Flossieteacake
New Born Pup
Hi I’d like to get a pair of young Guinea pigs. What is the best and cage and run to get? I’d like to keep them outside, how old do they need to be to go outside? Do they need to come in in the winter also? Thanks
Welcome to the forum
Housing - For outdoor piggies you need a good, sturdy, solid hutch (ideally not made of plywood). A hutch needs to be 5 foot for a pair of sows or 6 foot for a pair of boars.
You would also need a good study run for supervised run time.
It’s not necessarily a case of age for being outside, it’s time of year, temperature and whether they are acclimatised to outdoor conditions.
Piggies who have only been indoors must be slowly acclimated to outdoor conditions and cannot be put outside fully until night times are over 15 degrees. So let’s say you were to get piggies now, they would have to be kept indoors but can go into an outdoor hutch during the day if the temperature is over 15 degrees but they would still need to be brought in at night until night time is also over 15 degrees.
Piggies who have always been outside can remain outside provided they are well protected.
Piggies are most comfortable between 18 and 20 degrees, but no lower than 15 and no higher than 25.
This means you need to be able to keep their hutch protected and warm enough in winter and cool enough in summer.
Ideally hutches are placed into an unused garage or shed from late autumn until early spring as this protects them from the elements; or piggies brought indoors during winter if it’s not possible to keep them warm enough.
Outdoor piggies need a fully insulated hutch with thermal and waterproof covers, lots of hay for bedding and microwaveable heatpads. A thermometer is also needed.
My piggies live out in my shed. The biggest issue I actually face as an outdoor piggy owner, is the heat in summer not the cold of winter. Although I do have the shed for winter and that makes a world of difference, it becomes a huge problem in summer. Hutches and sheds can very quickly over heat and become dangerous. During the height of summer, my piggies all move indoors for several weeks. As I say, 25 degrees and upwards risks heat stroke but it is also worth remembering that a sun heated breezes on cooler days can still raise temperatures inside hutches.
In terms of the getting piggies, you would do yourself well by contacting a rescue centre to rescue a pair. Doing this means you will get a well bonded, healthy pair of piggies. And in the case of females, you could guarantee they are not pregnant. If you do buy piggies from a pet shop or breeder you do need to be aware of the risks that piggies may come with health issues, sows may not have been separated from boars appropriately and you could end up finding yourself with a pregnant piggy and associated risks. Equally, piggies are just put together for sale with little to no regard for their compatibility. An incompatible pair will fight, fall out and then need to be kept separated adding to your cost in housing etc.
I’ve added a link below to the new owners section of the forum. You will find lots of guides which can help you. We are also more than happy to answer any questions
New and Wannabe Guinea Pig Owners Corner
Welcome to the forum
Housing - For outdoor piggies you need a good, sturdy, solid hutch (ideally not made of plywood). A hutch needs to be 5 foot for a pair of sows or 6 foot for a pair of boars.
You would also need a good study run for supervised run time.
It’s not necessarily a case of age for being outside, it’s time of year, temperature and whether they are acclimatised to outdoor conditions.
Piggies who have only been indoors must be slowly acclimated to outdoor conditions and cannot be put outside fully until night times are over 15 degrees. So let’s say you were to get piggies now, they would have to be kept indoors but can go into an outdoor hutch during the day if the temperature is over 15 degrees but they would still need to be brought in at night until night time is also over 15 degrees.
Piggies who have always been outside can remain outside provided they are well protected.
Piggies are most comfortable between 18 and 20 degrees, but no lower than 15 and no higher than 25.
This means you need to be able to keep their hutch protected and warm enough in winter and cool enough in summer.
Ideally hutches are placed into an unused garage or shed from late autumn until early spring as this protects them from the elements; or piggies brought indoors during winter if it’s not possible to keep them warm enough.
Outdoor piggies need a fully insulated hutch with thermal and waterproof covers, lots of hay for bedding and microwaveable heatpads. A thermometer is also needed.
My piggies live out in my shed. The biggest issue I actually face as an outdoor piggy owner, is the heat in summer not the cold of winter. Although I do have the shed for winter and that makes a world of difference, it becomes a huge problem in summer. Hutches and sheds can very quickly over heat and become dangerous. During the height of summer, my piggies all move indoors for several weeks. As I say, 25 degrees and upwards risks heat stroke but it is also worth remembering that a sun heated breezes on cooler days can still raise temperatures inside hutches.
In terms of the getting piggies, you would do yourself well by contacting a rescue centre to rescue a pair. Doing this means you will get a well bonded, healthy pair of piggies. And in the case of females, you could guarantee they are not pregnant. If you do buy piggies from a pet shop or breeder you do need to be aware of the risks that piggies may come with health issues, sows may not have been separated from boars appropriately and you could end up finding yourself with a pregnant piggy and associated risks. Equally, piggies are just put together for sale with little to no regard for their compatibility. An incompatible pair will fight, fall out and then need to be kept separated adding to your cost in housing etc.
I’ve added a link below to the new owners section of the forum. You will find lots of guides which can help you. We are also more than happy to answer any questions
New and Wannabe Guinea Pig Owners Corner
Thanks! Would they manage the ramp that goes with them?
Thanks, so how do you give them access to the outside? Do you just keep them in a hutch and then put them in the run in the morning? I’m worried that just being in a hutch they will get bored and will be too small for them but if they can’t get out of the run they are stuck until you can put them back in the hutch?
Or am I overthinking this! Thanks. I just want to give them the best environment possible!