D
Deleted member 147427
Can guinea pigs be kept in a hutch in all weather even when they are still quite small
- Status
You can keep guinea pigs in an outside hutch year round but it takes a lot of work. The ideal, if they cannot live in the house, is to move their hutch into a shed or unused garage.
If not possible, ensuring the hutch is positioned out of direct winds and rain and has plenty of Insulation.
In addition, if you were to get piggies later in the year, then they don’t really have time to acclimatise to outdoor condition before winter hits. It’s best where possible, to keep them inside for the first winter and only move them outside from the following spring. They can then have the whole summer to acclimatise to outdoor conditions and get used to the cold slowly as autumn progresses. I wouldn’t recommend new or young piggies are put straight outside at this time of year.
Piggies aren’t hardy and they need to be kept warm (they are most comfortable at 18-22 degrees, but below 15 degrees can mean they can get too cold), damp and draught free. Lots of hay and snugglesafes inside the hufch and lots of insulation including thermal and waterproof hutch covers (tarps, old carpets can be used as well to further prevent draughts) are essential for outdoor piggies. Along with a back up plan where possible in case keeping them warm enough just isn’t working.
My two live in a hutch in my shed. The hutch is well insulated, the shed is also insulated. In winter, the hutch has its insulation, then a thermal hutch cover, two blankets on next (which go over the top, down the sides and down the front of the hutch), then a normal plastic fronted waterproof hutch cover and then a duvet gets pulled over all of it. Inside the hutch is filled with hay and they have four heatpads between the two piggies. The shed alone helps them remain 5-10 degrees warmer than outside, with the hutch usually 5-8 degrees warmer than the shed itself, with the other measures (insulated hutch, heatpads etc) then i can usually keep them above 15 degrees in winter but only as long as it doesn’t drop much below 0-2 degrees outside. Below 0-2 degrees outside and the temperature inside the shed drops below 10 and subsequently keeping it warm enough in the hutch then becomes harder) so the piggies move into the house for the remainder of winter (luckily I live in a fairly mild area but this last winter all my measures did fail when it hit -9 outside)
Cold Weather Care For Guinea Pigs
If not possible, ensuring the hutch is positioned out of direct winds and rain and has plenty of Insulation.
In addition, if you were to get piggies later in the year, then they don’t really have time to acclimatise to outdoor condition before winter hits. It’s best where possible, to keep them inside for the first winter and only move them outside from the following spring. They can then have the whole summer to acclimatise to outdoor conditions and get used to the cold slowly as autumn progresses. I wouldn’t recommend new or young piggies are put straight outside at this time of year.
Piggies aren’t hardy and they need to be kept warm (they are most comfortable at 18-22 degrees, but below 15 degrees can mean they can get too cold), damp and draught free. Lots of hay and snugglesafes inside the hufch and lots of insulation including thermal and waterproof hutch covers (tarps, old carpets can be used as well to further prevent draughts) are essential for outdoor piggies. Along with a back up plan where possible in case keeping them warm enough just isn’t working.
My two live in a hutch in my shed. The hutch is well insulated, the shed is also insulated. In winter, the hutch has its insulation, then a thermal hutch cover, two blankets on next (which go over the top, down the sides and down the front of the hutch), then a normal plastic fronted waterproof hutch cover and then a duvet gets pulled over all of it. Inside the hutch is filled with hay and they have four heatpads between the two piggies. The shed alone helps them remain 5-10 degrees warmer than outside, with the hutch usually 5-8 degrees warmer than the shed itself, with the other measures (insulated hutch, heatpads etc) then i can usually keep them above 15 degrees in winter but only as long as it doesn’t drop much below 0-2 degrees outside. Below 0-2 degrees outside and the temperature inside the shed drops below 10 and subsequently keeping it warm enough in the hutch then becomes harder) so the piggies move into the house for the remainder of winter (luckily I live in a fairly mild area but this last winter all my measures did fail when it hit -9 outside)
Cold Weather Care For Guinea Pigs
Last edited:
D
Deleted member 147427
Is it safe to wash just a guinea pigs bum with a little washing up liquid and warm water
This is the same question you have asked on your other threads where answers have also been provided - your other thread contains the guide on how to give a bum bath and hair cutting
Please do not use washing up liquid on your piggy - it is far too harsh for their skin. If you need to give a bum bath please use just plain warm water. As advised previously, you will need to keep the hair cut short but bathing will not remove the staining
If you need to use a shampoo, look to Gorgeous Guineas products, but plain water is fine for the occasional bum bath
D
Deleted member 147427
D
Deleted member 147427
Okay it’s it best just to give them a bum bath to keep the bum clean what will remove the staining
Healthy, young piggies will keep themselves clean - you don’t need to bathe them. An occasional bum bath is fine but also unnecessary for a lot of piggies. My almost four year old boys have never needed a bum bath
As advised on your other threads, removing staining is difficult. Cutting the hair is the best way but as your piggy is white, staining is just going to come back again
The advice given in your previous thread is here - please do read through it, and the guides linked, as the answers are already provided
Dirty back end
D
Deleted member 147427
D
Deleted member 147427
It was my parents that bought the hutch for them as a birthday present. Can I see how they get on in the hutch and if they start to violently fight think about buying a bigger one
D
Deleted member 147427
Is it possible for me to see how how they get on in the hutch i have
If the hutch you have is outside or too small then you shouldn't use it.
If the hutch is too small and they fight and fall out then there is no going back, and they will need to live separately forever - it is simply not worth the risk.
