Senior Pig In The Cold!?

[Kirsty]

Hi all just a query- I have two male guinea pigs living together one is 1 year old and the second is nearly 5! They got paired because the 5 year old (speckles) lost his companion so they were both single so I paired them up together. They live in a double story hutch with running space around, within my shed (for extra warmth). Now I'm worried about speckles as I want to bring him in my house for when it's super cold because I'm worried he is too old to face the cold now (although has heat pads) I'm happy to leave biscuit the younger pig and buttons (another male guinea pig I have that's young) because I know there young enough to handle it. But I'm worried if I keep speckles indoors overnight then put him back outside in my shed with buttons for social time during the day, then they will fall out? And have to go through the whole hierarchy thing again because he was away for overnight? what do you all think? Am I just worrying? Picture is of speckles after some watermelon in summer! ha, Thanks

 

[Swissgreys]

It sounds like you have a great set up for your piggies.
But I do think if you start bringing Speckles inside overnight it might disrupt the bond that he has with Biscuit.
Plus depending on the difference in temperature between the shed and your house, this may prove to be the most difficult option for Speckles if he is being moved from a warm house to a cool shed on a daily basis.
Is it possible to add a heater to your shed to help keep it warm?
Or get snuggle safe heat pads to put in the cage overnight?

 

[Kirsty]

I already have snuggle safe heat pads in the shed! But he's such a fidget he never sleeps in the same place , well our heating doesn't go on at night until early morning which he would be put back outside before that come on, so I don't think it would be a massive jump. I just think at night time it gets to minus numbers and it worries me as he's old.

Nope I don't have any eay of getting plugs/ electric in the shed to use a heater- wish I did!

 

[Wiebke]

I already have snuggle safe heat pads in the shed! But he's such a fidget he never sleeps in the same place , well our heating doesn't go on at night until early morning which he would be put back outside before that come on, so I don't think it would be a massive jump. I just think at night time it gets to minus numbers and it worries me as he's old.

Nope I don't have any eay of getting plugs/ electric in the shed to use a heater- wish I did!

I would not split the boys - it can severely disrupt their bond. Another way you can keep him warm apart from snugglesafes is a cardboard box filled with hay, which is a great insulator. You can safely use it together with a snugglesafe - and he doesn't have to leave for snacking...

 

[Kirsty]

Does it not matter that speckles is more dominant than buttons the younger pig? He will just pee on the cardboard box and then will refuse to eat the hay he has peed on. There quite spoilt pigs! They have blankets over there hutches that are in the shed, and also fleece fabric tent like beds with heat pads within them. I just lost a guinea pig Max, and he's my last older guinea pig I have, so I'm feeling extra cautious, just want him to be warm

 

[flowerfairy]

Make a cardboard box bed with no bottom so that it rests on and is full of hay then the peeing wont matter so much. Cuddling up to his friends will be nice and cosy for him too.

 

[Adelle]

If there indoor play area is secure, could they both live in that together over the winter months and then put them back out in the nicer weather? It would save the chopping and changing between temperatures indoors and out which could be quite dangerous for them x

 

[Kirsty]

I could but that would mean leaving my other guinea pig on his own, as he lives next door to them as he's too dominant to live with them, so he lives with a bit of mesh in between! And I don't have room to put two cages in my house