Indoors or Outdoors for their home?

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Mulder and Scully

Mulder and Scully

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I have had my Piggy's for 6 weeks now and the intention had always been for them to live outside. We thought long and hard before getting them and had a spacious 2.5 x 6 two storey hutch made for them outside. The hutch is right next to our back door so it will be easy to keep an eye on them, and easy to go to them even if the weather's bad. However, we decided to keep them inside for the first couple of weeks in an indoor cage and pen to get to know them. The trouble is they are so happy where they are and I'm so attached to them being in the house.

They really are lovely and I don't know if I can face leaving them outside...I'm worried about fox's! I'd appreciate some advice on keeping them safe outside? :^-
 
I've had mine 6 wheeks now too...sorry for the pun! lol
I have to have mine inside as I am in an apartment...AND in Texas...no way are they living out in the heat! Sorry i cant help about the outside question...but I too, love my piggies being inside! (Glad I dont have any other option!x))
 
There is always the option of putting the hutch inside the house :))
Welcome to the piggy slavery ... they've got you wrapped around their little paws already.

If you can't bear to have them outside and there is no real reason for you to have to keep them outside, then keep them inside.

If you strengthen the wire and have the hutch closed and sitting on a stable surface then you shouldn't have too many problem as it's close to the door.
 
I did the same! Hubby spent such a long time making a fab BIG hutch and run and once they were here I couldn't face putting them outside and now they all live indoors.

I have 2 foster piggies living in the hutch but even that's getting to me and as soon as we are back from our holiday they too are coming in to live.

It IS slavery. Go with whatever feels right to you or you'll be unhappy.
 
Yes don't leave them outside :) ^^ Mackpossom your guineapig looks identical to my pip! << Avatar
 
As the long as the hutch is well built and has lots of bedding to keep them warm they will winter out ok, it is just a matter of choice on your part. Is your indoor cage going to be sufficiently large enough when they are full grown? But you will need to decide soon as you don't want to wait too long before you put them out, also need to remember that they can't regulate their temperatures very well which means in the winter cuddles outside rather than bringing them in. You could try putting them out and see how you go as you can always bring them in, you just cant put them out. Hope that helps?
 
Thanks...that's the problem. They have plenty of room inside now but when they are fully grown they'll end up taking over the whole living room! Although my partner loves them he would not be happy about that.

I suppose it's best to do it sooner rather than later, especially whilst it is still mild. They do spend a good few hours a day in the outdoor pen, should I extend that so they become more accustomed to the outdoors? Could a night outside be a temperature shock!
 
Hi
I have both outdoor and inddor pigs and my indoor ones are def more tame than the outdoor ones cause you will have easier access for cuddles. I have 10 pigs that live together outside and another two boys that live out, as long as the hutch is sheltered and kept warm during the cold months with lots of extra hay they will be fine. Guinea pigs actually suffer more with extreme heat than they do with the cold its just obviously they are better pets indoor as we are able to take out indoor pigs out for cuddles all the time so they become more used to human handling, it all depends on what you want.
 
i would say they should be fine now i just would not want to leave it much past mid september remember they are wearing fur coats and by putting them out now they will be able to thicken their coats. I would go for it if they will have more room and you have got past the really nervous anxious stage they should not revert fingers crossed!
 
I think everyone agrees that indoors is most definitely the choice place for them. So if there is no immediate reason that your should keep them outside, indoors would be the best choice, in my opinion.
 
i agree,if there is no reason to put them outside and you like having them in then id say have indoor piggies;),when i very first had mine i was silly enough to not know about cages so i brought a hutch and put it inside anyway lol it worked fine,its personal choice i know i could never have mine outdoors after having them in;)
 
inside or outside

I would love to keep my piggys inside but i now have 8 pigs and dont have the space. Mine live in my garage and they spend at least 3 hours a day in their runs in the garden and they come inside for cuddles and lap time every evening. I find this works for me, hubby, kids and our other pets.
 
Ours are garage piggies too :D Outdoors on the grass for about 10hrs a day though too :)) They wouldn't fit inside our new house inless they had my bedroom and I slept on the sofa in the kitchen! hehe I've not fallen for that slavery yet ;)
 
In my opinion they are better off indoors. They are fragile little creatures and don't do well in extreme temperatures. If the temperature drops to below 18 they would have to be moved to a heated shed or garage (they don't have fur to keep them warm, only hair) and if the temperature rises above about 25, they can suffer from heatstroke.

Also, if they are indoors it is easier to spot the first signs of illness, we all know how quickly they can go downhill so why take any chances?

Another good reason to keep them indoors is that you have the joy of watching all their crazy antics and can snuggle with them whenever you want!
 
I'v had piggies outdoors and indoors and i find that the indoor pigs are much more tame and likely to interact with you, i guess it depends on whether or not you really have the space inside. I would always recommend indoors just because you are able to develop a much better relationship with your piggies :) They are easily accessible indoors and protected from the elements (and predators)
 
Mine live indoors too but we use the outdoor hutch with run on a nice day so they can have a day out on the grass with somewhere to shelter if they want to. That way they get best of both worlds.:))
 
Mine HAVE taken over the living room; as I'm working from home, they have the run of it whenever I'm around (proper piggy toilet corners and lounging areas provided, as well as free access to their cage via a ramp)... rolleyesrolleyesrolleyes

Even my hubby now thinks the room empty without piggies in it! It took only five years...
 
I have never had outdoor piggies so can't advise you that way but I'm sure they'd be fine. i love having mine indoors though as I can interact with them all the time (much to Paul's dismay when he is watching TV and I'm shouting who's a cutee to one of them :)) )
 
i too got mine a hutch with the intention for them to be living outside, and bought a cage at the same time for bringing them in over winter... and now i am really attached to them being indoors! (although i do NOT appreciate the mess they make in the living room, if only i had the luxury of a utility room...)
My previous piggies always lived outside in summer and in the garage in the winter and they were always fine, they were out most of the day on the grass (as ours are now) and then in the hutch on the evening.
I think its all down to personal preference and space. Its fine to keep them outdoors as long as you take good care of them, handle and healthcheck them regularly, and keep them warm or cool according to the weather.
 
I think it really depends where you live and how the would live outside.

Sure, outside homes for example in Texas won´t work (hey to Texas! I have been there in April...). Also, if they would live in an usual plastic cage, that´s a no-go!

My guinea pigs live outside in a big stable, they devide if they want to be in- or outside. Only at night they are in the stable. It looks like a "garden house". It is more complex than having them inside.
 
My two go out in the spring then I bring them in when the night-time tepmerature drops below 10.We have a Nero4 that sits on a unit next to the setee & we spend hours watching them.They can be very noisy though especially in the early hours of the morning.
 
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