Keeping Guinea Pigs Warm

Cherry Berry

Cherry Berry

Junior Guinea Pig
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Hello Guinea Pig Parents,

Two Guinea Pigs will be joining my family soon.
I have bought the following hutch for them
The 6ft Rabbit Hutch

And the following hutch cover
The 6ft Hutch Cover

The hutch will be outside and I am worried about them feeling cold.
The above hutch cover does say it keeps the hutch warm in cold weather.
Additionally, I have order cosy hidey house for them and large hay rack for them.
I am also planning to go with Megazorb extra bedding with newspaper underlining to keep the piggies warm.

Any other ideas that can protect piggies from winter?
I live near Sutton.

Best wishes,
New Guinea Pig Mom
 
A hutch cover wont create warmth, it’ll only hold in any heat you can create within the hutch and keep out wind and rain, so a hutch cover alone will not be enough. Snugglesafe heat pads are a must for outdoor piggies. A thick layer of hay all over the hutch, together with multiple hideys filled with hay so they have something to snuggle into.

Keeping outdoor piggies warm can be hard work! I have two boys who live in a hutch in my shed. Due to them being in the shed, they are obviously protected from wind and rain so that is one battle crossed off the list, but they still need to be kept warm enough. I put about a foot deep of hay everywhere in the hutch, they have four hidey houses and four snugglesafe heat pads (one for each house). I heat up the snugglesafes twice a day (once in the morning to last them through the day, and then again in the evening to last through the night). They then have two blankets over the hutch, a thermal hutch cover and then a duvet over the whole thing. These measures keep inside their hutch around 12-15 degrees but a certain amount of that comes from the fact that they aren’t directly outside.

Where are you getting the piggies from? Are they already being housed outside? If they are, then that’ll help as they will be used to it, but if they are housed indoors at the moment and are youngsters then suddenly putting them outside at this time of year is not the right thing to do.
 
Piggies&buns said:
A hutch cover wont create warmth, it’ll only hold in any heat you can create within the hutch and keep out wind and rain, so a hutch cover alone will not be enough. Snugglesafe heat pads are a must for outdoor piggies. A thick layer of hay all over the hutch, together with multiple hideys filled with hay so they have something to snuggle into.

Keeping outdoor piggies warm can be hard work! I have two boys who live in a hutch in my shed. Due to them being in the shed, they are obviously protected from wind and rain so that is one battle crossed off the list, but they still need to be kept warm enough. I put about a foot deep of hay everywhere in the hutch, they have four hidey houses and four snugglesafes which go in each house. I heat up the snugglesafes twice a day (once in the morning to last them through the day, and then again in the evening to last through the night). They then have two blankets over the hutch, a thermal hutch cover and then a duvet over the whole thing. These measures keep inside their hutch around 12-15 degrees but a certain amount of that comes from the fact that they aren’t directly outside.

Where are you getting the piggies from? Are they already being housed outside? If they are, then that’ll help as they will be used to it, but if they are housed indoors at the moment and we youngsters t, then suddenly putting them outside at this time of year is not the right thing to do.
Click to expand...

Hi,

Thanks for the reply. I am planning to adopt them from the Support Adoption.
Currently, I have order only two cosy hide house. I will order a few more.
Also, I am thinking to get a thermometer for the hutch to check the temperature.
I can also add an additional blanket beneath the hutch cover to increase the insulation a further.
I will look into snuggleSafe.
 
guineaPig_Mum said:
Hi,

Thanks for the reply. I am planning to adopt them from the Support Adoption.
Currently, I have order only two cosy hide house. I will order a few more.
Also, I am thinking to get a thermometer for the hutch to check the temperature.
I can also add an additional blanket beneath the hutch cover to increase the insulation a further.
I will look into snuggleSafe.
Click to expand...

So they are probably kept indoors at the moment then? I would be very wary about putting indoor piggies outside at this time of year. They need a warm stable temperature as sudden fluctuations can be bad for their health. Guinea pigs ideal temperature range is 18-23 degrees. Below 15 is getting too cold for them without a lot of extra protection and plenty of hay to snuggle into - megazorb and newspaper doesn’t provide warmth. Once they have acclimated to being outside, it is a bit easier but they should only be put outside from late spring time onwards.

A thermometer is a good idea. The good way to insulate a hutch is to attach some polystyrene boards or some of the silver backed bubble wrap to the outside of the hutch, but again though, that will help to only hold in any heat that you can generate from the inside. Ensure the hutch is directed out from wind and rain.

Cold Weather Care For Guinea Pigs
 
Piggies&buns said:
So they are probably kept indoors at the moment then? I would be very wary about putting indoor piggies outside at this time of year. They need a warm stable temperature as sudden fluctuations can be bad for their health. Guinea pigs ideal temperature range is 18-23 degrees. Below 15 is getting too cold for them without a lot of extra protection and plenty of hay to snuggle into - megazorb and newspaper doesn’t provide warmth. Once they have acclimated to being outside, it is a bit easier but they should only be put outside from late spring time onwards.

