Outdoor Guineapigs

Status
Not open for further replies.
K

kayjay

Adult Guinea Pig
Joined
Aug 9, 2006
Messages
1,153
Reaction score
0
Points
380
I know the general view now is that pigs shouldn't be kept outdoors, but I wonder if they are hardier than we think. Niki's new vet has a herd of 20 odd outdoor pigs and said they're out in all weathers and are absolutely fine. I know of someone local to us who keeps her pigs in outdoor runs and hutches all year round, again with no problems.

What do you all think?

I'm asking as I'm having problems housing my pigs due to mice, firstly the house was overrun with them and now the shed is, and there are so many places for them to hide and breed in the shed I'm not sure we can continue the way we are. I'm thinking if I keep them in an outdoor hutch and run at least the mice would be more 'visible' and no where to breed, like under the shed. The alternative would be to rehome them to indoor homes which I might end up doing if this problem continues :'(
 
Sorry to hear the mice are still causing you problems Kathryn. Little !

I also know people who house them outside all year and they are fine. They probably are hardier than we give them credit for however, I really wouldn't want mine outside only in hutches in the weather we have had recently - if I am honest. I worry about them in the shed and they are lovely and snug in there!

The weather is warming up now (well here it is now rather mild) so would probably be OK outside..... Oh, I don't know. Sorry - I really don't know what to suggest.

(((HUGS))))
 
:) Hi, mice and rats can still be a problem outside. Rats will dig burrows under cages- it happened to a friend with rabbits, now they are inside the problem is controlled. Howabout moving them inside and blocking all the mice entrance holes and getting rid of existing mice before moving guineas back in? Don't leave dry food in the cages overnight and store your food away from the pigs (you're probabvly doing this). Sorry, but I really don'tagree with keeping pigs outside in hutches that are not in a shed because of skin problems, respiratory problems and damp- cold isn't so much of an issue. Not forgetting heat of course!

Do you have a cat? If you have secure cages you could keep the cat in the shed with the guineas overnight.... * ducks as catlovers throw stuff for abusing Feline rights to Freedom* ::)
 
what about humane mouse traps?
I keep my piggies in a shed and my cats keep the mice at bay, hope you find a solution. :)
 
I think indoor is best. Indoor piggys are bigger, friendlier and happier. :) Please also remember that piggys who have lived inside will find it very harder to adjust to the extreme weather conditions, visiting cats, noises, wind etc that outdoor life brings. My understanding is the oils animals that live outside develop are not as developed in indoor piggys. I wonder if there is another way to deter the mice? Try keeping your spare food etc in plasic tubs and maybe try a different type of cage? Those zoozone tanks are on the smaller side but could not be penetrated by a mouse... you could join some together... I hope you find a solution that suits you and your pigs and gets rid of the mice.

best wishes

Susie
 
My pigs live in, but only because its more convenient for me as I live in the flat of a pub! I do know of a couple of colonies (if thats the right word) that live out all year! But they do have large, covered runs with a huge man-made burrow - that I assume is well stocked with hay, etc.

I do think WE create problems that aren't there for all the animals in our care (not just piggies), after all, they don't have central heating in the wild!
 
cavy said:
what about humane mouse traps?
I keep my piggies in a shed and my cats keep the mice at bay, hope you find a solution. :)
Click to expand...

I've tried the humane traps but the mice just don't seem to go into them - I think there's too much food around. I do store the food in sealed containers but obviously there's food in their bowls and the rabbits are free range in half of the shed too. I've put snapper traps down which work but I'm terrified of a pig or rabbit escaping into the area where the traps are and getting caught in one and I obviously can't use poison.

I really wish I knew the answer because it is a big problem - we only have a small garden and can't have mice running riot in it :(
 
all my 8 live outside

2 are 15month
2 are 4 months
and 4 are 3 weeks old

i allways make sure there is lots of hay and there there food dish is filled up
i put old covers or catains over the cage to keep them warm at night and during the day at winter aswell and never had any problems

when i bring my baby ones there are allways really really warm

i think when there live outside there get use to it
and if there lvie in side there wil get use to it
 
kay8469 said:
My pigs live in, but only because its more convenient for me as I live in the flat of a pub! I do know of a couple of colonies (if thats the right word) that live out all year! But they do have large, covered runs with a huge man-made burrow - that I assume is well stocked with hay, etc.

I do think WE create problems that aren't there for all the animals in our care (not just piggies), after all, they don't have central heating in the wild!
Click to expand...
No they don't have central heating in the wild but they don't live in the UK, they are from South America with a totally different climate and are able to hide down deep burrows when the weather is too cold/hot. :)

They don't have baths in the wild either but then the climate isn't damp... :)
 
karenrgpr said:
kay8469 said:
My pigs live in, but only because its more convenient for me as I live in the flat of a pub! I do know of a couple of colonies (if thats the right word) that live out all year! But they do have large, covered runs with a huge man-made burrow - that I assume is well stocked with hay, etc.

