
 
thanks everyone that's so helpful :) I do currently use the snuggle pad in their day time hutch outside and in their inside 'dwelling' at night lol! It's in a doubled up cardboard box which is super thick and strong and stuffed with soft dust extracted straw and they are very toasty right now day and night. But I can't wait to ditch the straw it makes such a mess in their hutch and on the fleece it makes a mess on the patio, garage, blinking everywhere!

GP slave - they look a much better, size, shape, thickness etc but how long do they stay warm for please it just states 'hours' in the info. I am amazed that even after 10 hours they are still just about luke warm in the fleece cover :) These little friends of our are costing us a small fortune lol!
 
Last edited:
Hi

Just a quick post, please avoid using straw it is very sharp and cause injuries to your piggies eye or genitals it would be much better to use hay

Claire

x
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Back
Top