Would like some advice about winter time, please :)

[Cov pig]

Hello,
We have two male piggies in a double storey hutch which is outside.
As it starts to get colder, can they stay outside with a cover over the hutch or should we move them to the garage?
They seem happy enough in the hutch at the moment, but I have a feeling summer is totally over now ...!

Thanks

 

[Lil-Ninnibig]

Hi id personally move them into the garage so long as you dont park cars in it as the fumes can harm or kill piggies. Also do you have a light in the garage as its unfair to make them live in the dark. Have you not thought about a small shed to move the hutch into during winter? Or what about buying an indoor hutch and bringing them into the house? If you really must keep them outside i had to mine as a child i nailed old carpet on all inner sides of the hutch, and covered the hutch at night with a large piece of carpet covered with a waterproof sheet like you buy to cover trailers etc. Personally though i dont agree with piggys living outdoors during winter, they struggle with cold temps ..and also give them plenty of bedding to snuggle into and possibly even buy one of the heatpads you warm in microwave from your local petstore. Keep an eye on there water bottle aswell as they freeze up.

 

[Amysmom]

We also have 2 boys who live outside in a double story. They usually go into the shed during winter which has two windows and on a warm day we would have the door ajar.

This year though we have now brought them into the garage-our garage is off our back room amd my utility is in there so they will get much more company. The garage has plenty of daylight too. We didn't bring the hutch in, they are in my girls old cage (they used before having a c&c). They have snuggle sacks and I drape a fleece blanket over at night.

As long as your garge has plenty of light they will be fine. I wouldn't leave the hutch out during winter, they will get too cold, especially when we have frosts.

 

[Cov pig]

I hadn't thought about the shed - We have a shed and it gets more light than the garage - I am going to measure it up and see if I can fit the hutch in - thank you

 

[Amysmom]

Our boys have always been in the shed during winter but my daughter hates them been shut away so now they are in the garge(and the new room was built of it) they will get more company throughout the day.

 

[Cov pig]

Right, so our shed is big enough ... if I rearrange it a bit and stick the tent and roofbox in the garage I'll even have room in their for my big box of guinea pig stuff (hay, woodshavings, food etc all in one giant plastic box)

Thanks!

Also, what do you do about grass in the winter? I don't like the thought of them being out on wet/cold grass.

 

[gogoguineas]

With regards to grass, you could buy readigrass, I don't have a lawn so I get this instead. Would be a good substitute until the spring

 

[Cov pig]

Thank you for that, I will look into it

 

[Salt n Peppers mum]

How did you get on with the shed rearranging?

In the winter you could cut some grass with Sissors to feed them.
That's the downside of our horrid winters piggies can't go out on wet cold grass as it can lead to urinary infection, with their bodies being close to the ground they would soon get wet and cold.