Keeping Guinea Pigs Warm

guineaPig_Mum said:
So do you think the ideal solution will be to have a shed in my garden with a heater?
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If you can’t have them in your house then a heated and insulated shed is the next best thing. You need to ensure there is ventilation in the shed (with heat and insulation you run the risk of condensation, so ventilation is required), and plenty of windows for natural light. It also needs to be secure to predators (rats can get in some very tiny gaps).
 
Piggies&buns said:
If you can’t have them in your house then a heated and insulated shed is the next best thing. You need to ensure there is ventilation in the shed (with heat and insulation you run the risk of condensation, so ventilation is required), and plenty of windows for natural light. It also needs to be secure to predators (rats can get in some very tiny gaps).
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Okay, thanks for your help. I will consider all the above-mentioned parameters and will get my guinea piggies once I am sure that they will be safe with me.
 
Piggies&buns said:
Piggies need natural light
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Hi, do you have information about Guinea Pigs needing natural light? Do you mean the sunlight itself, or the natural day length?

Even light through a window is not natural light, because the glass blocks almost all the U.V. light.

I ask because many rodents, and rabbits, are raised for generations in buildings without sunlight. Just wondering.

My pigs don't get much actual sunlight in the winter, because the shed window (screened but without glass) is mostly blocked off
in the winter to repel wind, rain and cold.
 
Canary said:
Hi, do you have information about Guinea Pigs needing natural light? Do you mean the sunlight itself, or the natural day length?

Even light through a window is not natural light, because the glass blocks almost all the U.V. light.

I ask because many rodents, and rabbits, are raised for generations in buildings without sunlight. Just wondering.

My pigs don't get much actual sunlight in the winter, because the shed window (screened but without glass) is mostly blocked off
in the winter to repel wind, rain and cold.
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The OP was asking about keeping them in a garage which would be dark 24/7, it has no window at all. Therefore, keeping them in a pitch black situation constantly would not be appropriate.
 
Piggies&buns said:
The OP was asking about keeping them in a garage which would be dark 24/7, it has no window at all. Therefore, keeping them in a pitch black situation constantly would not be appropriate.
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would it be Ok for them to be dark sometimes? in the evening and morning my pigs have their cage covered
 
Honeybun said:
would it be Ok for them to be dark sometimes? in the evening and morning my pigs have their cage covered
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Yes of course My cages are covered from late afternoon/early evening until around 8am to keep in warmth. It just wouldn’t be nice for them to be in the dark all the time
 
Lady Kelly said:
Unfortunately it is far too cold in the UK to start guinea pigs outdoors at the moment. Mine are outdoors all year round but that's because they were initially put out when it was warmer and I take a lot of precautions (a weatherproof cover, an insulating cover, snugglesafes and tons of hay). You would be much better and safer keeping them inside until later in Spring when the temperatures increase
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Mine are outdoors too. But I got mine in April 2017 and they were already adults. I agree, plenty of hay and covers and food too! Without enough food they can't make heat to keep themselves warm.
 
Piggylove82 said:
Mine are outdoors too. But I got mine in April 2017 and they were already adults. I agree, plenty of hay and covers and food too! Without enough food they can't make heat to keep themselves warm.
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I don't give my pigs extra food in the winter, hay makes up the majority of their diet anyway as well as providing insulation inside the hutch.
 
Betsy said:
You just stuff in as much as you can and when they eat it you add more!
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Oh I do! I am constantly telling them to stop eating their duvet and get their butts to their lower floor and eat their more expensive Timothy Hay!

But do they listen? 🤔

Er, no they don't! 😂😂
 
I am sorry it took really long as I was trying to get things ready are discussed in the thread. I got a new indoor large C&C cage and they will be housed inside for a few months as this will make the bonding easier. I am also looking at few Shed Quotations to get the shed built so that they can move to outside. This way they will be safe as well as bonding would be easier. Thank you, everyone, for your support. I really appreciate that. ❤
 
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