Transitioning to outdoor living?

[Ruth1]

Remember us?! It’s been a while sorry!

I’m looking for advice and I know this is the best place for it. Please don’t shout at me, but I’m thinking of putting the ladies outside! Since I’ve last been on the forum, I’ve hurt my back and it just isn’t right anymore - cleaning out is a problem. A shed outside would be much easier.

Wondering who keeps their piggies out all year round. This wee pair have lived in my spare room for about 3 years now.

Thinking - I’ll buy as decent a shed as I can afford, insulate it with that shiny stuff from B&Q, buy a bale of hay and throw it about with gay abandon and use some kind of heater. My friend has a greenhouse heater in her dog kennel, so was wondering if that has been used.

Just for fun - here’s Connie the collie cross too - all three of them are rescued, but I think they look like a matching, tri-colour set! Connie just a tad larger than her sisters

 

[Ruth1]

Connie!

 

[Piggies&buns]

I remember you!

I keep mine in my shed. It’s insulated but not heated (can’t get electric out there).
I have a stable door with internal mesh door so it can be opened for ventilation.
I have previously kept them in hutches in the shed as it is much easier to keep them warm in a hutch with blankets than just loose in an unheated shed. However they are now loose (well divided as the two I have left don’t get on) due to a few things changing and it is a touch harder for me to keep them warm, as I say it’s not heated, but it has been fine this winter.

I would suggest you still provide snugglesafe heat pads even if you do have a heater as the pads provide somewhere warm for them to sit.

I would also mention that I actually find keeping cool in summer considerably harder than keeping warm in winter. The shed gets very hot very quickly - 14 degrees and sunny here yesterday but the shed was 22 degrees inside (obviously was fine for now with ventilation but shows how quickly I struggle with it!) - so they have to come out and either onto the lawn or into the hutch which I now keep outside the shed or in the highest of the heat they have to come into the house.

 

[Ruth1]

That is great advice Thankyou and makes me feel happier about doing it!

Hope you are well! Xx

 

[fluffysal]

Is it a possibility that you could just raise the cage with extra grids? I had to do it with mine as I was finding cleaning increasingly difficult. Using grids also makes a great unit for collapsible storage boxes too.

 

[Ruth1]

Is it a possibility that you could just raise the cage with extra grids? I had to do it with mine as I was finding cleaning increasingly difficult. Using grids also makes a great unit for collapsible storage boxes too.

Thanks - it’s on those kalex boxes from Ikea at the min, but whatever angle I’m at it still hurts the oul back