Is outdoors ok?

[holliedollie]

Hello. I'm about to buy 3 guinea pigs for my children and would like to get some advice about cages and huts.

My main problem is the lack of space in our house and I was considering placing a hutch outdoors for the guinea pigs to live in.

Can anyone advice whether this is going to be ok for them? I understand the hutch will need to be on legs but I was particularly after advice about weather conditions etc.

Many thanks for any help you can give a very confused about to be new guinea pig owner!.mallethead

 

[sophiew (EAGPR)]

Hi

Welcome to the forum. If you are getting 3 piggies then you are best off with girls, as boars tend to be happiest in pairs rather than trios.

Lots of people do keep their guineas outside but it is preferable (for you, and for them!) to house them in a shed or outbuilding if possible as they are not good with extremes of temperature.

If you must have them outdoors i.e not in a shed or similar then positioning of the hutch and adequate protection in the form of hutch huggers (weather proof and insulating) and snugglesafes (little beds you warm in the microwave and stay warm for 12 hours) can all help.

People gets lots of enjoyment from having piggies indoors though, if there is room then it's worth considering.

Also, it's not just the cold to worry about - they are not good in the heat of summer either, and are prone to heatstroke, so one way or another you end up worrying about them all year round!

Are you considering rescue piggies?

Sophie
x

 

[Wiebke]

Hi!

Welcome to the forum!

Please have a look though threads in the housing section; we had lots of threads about weather/cold proofing hutches in December and January!

Ideally, a hutch should be in a sheltered location from both cold winds and too much sun, which can become a problem during heat waves.

Please make sure that the hutch is big enough for three grown guinea pigs - 2x5ft inside ground space is the minimum recommendation by the RSPCA.

 

[elle100]

If you have a small amount of floor space inside it might be worth considering getting a 2 or even 3 tier cage/hutch, they are quite space-saving but still roomy.

 

[Salt n Peppers mum]

Hello, and welcome.

Please have a good read on all the sections on everything to do with Piggies including bedding, diet etc

I believe most rescues would have their piggies indoor or in a shed at the moment so they wouldnt be used to extreme cold wether conditions that we are having now (thats if you live in the UK?) So it might be better waiting until the spring to get your Guinea Pigs when the weather turns better if they are going to live outside. Bringing them indoors for the winter would be an ideal solution, and also you and your Piggies can have a lot more interaction. Its not much fun for us too standing in the rain and cold trying to care for them if they live outside in the dark wet winter months. A shed would be another option for the winter as Pigs do die of cold. At least then you'd be able to shelter from the wind and rain and spend some quality time with them.They should have lots and lots of hay to snuggle in, a heat pad, and hutch instulation.
And dont forget if your getting any animal they are family pets. As most children will very soon get bored of doing the chores and it will be left all down to you. One of the top reasons why they are put into rescue is because the children lost interest.