New (to Us) Guinea Pig

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Alicat

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Hi, my daughter has been given a Guinea pig on Friday, from friends whose children had lost interest in him. He has been living in their kitchen, but we really don't have space for him indoors. I set up his cage and run in our garage, but took pity on him after a few hours as it was so cold on Friday and brought him indoors. He is currently in a cage in my daughters room, in the middle of the floor as there's nowhere else he can go, but we can't keep him there. My question is how best to keep him warm in the garage? I have a heat plate that we had to keep chicks warm in the Spring, which i could set up so he could go under it, any other suggestions?
 
Hi :D Welcome! First of all, its so good of you to welcome a new pig into your house... its awful that people will just get rid of animals after they get bored. Also, i'm sure everyone here will be very helpful with any questions you have! As for your question, i think the easiest things to do is to make sure the pig has plenty of places to cuddle up... Pigloos, snuggle sacks, extra bedding and hideaways can help the pigs hide from the cold. My pigs often snuggle together if it gets chilly, so having a buddy helps. Putting a towel or blanket over part of the cage at night can also help to block some drafts. Those are just simple fixes though :/ if it's getting under 65 degrees f. you are going to need to get the little guy a heater. Good luck :D
 
First step... Another pig! They are social creatures, being out in a garage alone won't be much fun for him but also staying warm is easier with more than one. It would involve being absolutely sure of the sex of your current pig before sourcing a friend (ideally from a rescue).

There are guides here that help you make sure you have everything you need, really worth reading them all. Ultimately lots of hay to burrow in, hides to tuck up inside, cosies, heat pads...

My pigs are in the middle of our lounge floor! Far from ideal but I love having them there now, they are such fun to watch.

One of the others will hopefully be along soon with better advice, but in the meantime those stickies are a lifeline. Congratulations on your new pig, I hope he makes you happy. They are great little creatures.
 
You already have a lot of good advice but re: the location, is it not possible to keep the pig where it is just for the winter months and maybe move to the garage when it's warmer? I know it might not seem ideal but honestly when you love the little things you get used to them being 'in the way'! Our pigs are in the middle of our living room floor too and take up the whole space, we literally have them between the sofas & the television in the floor in front of us when we're sitting on the sofa. It's funny but it means they are right in the centre of things going on in the household so they don't get so bored and lonely.

Please get your pig a friend though as the others have said.
 
Hi, I think that Maddykins is right about A second Guinea pig, then they can develop there own personality & chatter to each other. Are there any lights in the garage or will you be using artificial lights. Is it draft proof. Will you want to go Down in the hutch in the wind, rain, & snow. To give them I/2 an hour play time. Once they are out there, you can't keep bringing them in for playtime. They can't stand the fluctuation in the temperature. The amount of people that say they have no room for cage setups indoors, I live in a small bungalow, my living room is 4 metres x 4 metres square. Maybe smaller, one whole wall is taken up by my piggies, 1 wall the sofa, 1 wall the tv the other all the window yet everyone who comes in chats to the piggies, also the whole family natter away to my piggies, they are very social animals. As you can see I am pro pets, Animals are part of my familiar I know lots of people that keep their animals outside, it's just not my thing
 
thanks, he was originally part of a pair, but his brother died over a year ago. He was a bit bad tempered with his brother though. A chick heat plate is basically a square heat plate on legs, so chicks can snuggle up under it (like a mummy hen). It's height is adjustable so i could make it high enough for him to get under. it's a tricky one, not sure my daughter can keep him in the middle of her bedroom floor long term. She is asthmatic so combination of hay, sawdust and fur isn't great!
will check out the other suggestions. Thanks so much xx
http://www.wynnes.co.uk/product/heat-plate-chicks/
 
Not sure this heat plate is suitable for piggies. Best to have snugglesafes. For some reason the link is not coming up!
 
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