Action plan for winter indoor flat living avoiding damp and cold

[ChupaChups]

Hi all!

Not sure how to even start this...

We live in a nice 1bed flat, but it's not without it's problems. Ventilation is close to none, any air circulation is achieved with opening windows in the morning/ throughout the day. Since we got our two (F2yo) piggies in May it was not a problem at all, nice weather, no condensation issues etc. But now we are in autumn, and I know what that means... Already today there were first signs of condensation on the windows (and I didn't dry any laundry inside yet, cooking was minimal and I did vent the inside twice yesterday)... I opened the window as usual and then realised "oh no but they say temp variation can cause illness in pigs, vet is more expensive than running some heating" so I got that on already to 18.5 degrees.
Guinea pigs are currently in proximity to the window, but in the size of the flat we have, there is nothing that is not in proximity to windows. I keep 1/4th of the cage (4x2 with loft) covered by a fluffy blanket to keep them cozy, avoid draft. Plan is to move the pigs as far as I can from window, keep the blanket, maybe expand? Hay stash moved to driest place in the flat, limit the window open time. But I still have a million questions and answears to any of them based on experience will be absolutely amazing.

1. Should I expand the blanket cover over the cage to 1/2 or for example 1/4 on each side? Or will that reduce air circulation for them as well.
2. We change hay in the hay tray/litter place every day in the evening. Basically every evening we do a clean of the cage, we shake things off, bin paper and hay from litter tray, inspect level of wet of the bedding, change what necessary, put fresh hay, water etc. We do it every day, I know some might find it too much but I want it to be clean and avoid smells, especially now that I can't keep the windows open... However - has anyone had issues with hay getting mould etc over 24h? Will 24h change routine be enough?
3. Has anyone had any problems running a dehumidifier in guinea pig room overnight?
4. What temp variation is really a max? Do I really need to keep the radiator on 24/7? I just used to add a layer and fluffy socks and I'm fine but not sure how those fluffy long haired queens will do. They have fleece bedding, soft houses, balnket on top. Should I get them a pet safe warmer? Or those plastic igloos? I assume they trap the heat that guinea pigs generate when they sit inside? But what about their own condensation in that plastic dome?
5. We use fleece bedding. Laundry in the summer was peachy. Now I realise that even if I reduce my own washing, I will still have to do a wash weekly for the piggos. Does increasing my footrpint and doing pupply pee pads until March is a viable option to reduce laundry? The way I understand pupy pee pads, is you place them on the bottom, cover with the blanket (so no more towel), and bin it every day or two days? Or will I still need more layers etc? Or am I not supposed to cover the pee pads? (although chewing risk...?)
6. I still need to air out the rooms. No way around it and it's also for our own health. In Germany people open windows in winter all the time and it's good for you but also the heating makes the room warm faster. Here I have a bit of a problem. I will reduce the time it's open but what else can I do? I don't have extractor fan in the kitchen so when I cook I will need to have the window open, to avoid condensation. But that might be a problem for the pigs.
7. Will draft from trickle vents on the windows affect the piggies?

Overall, I know heating and keeping things clean will cost less money and stress than vet visit for respiratory issues, infections or god knows what else. But I am also not rich and I have to devise a plan that is financialy responsible and practical, aside from good for the piggletos.

 

[piggieminder]

I hope my comments can give you some pointers that help. I have 9 guinea pigs and 6 cages so my situation is a bit different.

Unless it's raining (letting more damp air in than out) or freezing outside our windows are open in the winter for a while daily, how long depends on weather. Any cage side in direct draught is covered temporarily with a blanket or has a permanent piece of Perspex attached to grids depending on position of cage. Trickle vents are left open most days and nights unless very windy or icy cold except one which is directly above a cage, is closed at night and only opened on good days. I open the kitchen window when cooking but shut the door between the kitchen and the piggy room. Heating thermostat is left on at 16 degrees so heating comes on when needed and keeps the house fairly stable. Main fleece liners are changed every 5 days. I use small fleece pee pads in main peeing areas changed when damp which keeps the amount of washing down. I have enough fleece items to wash on good outside drying days unless it rains for weeks in which case I dry it in the bedroom with a dehumidifier. Disposable puppy pads really need to be covered unless you have fantastic piggies who don't chew them (very rare in my experience!). I wouldn't use towels under fleece, they tend to smell and are hard to dry. Fleece cage liners with an absorbent layer inside are lighter to wash and easier to dry. If you are using a fleece blanket as a liner you may get away with disposable puppy pads as long as your girls aren't burrowers. If you have a source of newspapers you could also try that under the fleece as a disposable alternative. If you want to go down the disposable route wood shavings may be better.

 

[AidaB]

Hi!
We live in an old house, plenty of draughts!
We started out with just heating mornings & evenings, then added a lunch boost for the piggies, along with heatpads( snugglesafes) overnight & blankets around & over the guinea pigs home, also plenty of hay for the guinea pigs to nest in.

For the last couple of years we have changed to heating on 24/7, at approx 17/18C , once the temperature drops. We discovered it doesn’t make a huge difference to the heating bill, as the heating isn’t working so hard to heat the house every time it was turned on.

Piggies still have a blanket around 3 sides of their CC permanently and one over the top at night, with a small gap somewhere!

We have hay in loose piles on noodle bath mats so anypig who wants too can snuggle in a hay nest.

We usually run a dehumidifier in the kitchen when we are home, but not 24/7. Also open the window when cooking( no extraction fan here either!)

Pigs have fleece bedding with zorb inside, I wash & hang inside on days it’s impossible to dry outside.(after a shake outside).
The bedding usually drys relatively quickly. Quicker than our clothes.
We change big base pads weekly & small pads on top as needed, when wet.

You can use puppy pee pads by themselves, if we use them, I prefer to cover them- after a few cheeky piggie snack moments!


Good luck, I hope you find a solution that works for you.

 

[AidaB]

P.S Please don’t use the plastic igloos, I believe they can get condensation build up inside & are not good for guinea pigs.
It’s usually advisable to have hides/houses with multiple exits, to prevent any pig getting trapped. The igloos only have one door.