Some Questions On Bringing Guinea Pigs Indoors!

[sparkle]

I created a few forums a few months ago on a similar topic however, now it is nearing Christmas time I have been thinking of finally setting up a c&c cage for my guinea pigs. I still have a few questions as I really just want to make sure that everything is okay and safe for them and I would really appreciate it if anyone could answer them

My guinea pigs are around 4 years old now and I really would like to ask and make sure if it would be okay bringing them indoors after being outside for such a long time?

Due to limited space I would need to put them into my bedroom and I was wondering is they are often very loud during nighttime?

I have been considering getting a c&c and trying it out in order to see what it's like and how it goes and possibly moving them back out if I found that worked best, but I don't really want to be moving my guinea pigs from one place to another too much as i'm not too sure if that would be very good for them. Does anyone have any ideas or advice on this?

I've heard that some people bring their guinea pigs in during the colder months although, I was thinking about doing it permanently if it all goes well. Is it okay to bring them inside during Christmas time?

I think I've asked this before but once again I was just wondering a bit about heating and if it was okay to keep the central heating on and also heaters in the room they're in, or would it be best to always leave them off?

Do they smell a lot and can the smell be easily controlled? How often do they need to be cleaned out and also are wood shavings or fleece better (or anything else if there are any other good options)?

If they are now used to growing a thicker coat during slightly colder weather would it be a big change for them moving inside or would they get used it it quickly?

I honestly just want to make sure that I my guinea pigs will be okay with the change (they are quite shy) and please don't worry if you don't answer all the questions. Even just one can be a huge help!

Thank you for reading and if you have any other tips and advice on things I haven't mentioned please feel free to share them with me.

 

[DM030619]

It should be okay taking him in.

 

[Swissgreys]

It is good you are thinking about bringing your piggies indoors for the Winter, but if you are going to do it, you should do it sooner rather than later.
They do not deal well with sudden temperature changes very well, and depending on where you are located the difference between your bedroom and the outside temperature may already be quite large.
Would it be possible to bring them in to a utility or cooler room first to give them a chance to adjust more slowly?

If you do bring them in then you will not be able to put them back outside until Spring, as they will simply not be used to the cold anymore.
So you need to be very sure you will be able to keep them inside for the entire Winter first.

I have the central heating on in our house 24/7 and the piggies seem fine with it.
But I wouldn't have their cage near a direct source of heat like a radiator - position them away from things like windows or radiators so their environment is as stable as possible.

As far as smell goes this will depend on the size of the cage you can offer, the bedding you use, and how clean your piggies are in general.
Larger cages can go longer between major clean outs although of course all cages need spot cleaning every day.
Fleece work well in indoor cages, but can be expensive at the outset and will require regular washing, so you need to be sure everyone in the house is ok with you using the machine for piggy things.
A Horsewear wash bag will stop the machine getting filled up with hay and hair - I couldn't live without mine.

 

[sparkle]

It is good you are thinking about bringing your piggies indoors for the Winter, but if you are going to do it, you should do it sooner rather than later.
They do not deal well with sudden temperature changes very well, and depending on where you are located the difference between your bedroom and the outside temperature may already be quite large.
Would it be possible to bring them in to a utility or cooler room first to give them a chance to adjust more slowly?

If you do bring them in then you will not be able to put them back outside until Spring, as they will simply not be used to the cold anymore.
So you need to be very sure you will be able to keep them inside for the entire Winter first.

I have the central heating on in our house 24/7 and the piggies seem fine with it.
But I wouldn't have their cage near a direct source of heat like a radiator - position them away from things like windows or radiators so their environment is as stable as possible.

As far as smell goes this will depend on the size of the cage you can offer, the bedding you use, and how clean your piggies are in general.
Larger cages can go longer between major clean outs although of course all cages need spot cleaning every day.
Fleece work well in indoor cages, but can be expensive at the outset and will require regular washing, so you need to be sure everyone in the house is ok with you using the machine for piggy things.
A Horsewear wash bag will stop the machine getting filled up with hay and hair - I couldn't live without mine.

Thank you so much for the reply!

I have been thinking about bringing them in permanently and not just for the winter. I might be able to put them in a cooler room first in order to help them to adjust a bit better so thanks for the advice it really helps c:

If I was to just bring them in during the winter would you recommend doing this every single winter after that as well?

 

[Swissgreys]

Thank you so much for the reply!

I have been thinking about bringing them in permanently and not just for the winter. I might be able to put them in a cooler room first in order to help them to adjust a bit better so thanks for the advice it really helps c:

If I was to just bring them in during the winter would you recommend doing this every single winter after that as well?

Yes I would probably bring them in every Winter, particularly as they get a bit older.
They will appreciate the extra warmth, and you may find they become less shy once they are used to being around people more.

 

[sparkle]

Yes I would probably bring them in every Winter, particularly as they get a bit older.
They will appreciate the extra warmth, and you may find they become less shy once they are used to being around people more.

Thank you!