A thermometer is a good idea. The good way to insulate a hutch is to attach some polystyrene boards or some of the silver backed bubble wrap to the outside of the hutch, but again though, that will help to only hold in any heat that you can generate from the inside. Ensure the hutch is directed out from wind and rain.
Click to expand...

Hi,

The temperature is my biggest concern too.
How about something of this kind?
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Heating-El...pad&qid=1577957492&smid=A2ZSGCPKZAGI8T&sr=8-2

I can get multiple of these.
 
No, the one you link isn’t suitable for rodents.

A snugglesafe is this item below
 

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I took an old picnic cooler, an insulated plastic case that easily holds two guinea pigs. The whole thing is hard plastic (not styrofoam) so it is easy to clean. The pigs don't chew on it, which surprised me but I don't see any hints that they've done that.

This sits in a corner of the hutch. I cut a hole at the bottom of the cooler, so they could get in. I fill it with hay or a thick layer of poplar wood flakes. I can take the 'roof' off to check and clean.

It stays quite warm in there when the pigs are inside it. (we quite often get winter temperatures lower than 32° F, 0° C). In mild weather, the lid needs to be propped open a bit so extra moisture can escape.
 
Canary said:
I took an old picnic cooler, an insulated plastic case that easily holds two guinea pigs. The whole thing is hard plastic (not styrofoam) so it is easy to clean. The pigs don't chew on it, which surprised me but I don't see any hints that they've done that.

This sits in a corner of the hutch. I cut a hole at the bottom of the cooler, so they could get in. I fill it with hay or a thick layer of poplar wood flakes. I can take the 'roof' off to check and clean.

It stays quite warm in there when the pigs are inside it. (we quite often get winter temperatures lower than 32° F, 0° C). In mild weather, the lid needs to be propped open a bit so extra moisture can escape.
Click to expand...
Hi Canary,

Thanks for the reply. I am really sorry but I am not understanding exactly what you mean. Could you please provide me with any images? :)
 
I like the sound of using such a coolbox due to its insulting properties. I would think though that you may well struggle to fit one inside of a hutch.
 
Unfortunately it is far too cold in the UK to start guinea pigs outdoors at the moment. Mine are outdoors all year round but that's because they were initially put out when it was warmer and I take a lot of precautions (a weatherproof cover, an insulating cover, snugglesafes and tons of hay). You would be much better and safer keeping them inside until later in Spring when the temperatures increase
 
Okay, thanks to everyone for the responses. I really appreciate your concern for my future piggies. I will look at all the solutions discussed and consider the best I can provide to my piggies in order to ensure that they are warm and safe. As mentioned earlier, the temperature is my biggest concern given that it is getting so cold every day. I do not want to risk their health at all. Thanks a lot for your support.
 
guineaPig_Mum said:
Hi Canary,

Thanks for the reply. I am really sorry but I am not understanding exactly what you mean. Could you please provide me with any images? :)
Click to expand...

I got it from Amazon (in the U.S.) for $20. https://www.amazon.com/Coleman-Performance-Cooler-48-Quart-Blue

It seems that in the U.K. this is called a coolbox, in the U.S. we call it a cooler. So I have that right? I love the different nouns used from country to country, for me it provides a lot of insight into the meaning of words.
 
Canary said:
I got it from Amazon (in the U.S.) for $20. https://www.amazon.com/Coleman-Performance-Cooler-48-Quart-Blue

It seems that in the U.K. this is called a coolbox, in the U.S. we call it a cooler. So I have that right? I love the different nouns used from country to country, for me it provides a lot of insight into the meaning of words.
Click to expand...
Thanks for the link. So if I get one of the following:
https://www.amazon.co.uk/s?k=coolbox&ref=nb_sb_noss_2
And put this in their hutch will this ensure that they are warm?
 
guineaPig_Mum said:
Thanks for the link. So if I get one of the following:
https://www.amazon.co.uk/s?k=coolbox&ref=nb_sb_noss_2
And put this in their hutch will this ensure that they are warm?
Click to expand...

it would only provide somewhere enclosed for them to sit - it won’t generate heat - a safe purpose made small animal hidey with a snuggle safe inside will do the exact same thing
As @Lady Kelly and myself have both pointed out - none of this will negate the fact that piggies who are only used to being indoors should not be put outside at this time of year.
 
guineaPig_Mum said:
I am sorry I am very new to a cool box. So I am not exactly sure how I can use it in their hutch.
Click to expand...

You will be very hard pressed to find anybody here who uses a cool box in their hutches - it’s just not what we do! Coolboxes are used to keep food cold when you go on a picnic. The fact that they are insulated was the suggestion from the original poster, it can help hold in heat, but using an animal safe hidey would be just the same
 
Piggies&buns said:
it would only provide somewhere enclosed for them to sit - it won’t generate heat - a safe purpose made small animal hidey with a snuggle safe inside will do the exact same thing
As @Lady Kelly and myself have both pointed out - none of this will negate the fact that piggies who are only used to being indoors should not be put outside at this time of year.
Click to expand...

