thinking ahead about Winter !

[Borris&Bobo]

Ok what do you suggest for the winter months ?
i think i need to have some sort of insulation and have been looking at those hutch snuggles, with the clear window a freind also pionted out we shouldnt molly cuddle them too much so if we have a frosty night and dont ensure ther wrapped up they dont die of the cold ! so ideas welcome my husband said pop them in the garage but i said no as its just soo dark in there i think it would upset them more than anything

any ideas welcome
they have been with us 5 weeks already and Love there run

 

[PingandChipy]

do you have access to a plug outside? If so, you could buy a heat pad from K&H for small animals. I use 2 of them for my piggies. The plugs are animal proof so they cannot chew on them. If you don't have access to a plug you could use snugglesafes that heat up in the microwave. /They last about 10 hours. I always worry they will get a chill once the heat is gone but you could buy two and rotate them.

Make sure to stuff their cage with lots of hay for insulation and they can bury down deep to keep warm.

I'm sure other ppl will have some ideas. My piggies stay in our wood shed during winter. I do have a heater I can plug in when it gets really cold but usually the heat pads are enough for them. They look like little chickens roosting on them in winter! lol.

 

[BellasMummy]

I personally don't think those hutch snuggle things do very much, they are not all that thick.
If you can get them inside even in a garage out of the cold then that would be best. Piggies just don't have the means of protecting themselves from cold weather, they are not like rabbits which grow a thicker coat in winter.

 

[sunnypig]

maybe try covering the hutch with fleece to keep the cold wind to a minimum, and the heating pad would also be a good idea.

 

[lilmisscavy]

If you live somewhere that gets especially cold for a long period of time, or you're likely to get snowed in, I'd opt for putting them inside the house or in the garage if you're worried.

When I had my first pigs, I think we only brought them into the utility room for one winter. Dad said I couldn't again after that. For 6 and a half years, my Pepper was outside next to the fence in his hutch, no cover or anything, just gave him more hay and shredded paper to snuggle in. Sunny and Nutmeg didn't live as long as he did but had the same treatment.

My pigs now, last winter, I only had Jasper and Harvey in as both are kinda 'special needs' pigs, and Rose as she was suspected to be pregnant. The 4 girls, Todd, Oliver and Robin, they all stayed outside.

They're quite hardy once out all Summer and Autumn. A lot of people can be a bit OTT about winter time but there's really no need. Just a cover over the front, extra hay, extra food and veg, and just warm water in their bottle with a little orange or blackcurrant squash (only a drop for the taste) is a nice treat for them. Like I said above, if it gets especially cold or snowed in where you are, bring them in or put them in the garage if you can. You won't be 'upsetting' them, just leave a lamp on in there or something during the day if you're worried about enough light for them, or you could bring them indoors for a run about each evening, you'd have to see them every day for feeding anyway.

Hope that's put your mind at rest, you don't have to worry too much about them

 

[Borris&Bobo]

heat pads ?
well i have just been discussing about putting some polistyrene glued to the bottom of the hutch and round there bed area along with a hutch snuggle to keep the weather out if there not that good they will atleast do that and not blow off ? we normally get a good couple of inches of snow each year not snowed in yet but the way our house sits they may not get too much sun in the winter, but we will need to see where the sun lies when the frosts come i do love my little piggies and my just 5yr old adores them and is always making sure they have enough water and fresh veg

 

[lily 74]

snugglesafe do heat pads you can put in the microwave and they stay warm for up to 10 hours

Have you thought about foil bubble wrap insulation, it's the stuff you use to insulate lofts etc, you could staple this on the back, sides, and roof and then put a hutch cover over th top to keep out the draughts and rain.

I use an upturned box in their bed area also stuffed with hay

As long as you insulate the hutch, like we do our houses and provide rotated heat pads and plenty of hay bedding they should be snug.

I would also recommend these as they hold a snugglesafe pad

http://www.cosycavies.co.uk/products/snuggle-oos™/

It's always great if piggies can be housed indoors but sometimes people can't for some reason and not everyone has a garage or space for a big enough shed so you have to make the best you can in every situation

 

[Borris&Bobo]

snugglesafe do heat pads you can put in the microwave and they stay warm for up to 10 hours

Have you thought about foil bubble wrap insulation, it's the stuff you use to insulate lofts etc, you could staple this on the back, sides, and roof and then put a hutch cover over th top to keep out the draughts and rain.

I use an upturned box in their bed area also stuffed with hay

As long as you insulate the hutch, like we do our houses and provide rotated heat pads and plenty of hay bedding they should be snug.

I would also recommend these as they hold a snugglesafe pad

http://www.cosycavies.co.uk/products/snuggle-oos™/

It's always great if piggies can be housed indoors but sometimes people can't for some reason and not everyone has a garage or space for a big enough shed so you have to make the best you can in every situation

thankyou this sounds much better we have a staple gun good enough to fix the insulayion to the hutch so i will definately look into this

 

[lily 74]

thankyou this sounds much better we have a staple gun good enough to fix the insulayion to the hutch so i will definately look into this

Wickes sell it by the roll or any diy centre

 

[Emzmum]

My piggies are out in a 2 storey hutch which is open to the grass at the bottom. I have a waterproof cover on it with the windows that can be rolled up. I am going to cover as much of the outer of the huch as I can wi5) bubble wrap, maybe 2 layers, under the cover. When it gets colder, I have plans to conver their run (a converted puppy cage, about 6x2 ft) into an indoor 2 level cage/run.