You posted a few days ago that you parents had agreed they could live inside until Spring.
Have they changed their minds now?
D
Deleted member 147427
No I’m keeping them inside now until the warmer weather . I ment in the warmer weather when they can go outside
What hutch do you have and what are the internal dimensions - a photo would be great.
D
Deleted member 147427
Engel
Adult Guinea Pig
I'm afraid that is too small.
When we say floor space, literally think how much space the hutch takes up on the floor. Notice how the second floor doesn't take up any more space on the floor.
One thing to know is when a company states the dimensions of something (how big something is), it's normally measured at the widest point. Look at the photo of the hutch, can you see how the roof is longer than the actual hutch?
The company says the item is 120cm long by 50cm wide but this is how big the roof is as the roof is the biggest bit. The actual part the piggies will live in is not as long or as wide as the roof.
It is a bad idea to wait for them to have a bad fight before getting a bigger hutch. The reason why is because if they have a fight, they won't be able to live together anymore because they will continue to fight in a bigger hutch as they won't like each other anymore. It will make them feel sad.
Will they be living in the garage all year round? Because if they are, AND if it is safe (no foxes, cats, dogs, rats or mice can get in and hurt your pigs) you may be able to have the hutch and attach a very big run for them to have access to all day, everyday, including at night time. But you need to make sure it stays nice and warm. It needs to be safe for them to keep them happy and to make sure they don't get poorly or hurt.
If you can't keep them in the garage all year round, could you buy a nice big shed just for them and make it safe so they can go into their run when they want. Remember this will need to be kept warm and safe to keep them happy and to stop them getting poorly and hurt.
Remind me, how many piggies do you have? Are they boys or girls?
If there's anything you don't understand or unsure of please ask, I'll try and explain things better.
D
Deleted member 147427
As we told you the other day this hutch is too small. It is smaller than minimum size requirements so your piggies should not live in it at all. You need to buy a bigger hutch before your piggies can live in a hutch. You really should look for a hutch which is the recommended 150x60cm. It can be a single storey hutch as piggies do not need ramps to upper levels (upper levels don’t count towards the cage size)
(Its absolutely appalling that the hutch says it is suitable for rabbits - it would be cruel to keep rabbits in a hutch of this size)
You cannot wait and see how they get on with the hutch because
1) it doesn’t meet size requirements in the first place, they simply do not have enough room to be happy in this hutch
2) If your piggies fight because of lack of space, then their relationship will be broken and it will be too late to get them a bigger hutch. If they have a fight, then they will never be able to live in the same hutch ever again.
Last edited:
D
Deleted member 147427
I know but the bigger hutches are massive and will take up a lot of space which I don’t really have the room for
I'm sorry but that is how it is - you need to be able to provide a hutch which is at least bigger than minimum requirements. Piggies need a lot of space in their living space to be happy and healthy.
Having an additional run or floor time is great (obviously for outdoor piggies runs on the lawn can only be used during summer) but as it doesn’t form part of their cage, it still doesn’t count on their living space
Last edited:
D
Deleted member 147427
Well it was my mum and dad that bought there hutch as one of my birthday presents. I’m not sure how they would feel having me saying they need one that’s a lot bigger .as I’m sure they would feel it’s wasted money
I’m sorry about that, but it’s a simple fact that the hutch is not up to standard and does not provide them with anywhere near enough space. It’s a shame the hutch is for sale given it doesn’t meet RSPCA sizing requirements.
Cage Size Guide
D
Deleted member 147427
What size hutch are your piggies in
My two boys live in a hutch which is 180x60cm.
But, they live permanently in my shed so they free roam a larger space most of the year, giving them a total space of 180x180cm. They only get locked into the hutch at night time during winter so I can keep them warm enough.
Last edited:
- Joined
- Nov 10, 2009
- Messages
- 54,261
- Reaction score
- 39,249
- Points
- 3,350
Sorry you don’t like the above answers but it it how it is.
You have the answer to your question, the answer isn’t going to change and sorry if that causes some distress, but the piggies are indoors at the moment and perhaps you have a few months to think of possible solutions to give them a bigger space
Your piggies are gorgeous by the way
You have the answer to your question, the answer isn’t going to change and sorry if that causes some distress, but the piggies are indoors at the moment and perhaps you have a few months to think of possible solutions to give them a bigger space
Your piggies are gorgeous by the way
D
Deleted member 147427
Aww thanks no I appreciate everyone’s advise on here
D
Deleted member 147427
- Joined
- Nov 10, 2009
- Messages
- 54,261
- Reaction score
- 39,249
- Points
- 3,350
They are little at moment but soon grow... What length is the cage?
D
Deleted member 147427
The dimensions are 51 x 120 x 58
I'm assuming this means its width x length is 120x58cm (and that the height is 51cm). This converts to 7.5 square feet. Two sows need a minimum of 120x60cm (8 square feet).
Some people clip the door open of the cage and add grids to the front of commercial cages so piggies can come out from the cage and play in a permanent space in front of the cage. This means they have plenty of space and you dont have to buy another cage. Might that be an option for you (obviously this would mean the cage needs to be on the floor)?
I know it doesnt sound a lot, but the more space you can give them the better. Piggies really do require a lot of single level floor space, and the more space you can give beyond the absolute minimum requirements, the better - your piggies will be happier and healthier for it. Unfortunately there are lot of hutches and cages sold as being suitable for piggies (and worse for rabbits which really do require huge amounts of space) but they just arent.
Last edited:
- Status