Newbie

[fourcavies]

Hello everyone. I've become such a fan of cavies since I became ill with fibromyalgia and had to give up work earlier this year. At the time I was our nursing old boar Blackie who was nearly 7 when he died and I was so sad to lose his companionship. We now have a challenging batch of four lovely boys, two Rex brothers who I was very surprised didn't get on so I separated them and put one with a Californian and the other with a baby tri-coloured much younger boy. I feel really busy looking after them and enjoy sitting with a cuppa watching and chatting to them. I am now pondering winter, we always brought our two old boys in, but that is a little tricky now with four, needing three cages. Does anyone keep there's outside? My neighbours have done this and they never seem to survive past 3 or 4 with ours nearly living twice as long. Your views warmly welcomed.

 

[rome_italy]

what's about building a different cage in two/three separated levels? I know many owners keep pets outside, but I prefer having them inside and enjoy their company. A pet outside when it is cold becomes something very far from the family because you rarely go outside next to them. I don't think your neighbours lost his piggies because of the bad weather (only), but just because the pets living outside are rarely checked up by owners who have difficulty in catching the first signals of a disease if they don't spend long hours sit next to the piggie.
And you are also suffering with fibromyalgia... I have a friend in the Netherlands with such a boring disease and she keeps inside all her cats because she says they give her a great joy. She has a garden, but the presence of pets at home, next to her (unfortunately her disease is quite advanced) helps her a lot to smile and to forget her pains.
Piggies need a cage, of course, but you might build a different cage... there are a lot of good idea on the net.
Do they fight also during floor time? because if not, you can arrange a room for them (I arranged the kitchen using fences and other stuff), at least for the great part of the day, so that they might live happy even in a "little" cage if they spend only the night there.
If you share some pics of your rooms maybe we can help you...

 

[Flutterby]

Hello and welcome to the forum!

 

[fourcavies]

what's about building a different cage in two/three separated levels? I know many owners keep pets outside, but I prefer having them inside and enjoy their company. A pet outside when it is cold becomes something very far from the family because you rarely go outside next to them. I don't think your neighbours lost his piggies because of the bad weather (only), but just because the pets living outside are rarely checked up by owners who have difficulty in catching the first signals of a disease if they don't spend long hours sit next to the piggie.
And you are also suffering with fibromyalgia... I have a friend in the Netherlands with such a boring disease and she keeps inside all her cats because she says they give her a great joy. She has a garden, but the presence of pets at home, next to her (unfortunately her disease is quite advanced) helps her a lot to smile and to forget her pains.
Piggies need a cage, of course, but you might build a different cage... there are a lot of good idea on the net.
Do they fight also during floor time? because if not, you can arrange a room for them (I arranged the kitchen using fences and other stuff), at least for the great part of the day, so that they might live happy even in a "little" cage if they spend only the night there.
If you share some pics of your rooms maybe we can help you...

Hi, thank you for your reply; unfortunately, my fibromyalgia is chronic too and effects my hands and walking which is why I find them so relaxing to have around as I'm limited in what I can do. My cats love the outdoors so disappear at breakfast time. I'm sorry your friend is suffering with it too. I have been looking at converting a piece of furniture, as you say there are some great ideas on the net. I bought a paddling pool for the kitchen but they go mental even introducing them with piles of food. now both rings have been bitten through so that is for the tip. I have to be careful what I have on the floor as I wobble and trip. They didn't always squabble and fight, they were a tolerable group until about a month ago, I think it's the teenage phase! The Rex boys are very laid back but don't get on in open space, I like the idea of having them separated but in one space through a mesh of some sort. I do occasionally have their cages facing so they can see each other. One option is to convert my daughter's wooden playhouse, it has the option of heating so would be a larger warm space but I'd need to get the surfaces waterproofed to make them easy to clean. I also have seen the bunny burrow kits and think this will be a spring project, watch this space :-)

 

[Wiebke]

Hello everyone. I've become such a fan of cavies since I became ill with fibromyalgia and had to give up work earlier this year. At the time I was our nursing old boar Blackie who was nearly 7 when he died and I was so sad to lose his companionship. We now have a challenging batch of four lovely boys, two Rex brothers who I was very surprised didn't get on so I separated them and put one with a Californian and the other with a baby tri-coloured much younger boy. I feel really busy looking after them and enjoy sitting with a cuppa watching and chatting to them. I am now pondering winter, we always brought our two old boys in, but that is a little tricky now with four, needing three cages. Does anyone keep there's outside? My neighbours have done this and they never seem to survive past 3 or 4 with ours nearly living twice as long. Your views warmly welcomed.

