Help! How Do You Keep Pigs Warm In C&c Cages?

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Jen H

Jen H

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I've been quite ill so still haven't set up the c&c and still can't agree with hubby about best solution. We HAVE decided on a big c&c run in the conservatory as it will give them good floor space, looks neat, is contained and easy to clean.
However it is too cold overnight. I've got a heater to keep on in the day (thanks @Chief Guinea Pig for suggestion ) but don't want it to run overnight.
My options are:
1. Have a 120 cage (not ideal for 3 girls, but 140 out of price range with buying c&c) just for overnight that I'll bring into the warmer main house. I don't like this as i really wanted the girls to be settled in one place. I'm worried about territorial issues if they keep moving (though they get on well, they ARE girls with seasons!).
2. Attach the cage to a run, but this will decrease the amount of unbroken 'free running' space as the cage will take up most of my available space. They're only 6 mths old and like to zoom!
3. Have one of these:image.webpattached to the c&c stuffed with hay and a snugglesafe. My concern is that they won't all go in it, or go out to play in the cold!

How do other people keep them warm overnight? At the moment their hutch is indoors with thermal cover, and they've a separate run . I can fit a 5x2 c&c - that's all the space I have. I was considering a 1x2 hayloft with a tunnelled ramp. (Bit worried about ramps).

I'd really value your advice on this thanks, and any other options too.
Jen.
 
MycuteBoys said:
Hi Jen I like option 3 with snuggle sacks, cuddle cups in the run or these igloo hives ive brought mine love them but they mean... washing.
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Haha... the dreaded laundry! When my daughters were younger we used to have an exclusively pink wash, now I have a pig wash!
Thanks, I wasn't sure if the soft beds would be warm enough but the igloo one does. X
 
My pigs love a good snuggle sack/tunnel to sleep in, just make sure you have enough for everybody or if they're very friendly with each other - big enough for all.
 
How about draping fleece over the top of some of the run, then putting some snugglesafe heat pads on the floor underneath the fleece? You could even put some of the snugglesafes inside fleecy cosies. This will help trap heat under the fleece. You can buy fleecy cosies from here: http://www.pawsup4cosypets.co.uk/
Adding a run hutch with a snugglesafe in addition, maybe underneath the draped fleece, would be a fab idea. You could buy three smallish ones, one for each piggy, or a single big one for all three girls.
 
Caviequeen said:
Pigaloos sound like an excellent idea its surprising how warm and comfy they can be in them.
Good Luck :san:
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PopcornPigs said:
My pigs love a good snuggle sack/tunnel to sleep in, just make sure you have enough for everybody or if they're very friendly with each other - big enough for all.
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Thank you- I'll get some ordered xx Excited now :D
 
Ruby Inferno said:
How about draping fleece over the top of some of the run, then putting some snugglesafe heat pads on the floor underneath the fleece? You could even put some of the snugglesafes inside fleecy cosies. This will help trap heat under the fleece. You can buy fleecy cosies from here: http://www.pawsup4cosypets.co.uk/
Adding a run hutch with a snugglesafe in addition, maybe underneath the draped fleece, would be a fab idea. You could buy three smallish ones, one for each piggy, or a single big one for all three girls.
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biscandmatt said:
put grids over one end of the cage and then a blanket over the top. then under that area, fill with a big cosy nest of hay.
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Great idea putting fleece/ blankets over as well- I'll make sure to do that. And they will have a hay area so I'll cover that like you say, so even if one gets kicked out they've that area or a cosy to go to. Thanks x
 
I have fleece pigloos like @MycuteBoys has...with a snugglesafe inside at night


The main thing I have is a slimline oil thermostatic radiator. It costs just 1p every 2 hrs to keep on all the time in winter. Just on level 3 it keeps the room at an ambient 18-20c max, then switches off when it reaches those temps...then on and so forth. For a year ive been with this method and my elec bill has not gone up :)


The radiator cost 30 pounds from screwfix.
 
GloriousGuineaGirl said:
I have fleece pigloos like @MycuteBoys has...with a snugglesafe inside at night


The main thing I have is a slimline oil thermostatic radiator. It costs just 1p every 2 hrs to keep on all the time in winter. Just on level 3 it keeps the room at an ambient 18-20c max, then switches off when it reaches those temps...then on and so forth. For a year ive been with this method and my elec bill has not gone up :)


The radiator cost 30 pounds from screwfix.
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I'd been wondering about cost of heating so thanks for that. It seems a lot cheaper than the electric heater I've got, and maybe safer? Do you leave it on at night too?
 
