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Extended cold period in the UK - Please bring your piggies under cover and keep them warm!

Wiebke

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Guinea pigs are NOT HARDY and require ideally an indoors home or an insulated shed well away from drafts, wind, rain and frost during winter. If you pnly have hutch, you will need adequate insulation and a sheltered position.
Guinea pigs are comfortable in the same temperature range as we humans, ideally between 15-25 C. Please make sure that your piggies are safe and snug and not stuck in a drafty thin pet shop hutch! Please also keep in mind that your guinea pigs still need more protection in any unheated rooms like utility rooms or garages (with no car inside).

Tips on how you can keep your piggies warm: Cold Weather Care For Guinea Pigs
Temporary housing solutions for an emergency on very frosty nights and days: Temporary Housing Solutions?

Very young and older indoors piggies can also profit from microwaveable snugglesafes indoors and protection from draft windows or doors.
 
Anyone wanting good suggestions for keeping outdoor piggies warm, here's a few ideas & things to consider:

- Have a few small hideys where your piggies can huddle, full of hay and fleece pouches
- Make sure to get a bottle cover, bottles can freeze up easily and leave piggies with no water
- You can get battery powered garage heaters that you put on the ceiling or walls of your hutch or whatever you have (as long as piggies can't touch them) to give them an extra boost
- Some hutch companies offer covers as well which help insulate
- Like the OP said, microwaveable heat pads won't stay warm very long but can still help
- Always check ahead, if it's going to be too cold, keep them indoors. Better safe than sorry.

If you are keeping them inside because it's too cold outside, I recommend having one of these: https://www.amazon.co.uk/d/Dog-Play...r=1-7&keywords=guinea+pig+indoor+playpen&th=1
I have one and it works very well, you'll need a water bottle stand though. Layer with newspaper, then bedding/fleece & hay.
 
I have 5 snugglesafes and they are slow release heat and stay warm for up to 10 hours. My piggies love them and as soon as I put a nice warm one in the hutch it is occupied usually Dennis hops in the first one. They also bring up the temperature of the hutch. The other morning when I went outside to give my piggies breakfast and a reheat of the snugglesafes, I had to wipe condensation off the inside of the cover. I guess with loads of hay, 5 piggies, 5 snugglesafes and various fleecy items for them to snuggle in it was pretty warm in the hutch even though it wasn't outside.
 
Well I’ve been holding onto a dogs electric heat pad for ages but couldn’t work out how to use that with one outdoor electric socket, a requirement for 2 power supplies and a transformer.
Finally a result: extension into outdoor socket run under hutch on a tray so off the ground, timing switch and then threaded through the lead for the heat pad. The space between the floor and bottom of hutch is shallow but there was more room after the wooden frame part. So now I have toasty pigs from 7pm to 7am.
And yes they are outdoor hutches with thermal insulation plus waterproof cover, added thin polystyrene walls and heavy blankets over the front with enough air getting through.
The recent heated dog bed is getting a fair amount usage right now.

While I have snuggle safes, microwaving 5 takes 20 mins now in one go so this saves me time and worry if I’m going to be late home from work or play.
 
Anyone wanting good suggestions for keeping outdoor piggies warm, here's a few ideas & things to consider:

- Have a few small hideys where your piggies can huddle, full of hay and fleece pouches
- Make sure to get a bottle cover, bottles can freeze up easily and leave piggies with no water
- You can get battery powered garage heaters that you put on the ceiling or walls of your hutch or whatever you have (as long as piggies can't touch them) to give them an extra boost
- Some hutch companies offer covers as well which help insulate
- Like the OP said, microwaveable heat pads won't stay warm very long but can still help
- Always check ahead, if it's going to be too cold, keep them indoors. Better safe than sorry.

If you are keeping them inside because it's too cold outside, I recommend having one of these: https://www.amazon.co.uk/d/Dog-Playpens/CellDeal-Folding-Fabric-Rabbit-Playpen/B00W6J0D8M/ref=sr_1_7?s=pet-supplies&ie=UTF8&qid=1548454908&sr=1-7&keywords=guinea+pig+indoor+playpen&th=1
I have one and it works very well, you'll need a water bottle stand though. Layer with newspaper, then bedding/fleece & hay.

Could you possibly post a link to a battery powered garage heater, I can’t find one anywhere.
 
Could you possibly post a link to a battery powered garage heater, I can’t find one anywhere.
I had a look but can't find one anywhere - I got mine from a friend so I'll see if I can ask. If not, you could try finding one of those heat bulbs they use for incubating chicks but much at a more mild temperature.
 
I like sharing stories~ So once, I was outside in the snow, and my brother comes out with Candy! I’m just screaming at him to put her back so she doesn’t die ((I was a new owner at the time)) and he’s just like: “Well, we’re outside, but we aren’t dying.” He doesn’t understand the concept that they don’t have winter coats ((😖)), but that would be cute! 😉
 
Guinea pigs are NOT HARDY and require ideally an indoors home or an insulated shed well away from drafts, wind, rain and frost during winter. If you pnly have hutch, you will need adequate insulation and a sheltered position.
Guinea pigs are comfortable in the same temperature range as we humans, ideally between 15-25 C. Please make sure that your piggies are safe and snug and not stuck in a drafty thin pet shop hutch! Please also keep in mind that your guinea pigs still need more protection in any unheated rooms like utility rooms or garages (with no car inside).

Tips on how you can keep your piggies warm: Cold Weather Care For Guinea Pigs
Temporary housing solutions for an emergency on very frosty nights and days: Temporary Housing Solutions?

Very young and older indoors piggies can also profit from microwaveable snugglesafes indoors and protection from draft windows or doors.
 
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