Hi and welcome!

We strongly recommend to bring your piggies indoors for the winter, or at least well under cover away from storms, cold and damp unless you can get a dedicated insulated shed that can be heated safely during the winter and where you can interact with your guinea pigs without being out in the cold.

I am moving your thread to our housing section, where you will find lots of solutions or inspiration for your cage problem. I would strongly recommend to keep your two single boars next to each other for constant interaction and stimulation through the bars and to have your bonded pair on a table above so you still have space and light enough in lower cages.

I use cheap Ikea linnmon 150x75 cm tables, which fit a cable-tied 2x4 C&C grid cage and fit into the foot print of the lower cages. I just lift the tables with my shoulder a bit when I clean out the lower cages, so there is no need for moving the table cage all the time. C&C grids allow you to be flexible with any arrangement to suits your own needs.
This is my arrangement for a lot more piggies, of course, but you can find more ideas in the various members' cage galleries at the top of the housing section together with information threads on C&C cages and bedding options.


You should find it a lot more convenient to have your boys in the house as you interact a lot more in casual ways than when they are outdoors.
The general move has been away from hutches to more indoors accommodation in the last years. Like you say, quality of care is generally better unless outdoors guinea pigs are protected from rough weather and well cared for at all times.

 

[Cavy Kung-Fu]

Welcome to the forum! Feel free to post loads of pics of your lovely lot!

I would definitely say indoor during winter. My lot are always indoors (run time on the grass in good weather, winter indoors). When I was a kid we had 2 boys outside all year round and although I don't remember exactly what age they passed away I don't recall them being all that old Which always makes me sad to think about.

I have 5 piggies indoors, I made a C&C cage as they're so adaptable and less bulky than a hutch. Would that be an option for you?

 

[SunshinePiggy]

Yes I would recommend you bring your pets inside during the Winter in the Location I live it has gotten down too -17 degrees. I mean my rabbits do live outside but their Hutch has special insulation so usually the temp inside the hutch is Toasty For a Bunny. Too make it worse it's a bother to be outside during Winter Weather. in 2016 we got 4 inches of snow and at the Location of the hutch and it was very slippery and I fell. Luckily i fell in the snow. Also when it rains it can get mucky. I would recommend you to bring your Guinea Pigs inside as depending in which location you live in.

Also I have a few questions as we are talking about weather everyone
- Does It Snow in the UK?
- Does it snow in Rome, Italy?
- Has anyone seen lots of snow the most snow I have seen is 13-15 Inches

 

[sport_billy]

Hello there, welcome to the forum!

 

[rome_italy]

Yes I would recommend you bring your pets inside during the Winter in the Location I live it has gotten down too -17 degrees. I mean my rabbits do live outside but their Hutch has special insulation so usually the temp inside the hutch is Toasty For a Bunny. Too make it worse it's a bother to be outside during Winter Weather. in 2016 we got 4 inches of snow and at the Location of the hutch and it was very slippery and I fell. Luckily i fell in the snow. Also when it rains it can get mucky. I would recommend you to bring your Guinea Pigs inside as depending in which location you live in.

Also I have a few questions as we are talking about weather everyone
- Does It Snow in the UK?
- Does it snow in Rome, Italy?
- Has anyone seen lots of snow the most snow I have seen is 13-15 Inches

when in Rome it starts snowing there is a great tragicomic party all around! schools close, buses cannot move (they haven't proper snow-wheels), people start being angry with the governement (everything is our Mayor's blame, especially now that we have a LADY mayor...)... a great mess also in the hospital with people with broken legs. But it happens only rarely, last time it happened in 2012. It can be cold, though, just for some days or two weeks; last winter we had temperatures below zero, not that much, but our houses are not even suitable for a great cold, pipes broke, the roads were damaged, buildings damaged too, schools remained without heating.. and students need to stay in classrooms wearing a coat and a scarf... then teachers started a strike (our most famous national sport... the strikes!) because they were cold...
a mess!


