Advise re cages please

cath000

cath000

Junior Guinea Pig
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Hi all
I wondered if anyone could give me a little advise or ideas please.
I currently have two male piggies who are the best of friends and live indoors in a Midwest together in my utility room. In the warm weather they have a run outside, colder months they get floor time and cuddles indoor.
Here's my problem... we are moving house this week to a smaller house with no utility room and no room for a Midwest. I am planning to set up their Midwest in the shed and bring them indoors as much as possible but I think its too cold at night for them so was thinking of getting a small cage - 80cm literally just for the winter nights and extremely cold days. Does this sound ok?
The summertime will be less of a problem as they will be warm enough to have space and be outside more. I just worry a little as they are used to being inside and cosy with us.
Any thoughts please?

Thanks
 
It’s really not advised, and especially for boars, they tend to be more territorial let’s say and taking space away from them could cause lots of stress for them and may cause them to fight
 
The problem would be taking them back outside in the day and then bringing them back in at night would be that the change in temperatures could be quite great in a very short period of time. I note you say you would keep them inside on extremely cold days - what temperature would you call an extremely cold day and what temperature would you consider to be ok for them to be outside? My boys live outside in my shed and I don’t bring them indoors at all now because of the temperature fluctuations would be too much (I brought them on over bonfire weekend and the temperature indoors and outdoors remained pretty consistent so putting them back out wasn’t a problem). If it gets very cold this winter (beast from the east scenario), then they will come in but it will mean they won’t be able to go back out until next spring. Once it gets mid winter, they could end up being indoors the entire time because the temperature changes would be too much and you wouldn’t be able to put them back outside. Even from a 18-20 degree house down to even 5-10 degree outside day time and then back into a 18-20 degree house at night, is too much change in too short a period of time, so midwinter when it was even colder outside, it would be more of a problem
Also, 80cm for boys is too small particularly if they end up being in it for longer than you currently anticipate, and the constant changing of environment may be difficult for them to manage.
 
cath000 said:
Hi all
I wondered if anyone could give me a little advise or ideas please.
I currently have two male piggies who are the best of friends and live indoors in a Midwest together in my utility room. In the warm weather they have a run outside, colder months they get floor time and cuddles indoor.
Here's my problem... we are moving house this week to a smaller house with no utility room and no room for a Midwest. I am planning to set up their Midwest in the shed and bring them indoors as much as possible but I think its too cold at night for them so was thinking of getting a small cage - 80cm literally just for the winter nights and extremely cold days. Does this sound ok?
The summertime will be less of a problem as they will be warm enough to have space and be outside more. I just worry a little as they are used to being inside and cosy with us.
Any thoughts please?

Thanks
Click to expand...
big chance they will fight or bikker in a small cage like that
 
Thanks for the replies, so do you think it would be better for them to be housed straight in the shed in their usual set up?
 
The difficulty you face is that as they are used to being indoor is it is too cold to put them outside now - most people are bringing their outdoor piggies indoors at this time of year. I imagine you will also struggle to keep a Midwest cage warm outside. I find it hard enough with my boys in a well built wooden hutch in their shed.
 
Is there a way to insulate your shed? I mean really insulate it well and cover the cage with a blanket over it? I have also heard people buying oil heaters for their piggies on this site.
 
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Or have you considered C&C grids to make an indoor cage for them?
The beauty of the grids is that you can make them any shape you want to fit in an awkward corner if necessary.
So the cage can be L-shaped and pretty much custom made to fit whatever space you have available - for boars you should aim for a cage that is made of 14 grids to create one level, but the layout can be flexible.
Is that something that might work to keep them insdie over the Winter.
 
Seven7 said:
Is there a way to insulate your shed? I mean really insulate it well and cover the cage with a blanket over it? I have also heard people buying oil heaters for their piggies on this site.
Click to expand...
You could build a new wall inside your shed all the way round like a double layer that has a gap between that and the existing shed wall. And then fill it with insulating wool from a d.i.y shop. Do the floor too and the ceiling.

Basicly a slightly smaller cube inside a cube👍
 
Just an update. We moved and the pigs have settled well in the she. I've made their cage cost by wrapping old duvets around it and using sheets of cardboard on the shed around their cage.
They come in regularly for cuddles and run around in their own when I clean them out.
They are cosy with loads of hay and straw and even have the radio on 😂.
As it's fairly mild they have even had a bit of outdoor time in the grass in their run.
 
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