outside hutch

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rachx

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hello I'm new, came on here because my friend has got a guinea pig and she keeps him outside all the time, night, day, summer and winter (he hates being in a shed and inside) and was wondering if this was ok. he has a closed off sleeping area with a tunnel going from one end to the other so i was wondering if this is good...

i dont know much about guinea pigs but i do love him and now I'm on here i can find out some information and wont be tempted to get one no matter how many cute pictures you post...
 
My Guinea pigs are all out side but my garden is very well shelterd. Also mine have have covers over at night and they have heat pads and sleeping bag!
 
she doesnt have that, i will inform her to put in head pads (can you put in hot water bottles?)
 
I personally wouldn't leave mine outside in the garden. They are in a cage in a shed. Out of interest, how do you know he dislikes being inside?
 
rachx said:
she doesnt have that, i will inform her to put in head pads (can you put in hot water bottles?)
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No its best to use the animal ones. They are called snuggle safe and you just pop them into the microwave, you can get them from pet shops and vets
 
he used to be inside but he hated it so they puthim in the shed, he also hated that

IF i ever got a guinea pig they would be indoors, is this ok?
 
rachx said:
he used to be inside but he hated it so they puthim in the shed, he also hated that

IF i ever got a guinea pig they would be indoors, is this ok?
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Indoors is perfectally fine. A lot of people here have them indoors i believe.
Sorry to ask again, but what did he do to make them think he hated being indoors? I dont think i'd be able to tell.
 
Is he a lone piggy? If so rather than 'hating' being indoors or in a shed he's possibly lonely, so you could advise her to get him a friend? Just if he was displaying 'unhappy' behaviour it could be loneliness rather than unhappiness
 
Yes I'd also be interested to know what made her think he "hated" being inside! I really don't think it's realistic to expect guinea pigs to be comfortable outdoors in temperatures that regularly hit the minuses in the winter. I also don't know how owners can spend ANY quality time other than feeding/cleaning with those that are outdoors (not including sheds) all winter as to bring them in for cuddles could potentially kill them.

Having kept my pigs both indoors and in an outbuilding (an unheated extension to the house) I can safely say I have much friendlier and healthier pigs that have far more human contact time than my outdoor piggies ever did.
 
she said that he was unhappy, he has lived alone all his life
 
I'm sorry to be blunt. But to me that sounds a bit of a cop out. Just put them in a cage in the garden, they'll be fine. Well they cant cope without proper temerature control. They can get very cold and die. Does she pay the piggie any attention or is it just left outside? Sorry if it sounds like i'm having a go at you, i dont mean too. But i'm having trouble understanding your friend.
 
dont even ask...

I tried talking to her and she said 'well we did a lot of research on guinea pigs before we got him and found out they die if they live inside' :o
I say ' Isnt he cold outside?' ?
She says 'no they dont get cold' ?
I say 'how do they die inside?'
she says 'their immune systems close down so they die'
I say 'how did he hate being indoors?'
she says ' he just did' >:( >:( >:(
I say ' so he used to be in a shed, this is good in the winter isnt it? It keeps them warm.'
She says ' no he got no sunlight and its bad for guinea pigs' >:(
I say ' oh ok then'

BUT when i saw him on sunday he never came out of his sleeping are and i asked her if he ever did and she said no, but he used to when he was in the shed, but it was way too dark in the shed :o

I also said to her about the heat pads and she i know, i asked her later and she said hes not cold he doesnt need one

shes my best friend but sometimes.... >:(

And also she wants to be a vet :o
I can imagine her now

keep your guinea pig outside he will die inside and then them coming a day later complaining cos the cold killed him :(
not to be mean about her just
 
She sounds very silly to be honest. What she had read, if indeed she has, to me sounds like a load of bull. It sound like she needs a proper talking to about how to keep pigs. You have done well by coming on here and seaking advice and trying to get through to her. See if she can come on here and we can give her plenty of links to good guinea sites. And we can answer any questions she may have and put her straight on a few points.
 
well i came on here because i held her guinea pig and he was shivering so i came on here to look around and find out more about guinea pigs, which i now LOVE!
 
rachx said:
well i came on here because i held her guinea pig and he was shivering so i came on here to look around and find out more about guinea pigs, which i now LOVE!
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Could you adopt a pair and show by example?
 
rachx said:
well i came on here because i held her guinea pig and he was shivering so i came on here to look around and find out more about guinea pigs, which i now LOVE!
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Can you not suggest you'll adopt her one?
 
kayjay said:
rachx said:
well i came on here because i held her guinea pig and he was shivering so i came on here to look around and find out more about guinea pigs, which i now LOVE!
Click to expand...

Could you adopt a pair and show by example?
Click to expand...

Well....
does seem like an option.... ;)
you will have to wait and see...

I need some advice first, see other topic
 
She doesn't seem to know much at all. The temperature outdoors can vary between -10C in winter at night to 10C during the day. Piggies just weren't built to survive these changes in temperature - THIS is the killer that compromises the immune system. She is talking nonsense about keeping them indoors where the temperature is relatively constant. Pigs do need light but this is not justification for keeping them in the freezing cold. There is no "he just did". Ask her what behaviours he exhibited that made her think "he hated it" and I'm sure she won't be able to tell you.

If she wants to be a vet she will need to get her finger out and learn a bit more about basic animal husbandry!
 
I'm quite worried about him and i know that she is my best friend but its just not fair on the guinea pig. At least he has lasted 1 month last year in the summer outside and up until now in a warm shed but suddenly hes outside in the cold! poor piggy.
Also can you use shredded newspaper for bedding

And can they be in the same room as chinchillas? If they can i know where if i ever got one the cage would go and would figure it out if they cant


i know rabbits and chinchillas cant be in the same room as each other....
 
My rabbit and chinchilla are great friends, they play and snuggle togethera nd there are no problems
 
I have a friend like that... she says alot of silly stuff and thinks its true. She wants to be a childcare worker and she is terrible with kids haha poor things... :(
 
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