I do think WE create problems that aren't there for all the animals in our care (not just piggies), after all, they don't have central heating in the wild!
Click to expand...
No they don't have central heating in the wild but they don't live in the UK, they are from South America with a totally different climate and are able to hide down deep burrows when the weather is too cold/hot. :)

They don't have baths in the wild either but then the climate isn't damp... :)
Click to expand...

Add to that, the species of guinea pig we keep as pets, Cavia porcellus, don't exist in the wild and never have. Other types of guinea pig, perhaps, but not the one we know and love as the domestic guinea pig.
 
Beaney said:
How's it going Kathryn? Any progress with getting rid of the mice?
Click to expand...

Thanks for asking Sabrina

I 'think' the mice in the house have all gone and I'm going to risk bringing Lottie and Grace back in as with them being longhaired they're not really suiting life in a shed - I'm going to put the cage on a stand and hope this deters mice as they can't get anywhere near them. However when I went down the shed tonight a mouse scurried past me :( - I don't want to spend time in the shed as I've developed a slight fear of them which means I'm spending hardly any time with the pigs or buns :'( I saw one in the buns hutch too which makes me not want to clean them out - don't know what I'm going to do.

I'm thinking of getting rid of the shed and having the buns in a hutch/run and the pigs in hutches/runs too even though they'll be 'outside'. Then in winter maybe constructing some sort of gazebo to shelter them in. It's either that or rehome them :'(
 
Are mice a common problem for indoor piggie owners? We keep our boys indoors, and am slightly concerned after reading about problems with mice.
 
Mine live outside in the shed freerange and seem happier to me BUT what suits one maynot suit another, I enjoy spending time with them outside in fact since ive had them ive felt a lot healthier come rain shine snow frost ive been in the shed with them having loads more cuddles and fun as i find that it helps me shut away all my problems i can go out there and be me

I do think they are more resilient than what we think like others have said some have had them outside all the time over many years and as for size my girls are big the biggest being Holly weighing in at 1070g ! closely followed by Princess at1058g so theres plenty on them to keep them warm

I dont have room for the number i have in the house

As for mice I'm not sure on that count slugs are my biggest problem hence a bottle of salt water spreayed around each evening tends to do the trick
 
Boureki said:
Are mice a common problem for indoor piggie owners? We keep our boys indoors, and am slightly concerned after reading about problems with mice.
Click to expand...

No, we had mice coming in before we had guineapigs - in fact when we dismantled the kitchen we found traps and poison under all the units so I think the problem is the area we live in and our house. We live backing onto fields and near a river and the house was practically uninhabitable when we bought it so there are still holes in the floorboards for the mice to visit us. Hopefully when the house is finished we'll only get the odd one.
 
kayjay said:
Boureki said:
Are mice a common problem for indoor piggie owners? We keep our boys indoors, and am slightly concerned after reading about problems with mice.
Click to expand...

No, we had mice coming in before we had guineapigs - in fact when we dismantled the kitchen we found traps and poison under all the units so I think the problem is the area we live in and our house. We live backing onto fields and near a river and the house was practically uninhabitable when we bought it so there are still holes in the floorboards for the mice to visit us. Hopefully when the house is finished we'll only get the odd one.
Click to expand...
Thats bad luck :( hope you get it sorted soon, that can't have been a pleasant surprise for you when you moved in!
 
kayjay said:
Beaney said:
How's it going Kathryn? Any progress with getting rid of the mice?
Click to expand...

Thanks for asking Sabrina

I 'think' the mice in the house have all gone and I'm going to risk bringing Lottie and Grace back in as with them being longhaired they're not really suiting life in a shed - I'm going to put the cage on a stand and hope this deters mice as they can't get anywhere near them. However when I went down the shed tonight a mouse scurried past me :( - I don't want to spend time in the shed as I've developed a slight fear of them which means I'm spending hardly any time with the pigs or buns :'( I saw one in the buns hutch too which makes me not want to clean them out - don't know what I'm going to do.

I'm thinking of getting rid of the shed and having the buns in a hutch/run and the pigs in hutches/runs too even though they'll be 'outside'. Then in winter maybe constructing some sort of gazebo to shelter them in. It's either that or rehome them :'(
Click to expand...

I don't blame you for developing a bit of fear of the mice. I would too. How awful - especially one actually in the buns hutch - yuck! I guess all you can do is take it one day at a time and see if you can keep the mice at bay. It would be such a shame for you to have to rehome them. I really hope it doesn't come to that. Are the piggys cages on the floor in the shed? If so is there anyway that they can be raised up to try and deter the mice (in the same way you are thinking of getting a stand for Lottie & Grace)? I have no experience of dealing with mice so I am struggling a bit on suggestions.

The buns will be fine, I am sure, out in a hutch/run. My old bun would rather stay out in all weathers, it is me who forces him to go into the garage if the weather is bad!
 
