When can i put my piggies out in their shed?

Piggiewheekwheek

Piggiewheekwheek

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I have a brand new shed waiting to be put up for my piggies,I have had it since last year but fue to unforseen injuries I didn't get chance to put it up.
So my pigs have been indoors since I got them so have become acclimatised to indoor warmth.
When can I put them out?
I think they are fed up with being cooped up in their cages now.
 
You’ll have to wait until it warms up outside (at night). Minimum 15c if I remember correctly. If you can heat the shed and keep it warm as above, then you MAY be able to put them out now. Those with outdoor piggies will be able to answer better. Don’t take my word on the last bit.
 
@Siikibam is correct

If the shed isn’t insulated and heated then they can’t go out until the nights are warm enough.

If the shed is heated and insulated and you can maintain the temperature day and night (night time temperature drops would be your biggest concern if you turn the heating off) then you can probably put them out now.

My boys have always been outside in their rickety old shed (it’s being replaced this spring - yay!) and it keeps them about five degrees warmer than the outside temperature but it is still a lot of work to keep all the extra warmth in to keep them warm enough and my boys are used to outdoor temperatures. It would be too hard on indoor piggies to be outside now if you can’t keep the temperature in the shed the same as they are used to indoors.
 
I have an oil filled radiator and to be honest sometimes my house is nearly as cold inside as it is outside(crappy new builds) might give it another month or so then.i wanted to paint my shed anyway before I put it up so might crack on with that in the meantime.
 
Piggieweekweek said:
I have an oil filled radiator and to be honest sometimes my house is nearly as cold inside as it is outside(crappy new builds) might give it another month or so then.i wanted to paint my shed anyway before I put it up so might crack on with that in the meantime.
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It’s not just the cold, there is the potential for damp air of winter, even within the shed, which can be a problem as well when combined with lower temperatures. For their safety, I would be tempted to wait longer than a month.
 
Hi there.

My piggies live in a shed outside & I'm also in Lancashire 👍 have you insulated your shed already? If not i would suggest to do this first (walls, door & base). You can get a roll of it online & spray glue. This will keep the heat in. I have 1 heat source which is a cobbled together fan heater on an extension lead & I give it a good blast in the evening. Its inportant to maintain ventilation too so a window which you can open a bit (securely) to let air circulate is important to get rid of any condensation which may build up (it occurs over a few days if there is not enough circulation, just from the piggies breathing.

You'll probably find a better heat solution than me as I'm waiting to get an outside socket installed but its ok for now.

Snugglesafes are good for the night plus at least a hidey each stuffed with hay (i cover my hideys with a blanket, or t towel or fleece just to keep it snug.

Personally i would spend the next couple of weeks getting it snug (and seeing off any February snow) first and then introduce them. I'm preparing myself to bring them inside if the temps drop dramatically so the last thing you want is to get them out only to bring them back in again 😊.

They will be absolutely fine though once they are in there, it really is just the condensation issue you need to be on top of especially if its insulated to the max like mine is 😂 ....if youve got a run you could also think about getting a tube connector to make things even easier (if u do that let me know as i found a much cheaper option than the runaround tubes 👍).
 
Sorry i just read you have an oil filled radiator. In that case I would think they would be fine 👍
 
Darcey15 said:
Sorry i just read you have an oil filled radiator. In that case I would think they would be fine 👍
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I have been thinking of getting tubing to go to their run so yeah if you know of a cheaper option thanks...
Also I wouldn't be able to keep the radiator on 24hrs I am on a pre payment meter so would that not be good for them to warm up and then get cold again?
 
Piggieweekweek said:
Also I wouldn't be able to keep the radiator on 24hrs I am on a pre payment meter so would that not be good for them to warm up and then get cold again?
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They ideally need a stable temperature as large fluctuations aren’t good for them. It is going to depend how much the temp will drop by over what time period. If it drops, for example, 20 degrees to 8 degrees in an hour or two, then that wouldn’t be good.

My boys shed isn’t heated, they live in it year round, but I can keep the inside of their hutch warm enough constantly so they don’t experience fluctuations within their hutch. If the shed itself has dropped then I don’t let them out until it warms up and matches the hutch temperature
 
The oil filled radiators don’t use that much electricity (as far as I’ve seen) so it should be ok to keep it on. I think you can set it so it somehow turns on if the temp drops.

How big is the radiator and is it enough to keep the entire shed warm? You could always test it out before you put them in. And can also check how much electricity it uses roughly.
 
Good plan,I have to actually put the shed up yet lol it's in my garage 🤣🤣going to paint it first though so could be a few weeks before I can do anything anyway,hopefully the weather might get a bit better by then xx
 
Piggieweekweek said:
I have been thinking of getting tubing to go to their run so yeah if you know of a cheaper option thanks...
Also I wouldn't be able to keep the radiator on 24hrs I am on a pre payment meter so would that not be good for them to warm up and then get cold again?
Click to expand...
Look up Pets Play Store on ebay. They sell a selection of different length tubes & hutch/run connectors. I bought my kit from runaround & their perspex connectors seem better but the tubes are cheaper here & compatible with runaround (i have fitted both types together to make a longer rube). Good to have options!

Also re the drop in temps, my heater is predominantly to see off any condensation so it only goes on once every couple of days currently as its mild, but because the shed is fully insulated, it never feels very cold. If it gets very icy I'll just bring them inside. The snugglesafes, loads of hay & fleece over their pigloos at night (or whatever you have) will keep them snug. It's mainly damp & draughts you want to avoid & its about getting them acclimatised to a different environment as they've been used to being inside, so I'd probably use the heater each evening to start with or set it up so it only comes on when the temp drops below a certain point like others have said. But no, my heater certainly isn't on all the time.

It'll be summer before we know it ☀️🕶 x
 
Darcey15 said:
😂 especially for the long and bushy haired amongst them!......it'll be air conditioning units we are discussing next and I might end up moving into the shed myself before long 🤣
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I have one such long haired boy who is not a fan of summer or the hair cut I give him! Poor boy can’t win though, he either has a groovy hair cut done by me with my unqualified hairdresser status or he has long flowing locks and then my husband refers to him as ‘the one who looks like a mop’ ...poor piggy
 
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