Okay thanks, I will consider all the options and the weather.
 
Hello... It's good to do your research before your piggies arrive... Great advice has been given above... Is there any chance that you can house them indoors for the winter - it will only get colder from now on - do you have space inside? Do you have a shed?
 
Our girls are currently residing in the shed, which shelters them from draughts, they are still covered overnight with an old duvet and they have lots of hay in the bed area. My husband also installed a greenhouse heater into the hutch which is left on and keeps the ambient temperature in the hutch around 18 degrees, we have also have snuggle safes for them. When we get into march/April I'm hoping the overnight temps will be warm enough to put them back outside.
 
Canary said:
Well, there are limits, I'm sure. But it works for my pigs. I make sure there is plenty of bedding in the box. In mild weather, I put a stick under the lid, to prop it up an inch or two, so moisture can escape.
Click to expand...

I believe that part of this will be yours being acclimatised. Mine have a haybox (or rather the winters they have access to both levels they do) which works in a similar way and contains the hay better for them to keep warm but it still wouldn't be sufficient for starting them outside when it's this cold
 
Hi there,
I echo everything said by LadyKelly and Piggies&Buns. They both have outside piggies and have given me advice on moving our inside piggies outside.
We got our piggies in October and will eventually move them outside. They were re-homed to us and had been indoor piggies before. For this reason we have kept them inside and will continue to do so until the weather significantly warms in the spring. I imagine we won’t be able to put them outside until later on in April, temperature (permitting). Piggies don’t cope well with sudden temperature changes and if your piggies have been inside they won’t have grown a thicker coat to help them through the winter. The next 3 months tend to be the coldest too.

I have bought snuggle safes in preparation and intend to use both a waterproof hutch cover and extra thermal hutch cover underneath it too. My waterproof hutch cover will cover the entire hutch, (roof as well) so it will be fully enclosed from the weather, especially torrential rain. Mine will also get tonnes of hay in cold weather as this will help to insulate them and can be easily changed out if wet or damp.

Most importantly the message I got from here was that you always need a plan B if the weather is extremely cold or hot. You can’t bring them in on a daily basis and put them back out again as they don’t like the sudden changes in temperature, but... if we have another Arctic Beast from the East blast mine will come back in. I don’t imagine they would cope with such cold weather, or 30 degree heat either. I think both LadyKelly and Piggies&Buns have their piggies in an outdoor shed, so not in the direct force of Mother Nature!
Talking of Mother Nature... a friend of mine brought her piggies in one night as there was a bad storm and it was extremely windy. In the morning her hutch had blown over. Luckily the piggies weren’t in there! We will be bolting ours to the sturdy fence we have to prevent it being blown over in strong winds.

Also, are your ‘cosy houses’ fleece? I’d be interested to hear from anyone who may use them outside - do they get damp...? I thought they might be cosier for ours when they move outside but wasn’t sure if they’d hold moisture.

Anyway, this is what we will be doing given the advice I received on here - sorry for the lengthy post.
Good luck!
 
Yes @Guinea Newbie - you are absolutely right about the plan b. Mine are in a shed so are protected from the elements. I have lots of spare grids so if we are predicted a long spell of very cold weather, such as another beast from the east scenario, then mine will move indoors, and will then likely have to stay in until late spring.

Above 25 degrees is also too hot for piggies. Hot can be worse than cold. Direct sunlight on hutches and hot breezes etc can make outside runs and hutch temperatures rise significantly above the general air temperature. My current shed (new one will be with me before April and is going in a different position in the garden so that will help drastically - yay!) can get awful in summer and my piggies have to be removed from the hutch/shed well before 9am and can’t go back in until late evening. They are normally ok in their garden runs but with our summers getting hotter they will end up coming back in the house into a cool room during the day.
 
Guinea Newbie said:
if we have another Arctic Beast from the East blast mine will come back in.
Click to expand...
My current pair of pigs were born, outside, during the Beast from the East. How they survived I do not know! From what Erica told me I don't think they even had a hutch to shelter in.

I used to keep piggies out in the garden, and take them into a shed for the winter. But I really struggled to keep them warm enough so I re-arranged my living room to make space for a Piggy Palace indoors. I have to say this has made life MUCH easier as I think it is harder work keeping an even temperature when they are outside, summer or winter.
The added bonus of keeping them inside is that they become much tamer.
 
Hi everyone,

Thanks for your replies. I have a garage which I am considering. But the problem is that the garage does not have a window. It has a shutter door and a door which connects the garage with my house.
Do you think I can keep my guinea pigs there in their hutch with an electric heater in the garage to maintain the temperature?

And during summers I move them outside?
 
guineaPig_Mum said:
Hi everyone,

Thanks for your replies. I have a garage which I am considering. But the problem is that the garage does not have a window. It has a shutter door and a door which connects the garage with my house.
Do you think I can keep my guinea pigs there in their hutch with an electric heater in the garage to maintain the temperature?

And during summers I move them outside?
Click to expand...

If it is going to be constantly dark, then the garage won’t be an ideal suitable solution.
 
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