Pros And Cons Of Keeping Guinea Pigs Indoors Or Outdoors?

I have my piggies outside. They are kept very warm in the winter and cool in the summer. They are all very healthy and I love them to pieces. I know all their little quirks and what they like and don't like. I don't have room in my house for to house them so they have to live outside.
 
I have to agree, Bill and Ted far prefer being outside. They sniff the air, bounce around, have loads of access to grass and if there is a shower they can go into the hayloft for shelter with piles of hay, although they don’t seem that bothered by a bit of a shower. Their fur is lovely and soft and smells like clean washing off the line when you bring them in.

They do come in every night and in bad weather but they aren't as lively. These animals originally roamed the Andes mountain range in South America, their coats are well equipped to deal with cold temperatures. Damp is more of a problem for them, but as long as they are kept dry and well ventilated they are fine.

I appreciate not everyone has an outside space, and some people only have a very limited inside space, at the end of the day we all do what ever we can to give our pets the best life as possible.
 
There's definitely no right or wrong answer- we have more indoor space than outdoor space, but there are some lovely secure outdoor piggy homes as well as big indoor C&C homes, everyone has to work with the space they have and what they prefer!
 
As folk have said there's no right or wrong answer

My boys live indoors, we are lucky to have space for them (Even though we had to relocate the tv to the wall instead of on the sideboard!) and I love having them in here, they have a run and go out most days when the weather is nice. I don't have to traipse out in all weathers to see to them which is a definite bonus!
 
I prefer indoor
PROS...
They are where I spend most of my time and get to interact with them more therefore I get more enjoyment out of them and can spot any illnesses quicker
I don't have to worry about them being too hot or cold
I don't have to worry about the neighbours cats antagonising them
When the weather is bad and the heavens open up I can happily sit indoors and not spent half an hour outside battling the elements
I have no problems with slugs and snails

CONS...
The cage takes up a lot of space and in an adverage sized room like I have, I kind of takes over
They're messy and it gets everywhere
I personally don't have an issue with smell but I have read that some piggies can have a stronger smell so that's something to consider

If it's a lovely day outside and I want to spend time in the garden they can come out with me in a run so they have the best of both worlds.

The pigs that I own at the moment are my 1st and have always been indoors. I did have a rabbit years ago that was outdoors and the biggest reason out of any of the above for me was having to go outside in the wind and rain cleaning the hutch.
 
Mine are indoor pigs (I'm in Canada, it's far too cold here for much of the year for outdoors to be an option. I do let them out in an enclosed space at our cottage during the warmer months, which they enjoy.) I like having them inside because we see and interact with them all the time... I work from home and they are good company for me in the living room area, they are very friendly and comfortable with the kids and the family, and we get to spend a lot of time with them. The only real con I can see is piggie-related mess.... when we let them roam indoors they have, at times, tried to pull up the carpet, tried to chew the doorframes, etc. This bothers my husband more than it bothers me!
 
Hi!
Your very welcome to the forum!
My 3 boars are outside in a hutch, and I think its totally fine as long as you always have the right care.
Essentials such as;
Warm Hides, Pigloos, lots and lots of hay, a big space and some extra bedding.
Yes, I do agree with piggies get alot more bug bites etc outside.
But to avoid it as much as possible, put them in a well shaded area.
Clean their cage often.
Swipe out any cobwebs etc.
Find a good flea/mite spray or shampoo (mostly spray I think) and put that on every time you clean.
Obviously, if there is ever a terrible storm or snow, or weather warning, bring them in, wait it out, and make sure you cage is totally dry.
Try keep your garden as clean as possible to avoid rats.
If cats try get at your pigs (which often happen to me too) I'd recommend just putting an extra grid up, or just making sure your pig has hiding spots to run too.
I totally would love for my piggies to be inside, but I just dont have the money or room right now, so best of luck whatever your decision is :*!
 
Pearl and Zip said:
Please move them indoors. Outside they can get mites easily. Stray cats and other animals like rats could try to get in the cage too. Weather is also an issue.

You’ll see them more when they’re inside and they can get used to you more.
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Could you explain why you believe outdoor pigs are more susceptible to mites? I've not experienced a difference between outdoors and indoors for mite infestations and the factors I believe cause mite infestations or make the more likely have nothing to do with being indoor or outdoor so I'm interested in what I am potentially missing
 
Lady Kelly said:
Could you explain why you believe outdoor pigs are more susceptible to mites? I've not experienced a difference between outdoors and indoors for mite infestations and the factors I believe cause mite infestations or make the more likely have nothing to do with being indoor or outdoor so I'm interested in what I am potentially missing
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I personally haven’t tried housing my pigs outdoors, so I never knew outdoor vs indoor mite infestations by experience. But I did do some research and I believe mites are more commonly found outside. But I may be wrong.
 
I have had my piggiest for over 2yrs and had one episode of mites which I treated promptly. No more than anyone else and I have outside piggies. Years ago I had 2 outside piggies for 5 years and they never had mites.
 
I keep indoor piggies only and believe me, we’ve had more than our fair share of mites and lice and also fungal at times!
 
Fur mites affect rabbits as well as guinea pigs and I’ve kept outside rabbits for almost 30 years (since I was a young child) and I have never had a case of mites with any of them.
From what I know, mites can come from hay which obviously indoor pets eat too so in that respect the risk is no greater for one than the other.
 
Mine have the same hutch all the time which we have outdoors in the summer (usually around May after the last frost) and we brought them inside last week, since it’s been very windy and lots of rain here this week. I generally go by the temperature of a night time if it drops below double figures consistently then it’s time to come in I think. The protection they had was a sheet of plastic that dangled over the bars/ front of the hutch to protect from rain and wind and of course plenty of hay. I have noticed since bringing them indoors they are becoming more vocal and chatty and starting to recognise the fridge door sound again which i love to see how excited they get at feeding time.
 
Also forgot to mention we still put them out on the grass in the run when the grass is dry, they love it.
 
Bill & Ted said:
I have to agree, Bill and Ted far prefer being outside. They sniff the air, bounce around, have loads of access to grass and if there is a shower they can go into the hayloft for shelter with piles of hay, although they don’t seem that bothered by a bit of a shower. Their fur is lovely and soft and smells like clean washing off the line when you bring them in.

They do come in every night and in bad weather but they aren't as lively. These animals originally roamed the Andes mountain range in South America, their coats are well equipped to deal with cold temperatures. Damp is more of a problem for them, but as long as they are kept dry and well ventilated they are fine.

I appreciate not everyone has an outside space, and some people only have a very limited inside space, at the end of the day we all do what ever we can to give our pets the best life as possible.
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I agree
 
VickiA said:
I don't wish to be picky but outdoors is NOT their natural habitat in the UK. I completely respect the rights of members to keep piggies indoors or outdoors as long as all appropriate precautions are taken to ensure that they do not over heat in summer or freeze in winter. We have many members who do keep their piggies outside including staff members and those piggies are well cared for. However it is not right to assert that this is their natural habitat.
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Sorry, I'm new to Guinea pigs. I just think they have more fresh air and mine prefer being outside. Where are yours kept in?
 
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