Outside Piggies

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caroline alford

caroline alford

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Last night was the first night my 4 piggies slept in there outside cage they have a closed in sleeping area and a nesting box. I filled this with hay, beds and fleeces I have always kept guinea pigs outside and never had a problem but after reading lots conflicting stuff on here I spent all night worrying. Got up this morning to open there partition to rest of hutch they were perfectly fine they were warm and the nesting area was all warm so they must of snuggled in there together. I don't think I will read so much on here my last guinea pig lived till he was 8 outside ..
 
My pigs live outside in a hutch, the hutch is in a shed which is left open during the day and only gets closed over in heavy rain or extreme cold. ;)
 
Mine are in an outside hutch too, i provide plenty of things to keep them warm. But i will bring them in overnight in winter, and in the day too if its really really cold. Ideally id have them in all the time but OH wont agree to it :(
 
Mine have lived outside for bout 5 years, they love being outside and if cold they just get lots of hay and blankets.
 
I have housed guinea pigs outdoors for the last 7 years and they have always been fine.

It is only very recently that my current piggies have become indoor pigs and that is purely because I moved to a bigger house last October and was caring for an elderly / poorly piggy from Christmas up until she died in March so my remaining 3 never moved back outside. This is because I now have the space to house them indoors in a separate room that doesn't affect my partners allergies so much.

Up until two years ago, I housed piggies outdoors all year round in a well insulated hutch complete with a rain and wind cover until I decided to move them in to a free ranged shed.

I think that guinea pigs can live outdoors perfectly fine so long as proper measures are taken to keep them warm, dry and safe in the winter as well as cool in the summer.

The only thing that I must add is please make sure you have a spare indoor cage available that can be used in the unfortunate event that you have a poorly piggy and have just enough room available so that outdoor guinea pigs can come indoors if needs be during very bad weather.

I really do not think owners should feel bad for having their pigs live outside so long as they are well looked after and cared for x
 
Please don't miss out on the forum because of this.It sounds like they are very cosy and you have really thought about it.
 
Mine are in for winter and outside for summer. For next Winter I intend to sort the shed out so that the boys can go in the shed, rather than come in the house. The girls are Princesses and stay inside though, but would (I am sure) be fine outside. But I promised the forum member that I adopted them from that they would stay inside, so inside they will remain ;)

You don't need to feel guilty about anything! And please don't leave the forum. There are many different styles of guinea pig care, and all as valid as each other as long as the welfare of the piggies is at heart :)
 
I think so long as you keep them warm they will be very happy outside! The main reason mine are inside is the fact that when I had a rabbit I worried about it outside (without reason I just worry).

I'm sure they will enjoy grass time a lot more thsn mine who always seem a little frightened by outside noises. I live with a coppice behind my house so birds are very loud as are the squirrels (I never used to know how much squirells shout)
 
It's nice to read these responses. My pigs are outside and we take all measures to ensure they are kept warm and dry. A lot of people on these forums seem to make out we are the worst people ever for keeping them outside. Mine seem very happy
 
Jessmacg said:
@Goth Mummy thanks I get a very different vibe from this forum everyone sems a lot more friendly
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I wonder who you might be on about? :whistle:

On a more serious note though, this forum has lots of members with oodles of advice if and when needed. I don't know what I'd do without them. Welcome on board! :wel:
 
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They live outside in the wild albeit in a slightly warmer country so I see no harm in giving mine fresh air. I do make sure the grass is dry before their trap door is opened from their hutch to the run though. I've read somewhere that by keeping some indoors with heating etc can play havoc with their skin. Just like us humans when the heating goes on the skin starts to dry out. I suppose it's all down to the owners choice at the end of the day and as long as they are happy healthy piggies, that's all that matters. :D
 
My pigs and bunnies all live outside in hutches, I make sure they have lots of hay to snuggle up into and during the winter I cover the hutches in blankets, I've always housed my small pets out and have never had any problems, just because they live out doesn't make them any less loved :nod::nod:
 
there are many different styles and systems of keeping animals, and different systems will work for different people and their households/space availability/temperament and budget. There is no one right answer, as long as the piggies are happy!
 
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