Outdoor Piggies During Winter

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SBilling88

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Hi everyone.
I'm New and just got my two sows yesterday, Pip and Tulip (9-10 weeks old).
They are currently in an outdoor hutch, as my hubby didn't want them in the house - I did.
Now, I cannot decide what to do as I've been told so many different things, so any help/advice would be greatly appreciated!
Do I:
- leave them in the hutch outside during winter (I don't have a shed or useable garage).
- bring the Guinea pigs indoors in a cage, around October time (will this be too much of a shock as they are still very skittish and scared).
I just want to do what's best for the piggies.
Thankyou. Steph
 
We can bring them in and I want to (hubby is ok with it too)
People have worried me though by saying it will be too much of a shock and that it will be more difficult to put them back out in warmer months.
 
It''s a much better idea to have them indoors in the winter. I'd have mine indoors all the year round if I could .
 
Please bring your guinea pigs to live indoors if you can, as you will have a lot more interaction with them in the house - and therefore more socialised piggies - and don't have to trudge out in the dark and any weather to feed and clean your guinea pigs. Ideally, you bring your guinea pigs under cover in winter anyway, as cold drafts, dampness and hard frosts can cause illness or kill.
If you bring them indoors into the house, you will have to treat them the same as tender plants. What guinea pigs don;t do well are huge quick changes of temperatures, whether it is cold outside/warm indoors or changes between warm days/cold nights.
You may find this thread here helpful: Cold Weather Care For Guinea Pigs
 
I got my piggies in aug 2014, they were to be outdoor piggies. By the october and the weather turned wet and windy and even my hubby said i should bring them indoors. They stayed indoor till the following april, i had to put them back out as we were having work done and it was too noisy and dusty for the piggies. They stayed out until august then storms came, i brought them back inside and that is where they have stayed. I built a c&c indoors, got a large run and wooden hide for the garden. They go out everyday that is dry and fine enough for them, and they are fine. As long as there isn't a sudden change in temperature from inside to outside they are fine.
 
Wiebke said:
Please bring your guinea pigs to live indoors if you can, as you will have a lot more interaction with them in the house - and therefore more socialised piggies - and don't have to trudge out in the dark and any weather to feed and clean your guinea pigs. Ideally, you bring your guinea pigs under cover in winter anyway, as cold drafts, dampness and hard frosts can cause illness or kill.
If you bring them indoors into the house, you will have to treat them the same as tender plants. What guinea pigs don;t do well are huge quick changes of temperatures, whether it is cold outside/warm indoors or changes between warm days/cold nights.
You may find this thread here helpful: Cold Weather Care For Guinea Pigs
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Thankyou so much. That's incredibly helpful.
Do you think I should keep them in all year round then?
 
nana piggie said:
I got my piggies in aug 2014, they were to be outdoor piggies. By the october and the weather turned wet and windy and even my hubby said i should bring them indoors. They stayed indoor till the following april, i had to put them back out as we were having work done and it was too noisy and dusty for the piggies. They stayed out until august then storms came, i brought them back inside and that is where they have stayed. I built a c&c indoors, got a large run and wooden hide for the garden. They go out everyday that is dry and fine enough for them, and they are fine. As long as there isn't a sudden change in temperature from inside to outside they are fine.
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Ah bless. I hope I can persuade my hubby to keep them inside.
I don't like them being out there.
 
SBilling88 said:
Thankyou so much. That's incredibly helpful.
Do you think I should keep them in all year round then?
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If you can get away with it, try! Some members have their piggies out in a hutch during the warm season, but we also have a number where the piggies never moved out again... :D

Mine are all indoors and have taken over the biggest room in the house.
 
SBilling88 said:
Ah bless. I hope I can persuade my hubby to keep them inside.
I don't like them being out there.
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Tell hubby to go outside in the snow & see if he's cold give him 24 hours & see if changes his mind. They could die in the winter. They are only young.
 
My Guinea pigs have to stay outside during the winter :(

I'm currently looking into how to weather prof my hutch as much as possible and what I can do to try and keep them nice and cosey, I hoping to cover over where the wood joins and put a layer of insulating material followed by the insulated waterproof hutch cover I'm going to buy.
I'm going to provide them with extra hay and balls of screwed up newspaper to try and bulk out the sleeping area.
I can't put them in a shed as I don't have one and we can't have the indoors
 
Is there anyone on here who has theirs outside all year round without the addition of a shed or anything like that just the hutch?
 
You can buy pods you heat up in the microwave that stay warm for up to ten hours.Hay in boxes works well,My brother in law put polystyrene round his hutch then boards.You could cover half the wire with plexiglass to cut down draughts.A cover over the hutch will complete it.Some people put greenhouse heaters on the ceiling as well.
 
Tiamolly123 said:
Helenv87 & SBilling88, I'm shocked that you 2 don't know how to get round your husband.
If they won't let you have them in. Cut off there oats.
:lol!: :luv:
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It has been mentioned loads since we got them and Its an argument not worth having again :soz: when we initially discussed getting them it was agreed they would stay outside as we don't have the space indoors.
We only have space outside for the hutch as the garden is tiny so I can't add a shed, I'm lucky to get them as he didn't want them as he wanted to use that part of the garden for something else :xd:
 
helenv87 said:
It has been mentioned loads since we got them and Its an argument not worth having again :soz: when we initially discussed getting them it was agreed they would stay outside as we don't have the space indoors.
We only have space outside for the hutch as the garden is tiny so I can't add a shed, I'm lucky to get them as he didn't want them as he wanted to use that part of the garden for something else :xd:
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You have got them, and you are clearly doing the best you can to ensure they have a comfortable and happy life.
Sometimes things don't work out exactly as we would like, but you are working with what you have available to you, which is all any of us can do.
I know people who keep their guineas and rabbits outside year round, even here in Switzerland, so it can be done, and with the right preparation and research I am sure they will be fine.
Don't forget to enjoy them too!
 
Swissgreys said:
You have got them, and you are clearly doing the best you can to ensure they have a comfortable and happy life.
Sometimes things don't work out exactly as we would like, but you are working with what you have available to you, which is all any of us can do.
I know people who keep their guineas and rabbits outside year round, even here in Switzerland, so it can be done, and with the right preparation and research I am sure they will be fine.
Don't forget to enjoy them too!
Click to expand...

Thank you, I'm probably going to get so carried away insulating and warming up the hutch I end up over heating them lol
 
helenv87 said:
It has been mentioned loads since we got them and Its an argument not worth having again :soz: when we initially discussed getting them it was agreed they would stay outside as we don't have the space indoors.
We only have space outside for the hutch as the garden is tiny so I can't add a shed, I'm lucky to get them as he didn't want them as he wanted to use that part of the garden for something else :xd:
Click to expand...
If you've discussed this before & agreed it your sunk. :lol!:
 
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