It's cold mummy!

Piggiepigpigs · Dec 11, 2011

How do you keep your piggies warm in winter?
I am currently putting thick layers of hay in and giving them hiding areas, I also have one snuggle safe heat pad. My mum probably won't let me use fleece, but I am just interested in how you keep your pigs warm.

hazeyg · Dec 11, 2011

What about insulation? Could wrap loft insulation round the hutch. Also can do people use hot water bottles? My piggies live indoors and wimp it overnight when the heatings off and burry themselves under hay, and when I panic, I pick them up and there toasty and ear are all pick lol. So I really feel for outdoor piggies. Lots and lots of hay as your doing is excellent as much as * can cram in.

piggy_paradise · Dec 11, 2011

we've tidied out one of our outbuildings and the 2 outside piggies are in there, OH has made a gate so we can have the door open during the day and they have a light and a window. we just keep them stocked up with lots of hay and they seem ok, a lot happier they're not outside

Gingypig · Dec 11, 2011

My 10 piggies have lived in the house the past 2 winters (I had more like 20 then too!) but due to our new baby there really isn't room. I was so worried about them outside but luckily up till now it's been fairly mild then my dad decided he wanted a new outbuilding so gave me his shed

the piggies 6 x 2ft hutch fits in (albeit they had to build it in lol) and after a couple of days I gave in and put the oil filled radiator in

it's now keeping the shed at around 12 degrees whereas outside it went down to 1.6 degrees

and today my husband is buying polystyrene sheets to insulate all inside

of course lots if hay and food to keep them warm too

Xx

libertychance · Dec 14, 2011

I have my outdoor pigs in a really sheltered side passage. I do worry about them outside but bringing them in is not an option. I have put loads of newspaper, sawdust and newspaper in. Then I've lined the inside of the hutch walls with cardboard boxes flattened down. I have put a cardboard box in the bedroom part along with one snugglepad, two fleeces (from poundland!), two sleeping bag things and tons of hay. They seem absolutely fine, and I tend to think if they were cold they would stay in their bedroom together all day long but they don't, they come and sleep in the more open part, so can't be that cold!

rachelsharp · Dec 14, 2011

i just recently bought a remote thermometer so that i could know the temperature inside the hutch any time of day and was really really shocked to see how low it got, down to 3c at the beginning of november! this is with tarpaulin and insulated covers, snugglesafes, lots of hay, insulation AND a little 120watt electric heater installed in the hutch! i was horrified so i'd really recommend getting a remote thermometer it was a total reality check for me!

i've now added another 160watt electric heater and i find the temperature never really goes below 16c now x

emmalala · Dec 14, 2011

Mine are indoors and toasty warm opposite a raidiator

Shaz · Dec 14, 2011

When I had piggies living outside in a hutch they had the little bedroom area and we would pack it full of hay. Their hutch didn't get affected by the elements so it was just a case of making it as warm as possible. When you went to feed them you'd have to look for them in all the hay.

Spoilt pig 1 and 2 who I have now are indoors and their cage is in the sitting room where we have a fire and again they have hay to sleep in. If I think its a bit cold are drafty I put a towel or a blanket over their cage.