...... ignore me- I just reread your comment and you said to leave it on all the time! Haha! It's late and I'm half watching X factor on catch up! :whistle:
 
Jen H said:
I'd been wondering about cost of heating so thanks for that. It seems a lot cheaper than the electric heater I've got, and maybe safer? Do you leave it on at night too?
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I leave it on 24 hrs a day in winter. It's safe and cheap and I don't have to worry about overheating them because it's thermostatic. Also has a safety cut out just in case.

Electric fan/halogen can melt/catch fire etc if left on constantly.

I leave it on 24 hrs in winter as my boys are hairless and feel the cold :)
 
GloriousGuineaGirl said:
I leave it on 24 hrs a day in winter. It's safe and cheap and I don't have to worry about overheating them because it's thermostatic. Also has a safety cut out just in case.

Electric fan/halogen can melt/catch fire etc if left on constantly.

I leave it on 24 hrs in winter as my boys are hairless and feel the cold :)
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Aw they're gorgeous. I've never seen any of these. They must feel so soft and squidgy!
 
Hi Jen. Looks like you're not going for option 3 anyway but in case it helps, we've got one of those - looks exactly the same but came from rabbit hutches online not bunny business (they sell them as a suggested extra with their large outdoor runs). It's not very good in my opinion. Ours is not very well made and the door which is also the ramp doesn't fit very well in the hole. (may be tho if it is a cheap copy of the bunny business one that maybe why also we have used it outside and it kept the interior dry in rain but maybe the damp has made the wood swell and you wouldn't have that problem inside).

I would say all 3 could fit inside (2 is no problem at all) although movig around each other may be a bit tight (great for snuggling up!).

If you can bear the extra washing I would go with pigloos made of cosy material and put snugglesafe heatpads in. I use ours with the covers they come with.

In our outdoor hutch I am currently using a large plastic pigloo which I stuff with hay (loosely) then put the heatpad in. I also put hay round the outside. You could do the same thing by putting a large cardboard box over a pigloo or cosy and stuff the gap between them with hay.

I was just thinking today how I have a pink wash now I have a nearly 3 year old daughter!
 
PiggySmitten said:
Hi Jen. Looks like you're not going for option 3 anyway but in case it helps, we've got one of those - looks exactly the same but came from rabbit hutches online not bunny business (they sell them as a suggested extra with their large outdoor runs). It's not very good in my opinion. Ours is not very well made and the door which is also the ramp doesn't fit very well in the hole. (may be tho if it is a cheap copy of the bunny business one that maybe why also we have used it outside and it kept the interior dry in rain but maybe the damp has made the wood swell and you wouldn't have that problem inside).

I would say all 3 could fit inside (2 is no problem at all) although movig around each other may be a bit tight (great for snuggling up!).

If you can bear the extra washing I would go with pigloos made of cosy material and put snugglesafe heatpads in. I use ours with the covers they come with.

In our outdoor hutch I am currently using a large plastic pigloo which I stuff with hay (loosely) then put the heatpad in. I also put hay round the outside. You could do the same thing by putting a large cardboard box over a pigloo or cosy and stuff the gap between them with hay.

I was just thinking today how I have a pink wash now I have a nearly 3 year old daughter!
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Aww you're so lucky- that's a lovely age especially at Christmas! Is she excited? What does she want Father Christmas to bring? My 3 year old nephew has asked for 'a big flag' ha ha!
I am actually going for option 3, but with all the other advice too, as I'm not sure they always sleep together (one or other is usually being a bit of a cow- they take turns!) and if I have a snuggly hayloft and cosy pigloos with heatpads covered over with fleece, they can move about the space and still be warm. Def getting the oil filled radiator too, I can use my electric one upstairs for us when it's cold in a morning. I'm glad you said about the size of the little run hutch, sounds fine and I've got a bunny business run for outside so I can use it with that in summer.
Thanks xx
 
She wants "a present" from Santa so we should be ok! My 6 yo boy wants sky sports TV at the end of his bed. We don't even have Sky TV....!
 
I use plastic pigloos, wooden huts and lots of hay. It helps that my house is a warm one too :)
 
Flutterby said:
I use plastic pigloos, wooden huts and lots of hay. It helps that my house is a warm one too :)
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I wish our house was big enough to keep them in the main bit but it's tiny! WE barely fit in ! I'm going to warm the conservatory though.
 
Flutterby said:
Mine are lucky enough to have their own bedroom :P Spoiled bloomin 'pig's!
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We've decided we are going to look into an extension but it's not supposed to be for the piggies - it's because we need more room now the piggies have moved in!
 
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