Moving Hogs Outside

[braddaz]

Hi guys.
Hoping someone can help me out. I have two male guinea pigs who currently live indoors together in the same cage. I've had them since September so kept them inside for the winter months.
Now that it's nearly may and the weather should (hopefully) be starting to pick up I'm thinking of moving them outside for the summer. My main reasons for doing this are I live in a small flat (I have my own fenced off back garden as I live on the ground floor) and I have a nice big two tiered hutch with a nice big run attached to it so they'll have lots more room to play and obviously at night I'll lock off the ramp to keep them safe and also a waterproof cover for those rainy days. But I guess what I want advice about is whether or not they will still need heatpads to help keep them warm during a UK summer. And generally any other tips or advice anyone might have for moving them outside. Obviously they'll come back indoors in september for the winter coming back. Thanks in advance.

 

[sport_billy]

Hello, welcome to the forum

Good question this. Am tagging in some of our members who have kept/keep piggies outdoors for you @Wiebke @BossHogg

 

[BossHogg]

Mine were fine outside during the summer, as long as you give them plenty of hay to bury in. I still covered mine at night just to deter nosy cats.

 

[braddaz]

Thanks. Would you still recommend microwaveable heat pads in the summer? I'm worried they've got too used to the heating being on on the house haha.

 

[Wiebke]

Hi guys.
Hoping someone can help me out. I have two male guinea pigs who currently live indoors together in the same cage. I've had them since September so kept them inside for the winter months.
Now that it's nearly may and the weather should (hopefully) be starting to pick up I'm thinking of moving them outside for the summer. My main reasons for doing this are I live in a small flat (I have my own fenced off back garden as I live on the ground floor) and I have a nice big two tiered hutch with a nice big run attached to it so they'll have lots more room to play and obviously at night I'll lock off the ramp to keep them safe and also a waterproof cover for those rainy days. But I guess what I want advice about is whether or not they will still need heatpads to help keep them warm during a UK summer. And generally any other tips or advice anyone might have for moving them outside. Obviously they'll come back indoors in september for the winter coming back. Thanks in advance.

Treat any indoors guinea pigs like tender plants. Accustom them to outdoors temps (i.e. harden them off) slowly and only move them out fully after the danger of frosty nights (like tonight) has passed.

You can find more tips in this link here: Feeding Grass And Preparing Your Piggies For Lawn Time