In for some freezing weather...

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Lisa_Ann

Lisa_Ann

Junior Guinea Pig
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Just checked the weather forecast and the nights are forecast below freezing, some nights for -4.

Wondered what you outdoor piggy owners were planning to do for the nights to make it even warmer?
 
Lots if hay in their beds and plenty of calorific foods x
 
I have just found a large cardboard box which had some hay delivered in, I think I will put this in the bed area and stuff with hay and snuggle pouch and heat pad.

Are heat pads ok next to cardboard?
 
I don't know about the heat pads as our vet advised against using them x
 
We have been told by a few people that the fluctution of temperature can leave guineas more suseptible to illness.
 
I'm going to be putting vetbed in their pigloos, I also have a fleece hanging off the ramp making a sort of tent/den which Skye likes cuddling up in. Lots and lots of hay, and a fleece over the whole front of the hutch. Hopefully in a few days I'll have some plastic tarpaulin or huge sheets of bubblewrap to insulate the hutch - worked wonders last year!
 
Hanging fleece

JayceeStar said:
I'm going to be putting vetbed in their pigloos, I also have a fleece hanging off the ramp making a sort of tent/den which Skye likes cuddling up in. Lots and lots of hay, and a fleece over the whole front of the hutch. Hopefully in a few days I'll have some plastic tarpaulin or huge sheets of bubblewrap to insulate the hutch - worked wonders last year!
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Thanks for sharing your ideas. Can I ask, how do you safely hang the fleece to the hutch? I'm thinking it might be a good idea for my piggies bed area as it would keep out any drafts. Have also put a large cardboard box in there this evening with lots of hay and snuggle pouch.

I cover the hutch with a sleeping bag too.
 
I agree with covering in bubble wrap if you can. Our hutch is covered in the foil-bubble-insulation stuff and we have regular bubble wrap accross the front and it makes all the difference! They also have two fleece blankets across the front overnight too.

My lot have boxes and hideys filled with hay too (although Boris seems to enjoy eating it more than sleeping in it rolleyes ) a fleecy tunnel and cuddle-bag

If you're going to go with the headpad, it should be fine next to cardboard, it's the same kinda heat as a hot water bottle :) x


Is there anyway you could maybe pin fleece to the walls? Or maybe tape - ducktape maybe if you don't want to risk pins?
 
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Lisa_Ann said:
Thanks for sharing your ideas. Can I ask, how do you safely hang the fleece to the hutch? I'm thinking it might be a good idea for my piggies bed area as it would keep out any drafts. Have also put a large cardboard box in there this evening with lots of hay and snuggle pouch.

I cover the hutch with a sleeping bag too.
Click to expand...

The one that is hanging off the ramp is attached with bulldog clips, and the one on the outside, I wedge between the door and the roof, then weigh it down with bricks at the bottom :)
 
Mine are in a shed in a run during the day and then they go in to hutches still in the shed) at about 4/5pm till 8am the next morning.
Their runs have fleecy snuggle bed things and pigloos and the entire floor is covered with hay with fleece underneath.
In their hutches they have cardboard boxes stuffed to the top with hay and a fleecy flat bed to lay on aswell as loads of hay in the rooms.
The hutches have insulation and fleeces around them and a hutch cover.
Unfortunately it's still cold in there, I've been told not to use those heat pads as they can make pets poorly if the temperature fluctuates? it's a bit confusing cos nearly everyone on here recommends them.
 
Guinea-wiggles said:
Unfortunately it's still cold in there, I've been told not to use those heat pads as they can make pets poorly if the temperature fluctuates? it's a bit confusing cos nearly everyone on here recommends them.
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It was me that said we had been advised against them however if you are able to keep them topped up with heat throughout the day it shouldn't cause too much of an issue. The problem is if they are used sporadically then the piggies are exposed to extreme drops and raises in temp.
 
I have wrapped my hutches up in bubblewrap, then tarpaulin. Mine have heat pads, and they love them!

