Outdoor Winter Setup Advice

[SapphirePisces]

Hi there, first time posting, seen loads of good advice here! I’m just hoping for some tips on my winter set up for my 2 outdoor boys. This forum seems to be more accepting of outdoor setups more than other places online.

Current Hutch

We currently have the house below that was given to us - with a raincover, well elevated off the ground in the corner of the garden closest to the house.

We have lino sheets lining the each of the trays, followed by a thick layer of newspaper, sawdust then hay. They they have their plastic igloo houses and soft houses on top that they like to alternate between. We've replaced the ramp as well to something safer.

Better Insulation?

I want to block up the exposed back and sides of the hutch to make it cosier. Planning on getting some untreated wood cut to size then attach to the hutch.

I have ordered this Insulation roll to cover the outside which I'm planning to staple to roof and sides underneath the rain cover.

I have also read about attaching thick cardboard to the roof of the hutch on the inside? Would both be beneficial?

Also have the SnuggleSafe pads!

Exercise?

The boys have a large run on the grass that they've enjoyed all summer! They have a small house inside the run like this - again full of newspaper, sawdust, hay and hidey houses.

What can we do with them for exercise during the winter months? I feel bad cooping them up, and would like to give them a chance to stretch their legs and get some fresh air, but obviously when the grass is cold and damp now its not good for them.
Since they are outdoor pigs, I obviously do not want to bring them inside in the warm where the temperature change can shock them.

If I put their run on the patio in a sheltered part of the garden, with lino and a fleece blanket underneath, their warm run house (including SnuggleSafe pads), cover the sides with something to keep the wind off them, and fill it with hay, toys, food, tunnels etc. and give them an hour or so supervised time during winter days (obviously when it's not bitterly cold or during bad weather) would that be okay? Or would it just be better to keep them in their house?

We don't have a shed or garage unfortunately - but I have been debating whether to buy a small kids wooden play house/wendy house for them to use during the winter as a place to exercise.

Any and all advice/tips would be appreciated Just want my pigs to be as safe and comfortable as possible

 

[Piggies&buns]

Welcome to the forum

We are here to help and advise you in a friendly way! We absolutely are accepting of outdoor set ups and will do all we can to help you.
I’m an outdoor owner myself (I do have a shed though)

I'm really sorry to be the bearer of bad news but this kind of hutch is not suitable to be used for outdoor guinea pigs at all. (It’s a real shame they are still sold as suitable).

The problem is that the enclosed area which they need to be locked into (at night and all winter) doesn’t come anywhere near even welfare minimum sizing at all (120x60cm is the absolute smallest for two piggies but even that size is only suitable for two sows).
The run area does not count towards living space as it’s not somewhere they can have constant access to.
Two boys need the enclosed area they are shut into (at any time) to be 180x60cm on a single level.

For two boys You need something like the 6ft single level chartwell from home and Roost :
6ft Chartwell Single Rabbit Hutch | Free Shipping & 90 Day Returns

That hutch would then need to be insulated (with the foil you suggest is fine) and have waterproof and thermal covers.
Snugglesafes are a must for outdoor piggies so it’s great you’ve got them, as well as being filled with lots of hay and hay stuffed hides inside.

We do not recommend the use of plastic hide houses outside due to the condensation that can form in them when warm piggies are breathing in outdoor temperatures. It risks damp inside them and then health issues.
Fleece items also cannot be used outdoors in winter as the colder conditions mean they remain damp.
Wooden hides or bendy wood log bridges are best types to use in hutches. Nothing single exit as they can cause issues between boars.

Regarding exercise - essentially they can’t have any out of hutch time, that is why it is so important the hutch is suitable and big enough for them to run around inside and still stay protected.

EDIT for size comparisons - just seen on online which says the enclosed area of the type of hutch you have is just 3.3 sq ft whereas two boys need 12 square feet at all times (8sq ft is minimum for two sows).

 

[SapphirePisces]

Welcome to the forum

We are here to help and advise you in a friendly way! We absolutely are accepting of outdoor set ups and will do all we can to help you.
I’m an outdoor owner myself (I do have a shed though)

I'm really sorry to be the bearer of bad news but this kind of hutch is not suitable to be used for outdoor guinea pigs at all. (It’s a real shame they are still sold as suitable).