I personally think Piggies are resistant little ...

I was always led to believe they are like little china dolls and even a loud noise could kill them...

One of my girls, "Shiraz", is a bloody nightmare and got into a couple of scrapes that I thought would of meant her crossing the rainbow bridge. On one occassion she fell from her hUtch (about 4 1/2ft high) onto concrete and i screamed like a little girl cos I was so worried. She was leaning against the hutch bedroom door (something she had never done) and fell out as a result. She was instantly brought inside and checked over and she was fine... she did lose a tooth and plenty of research was done to make sure they were ok. She now owns a superb pair of gnashers :)

I hope no one is thinking I'm an unfit owner! My girls get very well looked after and it was purely an accident. The door now has a sign on it saying "please open carefully!" which is a reminder to me as well as anyone else who maybe having a look....
 
StannyUK said:
I personally think Piggies are resistant little ...

I was always led to believe they are like little china dolls and even a loud noise could kill them...

One of my girls, "Shiraz", is a bloody nightmare and got into a couple of scrapes that I thought would of meant her crossing the rainbow bridge. On one occassion she fell from her hUtch (about 4 1/2ft high) onto concrete and i screamed like a little girl cos I was so worried. She was leaning against the hutch bedroom door (something she had never done) and fell out as a result. She was instantly brought inside and checked over and she was fine... she did lose a tooth and plenty of research was done to make sure they were ok. She now owns a superb pair of gnashers :)

I hope no one is thinking I'm an unfit owner! My girls get very well looked after and it was purely an accident. The door now has a sign on it saying "please open carefully!" which is a reminder to me as well as anyone else who maybe having a look....
Click to expand...

A sign's a good idea, I opened a bedroom door the other day and Hugo fell out, luckily the hutch is only a few inches off the ground but it taught me to think before opening a door

Fudge on the otherhand charges out when the door's open ::)
 
We have a mouse problem to and i have been very close to putting my gang outside as well, but i came up with a solution, I have put there food in a sealed container, they nibble the bags open, the greens also are in a container, and the hay is put on top of the tumbler, and then once a month all the cages come out and i sweep and disinfect the floor.
Hard work i know, but i ended up with mange in some of the cages and i have only just got read of it, but i know if i disturb the territories the mice get feed up and don't have time to settle down and breed.

The only other thing is those plug in mice keep aways, but i not sure if they won't upset the pigs as it produce a high pitch frequency the mice don't like. :(
 
We have the occasional mouse inside and they also got into my shed when the guineas were out there. To be honest I don't think you'll ever get rid of them. I'm not aware of any problems they've caused. You can only put your dry food in containers and keep it as clean and tidy as you can, which you're obviously doing. I'm a softy with any animal and couldn't harm the mice but I know they can be a problem.

Part of their area is an aviary and to stop rats burrowing down and in hubby dug down all round the edge and put very thick wire grids down, hard work but worth it.

I'd just make sure there's not loads of surplus food round, just feed them what they'll eat rather than having a lot of food in there.

Good luck.
 
I had mice under my shed a few months back. I did not want the little horrors in the shed so I put pots of poisen down around the base of the shed. They never did get into the shed and I am always on the look out for them. I know humane traps are available but I just wanted rid of them before they decided to visit our house.
I would hang in there with your piggies and Bunnies get them into Hutch/run combos for the summer months and tackle the mouse problem untill your rid of them. Hopefully by the time winter comes around again you can house them all back into your mouse free shed. Good luck do not give up your animals just yet wait see if you can totally get rid of them mice over the summer. I would put poisen down too.
 
I don't want to put poison down as the mice in the house have carried the poison elsewhere and I think this would put the guineapigs at risk of being poisoned too.

I'm going to move them out of the shed into hutch/runs very soon
 
StannyUK said:
I personally think Piggies are resistant little ...

I was always led to believe they are like little china dolls and even a loud noise could kill them...

One of my girls, "Shiraz", is a bloody nightmare and got into a couple of scrapes that I thought would of meant her crossing the rainbow bridge. On one occassion she fell from her hUtch (about 4 1/2ft high) onto concrete and i screamed like a little girl cos I was so worried. She was leaning against the hutch bedroom door (something she had never done) and fell out as a result. She was instantly brought inside and checked over and she was fine... she did lose a tooth and plenty of research was done to make sure they were ok. She now owns a superb pair of gnashers :)

I hope no one is thinking I'm an unfit owner! My girls get very well looked after and it was purely an accident. The door now has a sign on it saying "please open carefully!" which is a reminder to me as well as anyone else who maybe having a look....
Click to expand...

oh one of mine did that todau i opennd the bedroom door and she walked backwords and was on the floor she landing on her feetand was ready to gp run around the gardan these things cant be help and what do there expect thwne there sit right right behnd the bedroom door
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Back
Top