Moving outdoors?!

[Sarah2615]

Hey everyone,
I’m new here and was really hoping for some help! We have 2 female Guinea pigs (both 1 years old)
We have moved them from inside back to outside 2 days ago.
They were very confident, vocal and loving when we had them in our dining room … Until we moved them outside! They won’t go near me, seem petrified and down.
I hate seeing them like this, it was actually our vet that suggested moving them outside around now as it’s getting warmer etc. They was outside originally but with cold weather and a rat that we just couldn’t get rid of for anything! We didn’t want to leave them out. I called the vet today and he has only suggested giving them time but I also don’t want to leave it too long if they are not coping!
They come out in the day and eat/drink but in themselves are so nervous.

Any suggestions? Is this normal or should we be bringing them in? They have plenty of hiding/bedding/cover etc … But I just can’t settle with them outside
Any advice is very much appreciated

Thank you for reading!

 

[Piggies&buns]

Welcome to the forum

Is there a particular reason why the vet said to put them out?

Ideally indoor piggies are acclimatised to outdoors a bit more slowly - outdoors during a warm day but indoors at night, and particularly if night times are still a bit chilly in some areas. They can stay out at night once it is consistently warm enough and ideally 15 degrees at night.

Others with indoor piggies keep them living indoors all the time but just give them a few hours during the day out on a lawn for supervised run time in summer.

They are most likely going to need time to adjust to it. It’s a different temperature, different sounds etc. How long that adjustment takes would be piggy dependent. If you can’t settle though and they are stressed, then that’s not good for any of you.

For mine it’s the other way round. They live out in my shed but come indoors during the height of summer due to it being too hot in the shed and hutches. It takes them a few days to get used to being in the house. They become more skittish again and unsure of the different sounds. I can move about and do all sorts in their shed without them even flinching, but if they are inside and I so much as get off the sofa even very slowly , they run off in terror.

 

[Chrissy24]

I think it's just different for them. Mine are fine with my kids noise but skittish outside until they get used to it. Then they are fine again

 

[Sarah2615]

Thank you for your replies! They seem to be a lot more settled and getting back to their normal selves!
The vet suggested I move them outside after I mentioned that one keeps biting the neck of the other and jumping around the hutch.
I haven’t seen the behaviour since they moved outside but at the same time, it could be pure coincidence!

Thank you again for your replies!

 

[Piggies&buns]

Thank you for your replies! They seem to be a lot more settled and getting back to their normal selves!
The vet suggested I move them outside after I mentioned that one keeps biting the neck of the other and jumping around the hutch.
I haven’t seen the behaviour since they moved outside but at the same time, it could be pure coincidence!

Thank you again for your replies!

It’s rather odd advice if it’s a behavioural issue. I'm glad they are settled now though.

 

[Sarah2615]

It’s rather odd advice if it’s a behavioural issue. I'm glad they are settled now though.

I did suggest that to him at the time after reading up on it. It seems either a hormonal or dominance issue? He said not, but she has started doing it again? Do they just tend to go through it and get over it or is it an issue that needs addressing? She doesn’t seem to hurt her sister or leave any sign of injury… But she chases her round and round doing it for ages when she starts?

 

[Piggies&buns]

You may see them display dominant behaviour whenever they are in season. They go into season around every 15-17 days. Moving them outside will not change any of it as they will come into season every two weeks throughout their whole lives. Stronger seasons can produce a stronger dominance.

When Sows Experience A Strong Season (videos)