Do Guinea Pigs Need Natural Light / Artificial Light ?

[Deleted member 114675]

It's winter in the UK . My Guineas are in a heated shed which has lighting too. I naturally turn the lighting on when I am with them but I have noticed they aren't too bothered whether the light is on or off.

I just wondered whether Guinea Pigs benefited from having artificial light .

Plus ...
How much natural light do they need ?

 

[Guineapigfeet]

Mine get as much natural light as nature gives and I don't have the shed light on unless I'm in there and need to see who I'm nearly stepping on!

 

[zombieprincess]

I tend to leave them. Mine are also in a shed that has heating and a light. But I pretty much let nature run its course. I obviously use the light first thing when I go out to them at 6 am before work, but turn it off again. And then pop it back on once I'm home for an hour whilst I do clean outs etc. And obviously if I go in. But otherwise I leave it. They are more active at dawn and dusk anyway, so I wouldn't want to take that away from them with a glaring light

 

[flowerfairy]

My shed has light and an oil fired radiator (oh so brilliant). It has two windows so there is a fair amount of natural light. I only put the electric light on when I need to see (evenings atm).

 

[Swissgreys]

I think this is a really interesting question.
My initial thoughts would be about the importance of natural light for Vitamin D, as food is generally a poor source of Vitamin D, and Vitamin D is essential for calcium uptake.

But I also don't think it can affect piggies in the same way that is affects humans, although this may simply be due to a lack of research in this area (it won't generate money, so the priority to look into it will be low). Plus as their eye sight isn't their strongest sense, light may not be as important as an occasional open window (for example) when it comes to stimulation and quality of life.

Because guinea pigs are crepuscular, I imagine low light might actually be a very comfortable environment for them.
I would be interested to read any official published data on this topic in guinea pigs, but in lieu of that I personally don't feel a low light environment would be harmful - most important is that they are somewhere safe, warm, and are well cared for.

 

[pig in the city]

As far as I am aware, rabbits need exposure to sunlight for the manufacture of Vitamin D , it is included in pellets and is present in hay and dried leaves, but I try and ensure they get exposure to natural light in the summer months. My house rabbits also have a UV lamp to bask under!
I imagine piggies are the same, so as long as they get run time outside in the summer months they should make enough Vitamin D to see them through the winter. The sunlight from the autumn equinox until the spring equinox is not powerful enough in the UK to manufacture Vitamin D in the skin (for us and animals).
As regards artificial light, I think a regular routine of lights on and off is probably better. I find mine all go to sleep if the lights are off so have a timer to switch lights on as dusk falls at this time of year and off at bedtime

 

[MJG]

I think they'll just be so happy they're inside nice and snug as a bug

 

[Freela]

I'm really not too sure. Mine get artificial light, no natural light (they are in our family room which is in the basement.) They get artificial light during daytime hours, since I work from home at the computer in the family room and have the lights on. They seem happy enough that way. The pellets they eat are vitamin-fortified (we have never had a vitamin D issue.) They seem most active in the mornings and evenings regardless, even at the cottage in the summer when they do have natural light all day.

 

[Tewdric]

I'm interested in answers to this as well.

This year my pigs have moved into the shed for the winter. There is a South East facing window, so in the upstairs bit of their hutch they can 'bask' in direct sunlight up until about lunchtime when the sun the disappears behind our house.

I have wondered how gloomy they find it in their downstairs bit of the hutch and their attached run on rainy/overcast days.

That said, it's dark when I get home from work and go out to feed them during the week. There are usually a couple of them out in the run bit waiting for me to bring out their evening veggies!

 

[Pawz]

Maybe @BossHogg could "SHED some LIGHT onto the subject? As he has his piggies in a wooden mansion in his back yard.

 

[BossHogg]

I have a 60w low energy bulb in my shed so it doesn't get too hot, the light is bright enough to see what I'm doing without being too bright. During the summer when they come and go as they please, the light is off and the door is open. During the winter, the light is switched on first thing when I feed them and knock the light off at night when they get bedded down for the evening. I'm not too concerned about the electric light as they have a darkened sleeping compartment in their hutch so they can get away from the light if needed. The rabbits however have full access to the outdoors 365 days a year, they normally spend an hour or so chewing the lawn before relaxing in their hutch for a few hours.