Jemima
Junior Guinea Pig
Hi all.
So I've had my piggies since last March. They are happy indoors in my office in a C&C. However, they have quite literally taken over my office. Hay all over the floor and spreads into the house, bedding, storage for hay + food etc, and my husband especially (but I do tend to know what he means) thinks we could do with this extra space for ourselves, as we do a lot of crafting and making etc and have a small house as it is.
I am reluctant and hesitant to move them outside... But if we do, I want to ensure I do it right and safely, and give them a lovely life there, with lots of space.
I know I can't move them out yet (it would be late Spring, when it is as warm inside as out and overnight temp is OK).
My questions are...
1. Could they have a hutch with an run attached in the winter on the concrete, or would this be too cold for them and they'd likely not go out on the floor? Obviously I would shelter it from getting wet.
2. What is the best set up in terms of a big hutch, as I know I can't bring them inside for floor time in the winter due to temp differences.
3. How to make sure they are warm enough through the colder months?
4. How to keep their hutch etc fox proof? We do have foxes around.
5. Will they be happy outside? They came from an outside Avery when we rescued them. I am more than happy to go out and talk to them regularly as I work from home! I would be poo picking etc and feeding twice a day.
6. Any other advice / tips?
We have a dark garage with barely any room, so that is not an option. I could possibly move them into our wooden shed in winter but that's at the bottom of the garden, though I do see this as an option, as they would be sheltered, as long as they were in a hutch - and possibly then a run attached in there, but we get mice in there and it's not draft proof! Plus has some gardening tools etc, so not sure I could convince my husband!
Help!
So I've had my piggies since last March. They are happy indoors in my office in a C&C. However, they have quite literally taken over my office. Hay all over the floor and spreads into the house, bedding, storage for hay + food etc, and my husband especially (but I do tend to know what he means) thinks we could do with this extra space for ourselves, as we do a lot of crafting and making etc and have a small house as it is.
I am reluctant and hesitant to move them outside... But if we do, I want to ensure I do it right and safely, and give them a lovely life there, with lots of space.
I know I can't move them out yet (it would be late Spring, when it is as warm inside as out and overnight temp is OK).
My questions are...
1. Could they have a hutch with an run attached in the winter on the concrete, or would this be too cold for them and they'd likely not go out on the floor? Obviously I would shelter it from getting wet.
2. What is the best set up in terms of a big hutch, as I know I can't bring them inside for floor time in the winter due to temp differences.
3. How to make sure they are warm enough through the colder months?
4. How to keep their hutch etc fox proof? We do have foxes around.
5. Will they be happy outside? They came from an outside Avery when we rescued them. I am more than happy to go out and talk to them regularly as I work from home! I would be poo picking etc and feeding twice a day.
6. Any other advice / tips?
We have a dark garage with barely any room, so that is not an option. I could possibly move them into our wooden shed in winter but that's at the bottom of the garden, though I do see this as an option, as they would be sheltered, as long as they were in a hutch - and possibly then a run attached in there, but we get mice in there and it's not draft proof! Plus has some gardening tools etc, so not sure I could convince my husband!
Help!