But the same year, one month before, on Christmas days, the sun was shining and you could walk in T-shirt

 

[SunshinePiggy]

when in Rome it starts snowing there is a great tragicomic party all around! schools close, buses cannot move (they haven't proper snow-wheels), people start being angry with the governement (everything is our Mayor's blame, especially now that we have a LADY mayor...)... a great mess also in the hospital with people with broken legs. But it happens only rarely, last time it happened in 2012. It can be cold, though, just for some days or two weeks; last winter we had temperatures below zero, not that much, but our houses are not even suitable for a great cold, pipes broke, the roads were damaged, buildings damaged too, schools remained without heating.. and students need to stay in classrooms wearing a coat and a scarf... then teachers started a strike (our most famous national sport... the strikes!) because they were cold...
a mess!
View attachment 72155
View attachment 72156
But the same year, one month before, on Christmas days, the sun was shining and you could walk in T-shirt
View attachment 72157

View attachment 72159

View attachment 72158

Wow that sounds major I hate it when the Goverment is blamed I remember in 2014 1 state down the Atlanta government was blamed after the Gridlock that stranded many drivers on the Highways

 

[rome_italy]

Hi and welcome!

We strongly recommend to bring your piggies indoors for the winter, or at least well under cover away from storms, cold and damp unless you can get a dedicated insulated shed that can be heated safely during the winter and where you can interact with your guinea pigs without being out in the cold.

I am moving your thread to our housing section, where you will find lots of solutions or inspiration for your cage problem. I would strongly recommend to keep your two single boars next to each other for constant interaction and stimulation through the bars and to have your bonded pair on a table above so you still have space and light enough in lower cages.

I use cheap Ikea linnmon 150x75 cm tables, which fit a cable-tied 2x4 C&C grid cage and fit into the foot print of the lower cages. I just lift the tables with my shoulder a bit when I clean out the lower cages, so there is no need for moving the table cage all the time. C&C grids allow you to be flexible with any arrangement to suits your own needs.
This is my arrangement for a lot more piggies, of course, but you can find more ideas in the various members' cage galleries at the top of the housing section together with information threads on C&C cages and bedding options.
View attachment 72151

You should find it a lot more convenient to have your boys in the house as you interact a lot more in casual ways than when they are outdoors.
The general move has been away from hutches to more indoors accommodation in the last years. Like you say, quality of care is generally better unless outdoors guinea pigs are protected from rough weather and well cared for at all times.

one of the best and most brilliant cages ever seen... Can I send this picture to the lady of the italian rescue? her volunteers have cages all around, husbands fed up, but I see a table can make a great difference...

 

[Wiebke]

one of the best and most brilliant cages ever seen... Can I send this picture to the lady of the italian rescue? her volunteers have cages all around, husbands fed up, but I see a table can make a great difference...

Yes, of course! My husband has extended the tables so I can currently fit a 2x7 C&C grid cage on the long table at the back and a 2x5 C&C cage on the table at the front.

I use these tables here:
ADILS/LINNMON Table White 150x75 cm - IKEA
You can buy the top seperately: ADILS/LINNMON Table White 150x75 cm - IKEA
A set of table legs cost around £10 when you buy them on your own.

 

[flowerfairy]

I use these tables as well. They are brilliant. So !ight to move and a good height for cleaning out with plenty of space for storage underneath.

Sorry about all the mess I had just moved everything around to extend the cage.

 

[rome_italy]

I use these tables as well. They are brilliant. So !ight to move and a good height for cleaning out with plenty of space for storage underneath.

Sorry about all the mess I had just moved everything around to extend the cage.

those Ikea beds...
Maybe all these brilliant ideas you all have got should be shown to Ikea, for another proper catalogue I have seen also a hayrack and a ramp made with a "shopping bags holder"