Moving pigs to live outdoors

[DizzyDinosaur]

My friend is giving me her old rabbit hutch which has a ramp going down to a run as she now has a shed and is building hutches inside the shed for her rabbits
I am trying to re-introduce Mojo and smudgy together which it is going ok while they are outside in the Run but when they come inside it gets iffy.

Mum wants me to move Mojo and smudgy outside, she doesn't like them in the house as they always shout at her for breakfast since she is first up.

What would be the best way to get them used to living outside.
Keep them in there in the day as its now starting to get warmer and bring them inside at night?
Then once its nice and warm in later spring leave them outside and give them a snuggle pad to get used to it.

I might make a tunnel for the ladder as it is quite steep for guinea pigs by juding the pic she has given me

this is it, its got an extra bolt at the bottom of the door as her buns tried to push it open

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[Bekki]

I think if you move them in spring they would be fine, if you could make that run more sheltered that would probably be great for them too as its quite exposed x

 

[MrsB]

Hi, firstly what a lovely friend giving you such a gift! I would love to keep my 2 boys inside but have this w/e just moved them outside.

It's earlier than I anticipated but they were in our conserveratory out the back which had no heating but yes protected them from the elements etc but in the day wiht the days being warmer the sun was getting it very hot in there and I am not always home so couldn't ensure their safety from the heat! As daft as it sounds the conserveratory is double glazed and all glass so it's like a glorified green house really lol! It doesn't evenhave a window that opens - just a door! They had a heat padfor over night and a luxuary bed consisting of a really thick foam bed with a cat bed (double fleece) and a double feece lid to burrow under on top of that.

They are toasty and warm in there before I put the heat pad in at night time (it's even warm in the morning still!) I cover the hutch with a piece of old carpet and feel certain they are just fine. I will weigh them next saturday and we'll see what the scales say! *Also the are bedded down on inco pads with 3 layers of towels and then double layer fleece again so under floor insulated at least!

I think your idea is an ideal way of getting them aclimatised to the different weather. I am unable to do the same as don't have another hutch or cage for the inside at night and can't bring their big hutch in each night! Let us know how you get on and ps your mum sounds like my hubby!