I never heard of the temperature thingy- i just know that my 5 and a half year olds have actually been awake throughout more of the day than previously! :)

xx
 
I've been worrying about my new rescue guinea pig outside at the fosterers for the last couple of days but it does sound like she's got him well wrapped up. Going to fetch him tomorrow - I'm sending my husband as I can't do it, but I'm worried it's going to snow and we won't be able to get over there if we leave it until later in the week.

Paula
 
I'm using heat pads in my shed but its insulated and heated in there so I think it's okay.

Although I must admit i'm a bit worried now.
 
Lisajazz said:
I'm using heat pads in my shed but its insulated and heated in there so I think it's okay.

Although I must admit i'm a bit worried now.
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We to were advised by our vet not to use heat pads as they give a very false sense of heat rolleyes
It is difficult to understand what is righ and what is wrong ! I to am confused now !
 
This is my third winter using snugglesafes and I have never had any problems. However, when it is really cold, they have warm ones 24 hours a day as I re heat them three times a day to achieve this :)
 
:red It wasn't my intention to confuse people! Loads of people use them and they come highly recommended on here. If you are using them consistently then it should be fine.
 
Romily said:
:red It wasn't my intention to confuse people! Loads of people use them and they come highly recommended on here. If you are using them consistently then it should be fine.
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I think that you have made a good point though as I waited until it was really cold until I started to use them and will now carry on using them throughout the winter. It wouldn't be good to use them when it was milder and then stop using them and then start again :)
 
This Little Piggie said:
We to were advised by our vet not to use heat pads as they give a very false sense of heat rolleyes
It is difficult to understand what is righ and what is wrong ! I to am confused now !
Click to expand...

That's what one of the vets told me.
I was going to use them but now I'm a little unsure, at the mo my piggies are all fine running about all crazy and they haven't lost any weight and are eating lots so I might wait a little bit longer.
 
I gave in the other day and brought them in

they were in a hutch with tons of hay, heatpads and insulation on hutch plus a hutch hugger but i just couldn't bear the idea of them being out there. the forecast for overnight temps this week-here anyway-are minus 11


they are now in their cage in the corner of the living room and seem quite happy!
 
I've bought some of the cat pyramid type beds, all fleece with cushions inside, have 2 now, and then lots of hay. I also put an old duvet over the front and then cover with waterproof sheets! I have 5 pigs outside, and they all huddle together in the beds.
Looked at the vet bed today, pets at home, so expensive, am going to see if I can find it cheaper anywhere else. Would be good to have something esle so I can wash the beds and get them dried.
 
vet bed

;)I got some for my old dog as bedding got for good size beds to suit med dog out of the lot I got, got from a site called the bedbox cost 17.99 with the postage, its brilliant stuff have made sleeping bags for my pigs out of the vet bed they love them and they are quit good at staying dry as the wee soaks straight through and the bedding stays dry.
 
vet bed and indoor gage

Forgot to say If you are thinking of bringing your furry folk in ZOOPLUS have xxxl indoor skyline gage on special at the mo at £34.99 free post-c
 
We have the heating off in our house during the day and our back bedroom we do not heat at all unless we have people stay over. The piggies come in and play when the heating is off. It is cold for us but at least they're ok :))

You are right though that bringing them in to a nice warm house and then taking them back out isn't a good idea.

I gave the girls warm snugglesafes last night before I went to work and when I opened the bed up, I could feel the heat from inside. A shame I let some of it out but it soon warmed up again with 4 piggy bodies. snugglesafes, hay and fleeces in there :)
 
My pigs are in an insulated shed but I still use an oil radiator. One of my pigs is old and lives alone so he also has a fleece hut that he loves to sleep in. I put hay all around it and wedge it inbetween the walls, etc, like a cave.

I did go down to -11 celcius here. It was a weird cold snap (record breaking) and the heater only got as high as 5 degrees but at least it was above freezing. I gave my pigs massive amount of hay and made sure it didn't get too damp. Sometimes they were even sleeping out on top of their hidebox. So I think they didn't mind.

Now its back to about 5 degrees, thank goodness, and the shed is 10-12 degrees celcius.

I worried about giving them snugglesafes as I only have one and I think the flucuation of temps isn't good but if you are using them around the clock I'm sure th pigs would love them and wouldn't be a problem.

:)

Lynn
 
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