The problem is that the enclosed area which they need to be locked into (at night and all winter) doesn’t come anywhere near even welfare minimum sizing at all (120x60cm is the absolute smallest for two piggies but even that size is only suitable for two sows).
The run area does not count towards living space as it’s not somewhere they can have constant access to.
Two boys need the enclosed area they are shut into (at any time) to be 180x60cm on a single level.

For two boys You need something like the 6ft single level chartwell from home and Roost :
6ft Chartwell Single Rabbit Hutch | Free Shipping & 90 Day Returns

That hutch would then need to be insulated (with the foil you suggest is fine) and have waterproof and thermal covers.
Snugglesafes are a must for outdoor piggies so it’s great you’ve got them, as well as being filled with lots of hay and hay stuffed hides inside.

We do not recommend the use of plastic hide houses outside due to the condensation that can form in them when warm piggies are breathing in outdoor temperatures. It risks damp inside them and then health issues.
Fleece items also cannot be used outdoors in winter as the colder conditions mean they remain damp.
Wooden hides or bendy wood log bridges are best types to use in hutches. Nothing single exit as they can cause issues between boars.

Regarding exercise - essentially they can’t have any out of hutch time, that is why it is so important the hutch is suitable and big enough for them to run around inside and still stay protected.

EDIT for size comparisons - just seen on online which says the enclosed area of the type of hutch you have is just 3.3 sq ft whereas two boys need 12 square feet at all times (8sq ft is minimum for two sows).

Hi there, thanks for the reply!

Oh no! That's a bummer Thanks for letting me know. It was given to us so I just assumed by its size it would be more than big enough!

The entire downstairs area is approx 150x60 (only slightly smaller than the 180x60).
If I get some wood cut and boxed-in the lower left area for their sleep area, like this

Then boxed-in the back, sides and half the front of the right area, like this



Making it as similar to the chartwell hutch as I can, do you think that would suffice? It would only be slightly shorter (150cm instead of 180cm across), but they would also have the upstairs section if they wanted to use that?

A whole new hutch is a big expense as you can imagine this time of year coming up to christmas! But if I have to buy it, I will. Thought maybe adapting our existing hutch to be more suitable may be worth trying?

I'll also take the plastic and soft houses out and look for some wooden ones.

Thank you so much for the advice

 

[weepweeps]

Hello and welcome to the forum.

 

[Piggies&buns]

How old are your boys?

150x60cm is only minimum for two boys, so while ok, the benefit they would get from 180x60cm is immense - it can ensure their bond doesn’t fail due to lack of space. Boars are so territorial that size really does matter to them.
If they are young /not yet teenagers/teenagers then personally I would opt for more space immediately.

One issue I can see with that is door way area between the red and blue sections essentially becomes one exit hides and they could end up being face to face with each other and only one door to go through. It’s better if it is completely open. (I remove all the dividing walls in my commercial hutches so there really is nowhere one can get trapped by the other).

I would also insulate the floor very thoroughly as it is very low to the ground. Lino and bedding isn’t going to be enough.

You would have to use good quality wood so it stays warm enough inside (ie ply isn’t suitable).
If it was me, and this is what I was going to do, I would do it knowing it was temporary. I'm not sure whether the cost of the equipment you would make it worth it given it can’t change the size and you may end up needing to buy a new hutch anyway but that’s a financial decision you would need to make

 

[SapphirePisces]

How old are your boys?

150x60cm is only minimum for two boys, so while ok, the benefit they would get from 180x60cm is immense - it can ensure their bond doesn’t fail due to lack of space. Boars are so territorial that size really does matter to them.
If they are young /not yet teenagers/teenagers then personally I would opt for more space immediately.

One issue I can see with that is door way area between the red and blue sections essentially becomes one exit hides and they could end up being face to face with each other and only one door to go through. It’s better if it is completely open. (I remove all the dividing walls in my commercial hutches so there really is nowhere one can get trapped by the other).

I would also insulate the floor very thoroughly as it is very low to the ground. Lino and bedding isn’t going to be enough.

You would have to use good quality wood so it stays warm enough inside (ie ply isn’t suitable).
If it was me, and this is what I was going to do, I would do it knowing it was temporary. I'm not sure whether the cost of the equipment you would make it worth it given it can’t change the size and you may end up needing to buy a new hutch anyway but that’s a financial decision you would need to make

They are less than a year old! Coming up to 1 around December No major territorial scraps as yet thankfully. Just some rumblings/warnings.

