How Cold Is Too Cold?

[clmpendragon]

Hi all,
I have two lovely female piggies who I acquired earlier this year. They live outdoors, in a two level hutch that has mesh over 3/4 of the front, and then a 'bedroom' area with wooden walls all the way around so it's a bit more enclosed.
I've been bringing them indoors when the temperature falls below about 7C, but I've been doing a load of reading recently surrounding guinea pig temperature tolerance and people keep saying different things about how cold is too cold for piggies. I thought that they would be fine above about 7C as they have this enclosed area which has a lot of hay in, and the way the hutch is positioned next to the house means that they don't get any cold wind coming in directly to them.
Basically, in summary: is what I'm doing alright, or would you say I need to make some changes?
Your help is much appreciated. X

 

[Betsy]

I have outside piggies and I put loads and more loads and even more more loads in the hutch to keep them warm. I have snugglesafes which I also put in as well as snuggle sacks (piggie sleeping bags),Rosewood Two-Way Hooded Bed for Small Animals on Sale | Free UK Delivery, Rosewood Luxury Plush Bed for Small Animals on Sale | Free UK Delivery and Rosewood Reversible Snuggle Tunnel on Sale | Free UK Delivery I also have a Hutch Hugger™ and a really thick old Merino wool blanket which I put over the front of the hutch. If you have a shed or a garage without a car (I haven't) that you can put them in its better than keeping them outside. They are not good with extreme temperature changes either. Somebody else will be along with a different opinion to mine I'm sure. The important thing is we all do what we think is best for our piggies and we all love them. There is quite a bit of debate on whether inside or outside piggies are best. There is no right or wrong way.

 

[Mother Hubbard]

I keep a thermometer on my outdoor hutches, it helps me regulate the temperature of their enclosure. I'm the same as Betsy, snuggle safes and all sorts. I have my own rule of thumb for my fur babies. I'm generally good with 10 degrees C, the snuggle saves come on below that with mountains of hay, fleece beds, fleece covers over their fiddle bridge sticks. They can manage with -2 degrees C, anything below that, it gets proper worry time. My one hutch is warmer than the other because besides the hutch hugger (they both have), external cover but they have an electric blanket over the front as well. It keeps the temperature always 10 degrees higher. When we had the bad weather the other week, my other hutch came indoors for a week (in a non too warm room) as I didn't want them to get too warm as they would be going back outside. Mine are all doing fine, but the snuggle safes, fleeces and everything mentioned above do really make a difference.

 

[clmpendragon]

I have outside piggies and I put loads and more loads and even more more loads in the hutch to keep them warm. I have snugglesafes which I also put in as well as snuggle sacks (piggie sleeping bags),Rosewood Two-Way Hooded Bed for Small Animals on Sale | Free UK Delivery, Rosewood Luxury Plush Bed for Small Animals on Sale | Free UK Delivery and Rosewood Reversible Snuggle Tunnel on Sale | Free UK Delivery I also have a Hutch Hugger™ and a really thick old Merino wool blanket which I put over the front of the hutch. If you have a shed or a garage without a car (I haven't) that you can put them in its better than keeping them outside. They are not good with extreme temperature changes either. Somebody else will be along with a different opinion to mine I'm sure. The important thing is we all do what we think is best for our piggies and we all love them. There is quite a bit of debate on whether inside or outside piggies are best. There is no right or wrong way.

Thank you so much! I've just ordered the items you've linked, and I've put a blanket over the hutch as well as the waterproof cover thing. Thanks for the reassurance too! X

 

[Betsy]

Thank you so much! I've just ordered the items you've linked, and I've put a blanket over the hutch as well as the waterproof cover thing. Thanks for the reassurance too! X

Only glad to help! I'm with @Mother Hubbard. 10 degrees is the lowest I'll go without snugglesafes etc. There are always some sort of snugglies in the hutch. I change them every few days for hygiene reasons and so the piggies stay stimulated. When I wash the snuggles and the snugglesafe covers, I pop them in old pillowcases (done up with 4 nappy pins!) so that any hay gets trapped inside the pillowcases and doesn't clog up the filter of my washing machine. I always do the last rinse with white vinegar (popped in the fabric conditioner bit in the drawer) as this cleans the machine. I think @eileen uses napisan on occasions too?

 

[eileen]

yes i use napisan,laundry disinfectant,or halo washing liquid.i use my snugglesafes when is 2 degrees and under !