do gunnie pigs like to b indoor or outdoors

  • Thread starter Thread starter nicky b
  • Start date Start date
Status
Not open for further replies.
N

nicky b

i was just wanting to know if gunniepigs like to be keept indoors or out doors i keep mine insidedoors becuase i stay in scotland and the weather can be very bad at time so if any1 knows please let me no O0 :)
 
nicky b said:
i was just wanting to know if gunniepigs like to be keept indoors or out doors i keep mine insidedoors becuase i stay in scotland and the weather can be very bad at time so if any1 knows please let me no O0 :)
Click to expand...

I live in Scotland and I don't think it's appropriate for them to be kept outdoors though I know some people do all year round. Temperature fluctuations can kill a piggy in no time, I learnt this the hard way about 11 years ago. I thought it was OK for my piggy to be in an unheated outbuilding but failed to realise that in winter the temperature can be -10 at night and 7 during the day. In summer when I had him outside the temperature could be in the high 20s during the day and below 10 at night. Not nice. In the winter if you have pigs outside, you CANNOT bring them in the house for cuddles because it's just too much of a change in temperature and a shock to their system. I was told by my vet this is one of the most common causes of pigs falling ill - doing this really weakens them. A bit like putting a human child outside to play from a warm house in the winter without a coat.

Not to mention predators - foxes are cunning. There have also been people in Scotland have pigs stolen from their sheds. Not something I choose to risk any more and I have a bunch of happier and much more sociable pigs all because they hear and see us all the time even if we aren't interacting with them.

We are warm blooded animals too - if a temperature is uncomfortable for us, it's likely to be uncomfortable for them.
 
Indoors is best, I firmly believe that and agree with what DSL has said. But I simply can't have mine indoors as I suffer with terrible Hayfever and have paid the price all winter. I do have a couple of boars who prefer to be in their own company. All mine are sociable and live in my Piggy Shed. I know I can no longer bring them in for cuddles but I sit out there for an hour or two having a cuddle and checking them over each day.

I wouldn't leave them vulnerable my niece has hers out in all weathers! I've insulated my shed, use heat pads and cover the cages up of a night. I do hope to get a 10x8 or bigger shed in the near future (once I can afford it) and build some nice big spacious hutches.

But if you can manage them indoors then it is the way to go. :)
 
I agree, I have had to have some of mine indoors over the winter due to illness and the unexpected babies, but I have had a lot more trouble with my asthma! Most of mine are in my shed, but I do love having the indoor ones - you get to see so much more of their little lives! They're great entertainment.

Sophie
x
 
I don't have a choice with mine as I live in a ground floor flat and although I do have a small garden there's too many people go walking past it so they have to live indoors. I would be too frightened if they were outside that someone would steal them - I'm forever seeing signs in my local supermarket for missing rabbits/guinea pigs/cats. :'(
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Back
Top