Yes I am planning on getting something bigger. I was looking at potentially getting a small Wendy house/play house to give them more room. We don’t have much space in the garden for a full size shed, so a smaller playhouse might work. I’ve seen people make nice habitats out of play houses. This would be a temporary solution

I’ll skip the dividing wall, get some good quality wood and find some extra insulation for the bottom.

 

[Piggies&buns]

They are still teenagers then for another four months.

Keep us posted on how you go with the modifications.

 

[SapphirePisces]

They are still teenagers then for another four months.

Keep us posted on how you go with the modifications.

Will do! Thank you for all the help Really appreciate it

 

[SapphirePisces]

In terms of adding more insulation to the floor, the hutch is raised well off the ground, and inside the pull out trays we have lino, then newspaper, then a thick layer of sawdust, the a thick layer of hay. Would putting some of that foil insulation underneath the house itself be enough? Or would something like a cardboard layer under the newspaper be helpful?

Also, in terms of two-exit hides, do you have any recommendations for outdoor hutches? I read people just using cardboard boxes with holes cut out, but I imagine these are intended for indoor setups? Can’t seem to find many 2 exit wooden hides, most I’ve seen are 1 exit.

 

[Piggies&buns]

I’d add foil insulation to the bottom. It looks quite low to the floor on the picture but it may well be higher in reality.

Cardboard boxes are absolutely fine outdoors.

Search kerbl wooden bridge on amazon and you will find the item in the picture. They come in many sizes from hamster to rabbit so you need to make sure you get the right ones - I have large for mine.
I fill them with hay and pop a snugglesafe underneath them. I have also put a small fleece square over the top to help keep warmth in (it’s fine to use fleece for those but not as a bedding or as an actual hide outside. Blankets over the top don’t get peed on).

There is also the hop inn hideaways (also Amazon) that are well recommended.
I have ones similar to the hop inn but they’re a different name which now doesn’t seem to be on Amazon anymore (the one I have has three exits).

You will need two of whichever one you choose.

 

[eileen]

i use lounging logs from amazon,there are no gaps between the logs,similar to the above.i use the large ones.Like piggie and buns suggest put heat pad and lots of hay inside.
the chartwell 6 feet hutch with thermal cover and rain cover is a very good investment,mine lasted 10 years outside in all weathers up against the fence to stop winds knocking them over.Good luck with your adjustments

 

[piggieminder]

The Hop Inn hides are lovely, I have several. Hop Inn have their own website and they are very helpful especially if you want something bespoke. There are lots of people on etsy and ebay selling 2 door wooden hides.

 

[Guinea piggie mummy]

Hi and welcome.

I have actually moved my outside piggies to inside. So if you can do that may be move them inside. I know my vet suggested it when I first got them. But I am also well aware this might not be possible.
Looks like you are looking to take good care of them during those winter months. I would suggest the snuggle heated mats too mine love them in the spring when a little colder. Defiantly a thermal cover.

 

[SapphirePisces]

I’d add foil insulation to the bottom. It looks quite low to the floor on the picture but it may well be higher in reality.

Cardboard boxes are absolutely fine outdoors.

Search kerbl wooden bridge on amazon and you will find the item in the picture. They come in many sizes from hamster to rabbit so you need to make sure you get the right ones - I have large for mine.
I fill them with hay and pop a snugglesafe underneath them. I have also put a small fleece square over the top to help keep warmth in (it’s fine to use fleece for those but not as a bedding or as an actual hide outside. Blankets over the top don’t get peed on).

There is also the hop inn hideaways (also Amazon) that are well recommended.
I have ones similar to the hop inn but they’re a different name which now doesn’t seem to be on Amazon anymore (the one I have has three exits).

You will need two of whichever one you choose.

Perfect. Think I will invest in the HopInn ones, they look cosier to me. Could I put fleece around top/sides of those as well for extra insulation?

Weve stopped putting the boys out for exercise in the outdoor run now it’s getting cold. We don’t space for a permanent indoor setup unfortunately, but would it we worth having a folding indoor/puppy pen type run for them that I could put up for an hour or two on our kitchen floor? With lino/fleece/hideys/toys, Obviously keeping an eye on the temperature so there isn’t a shock when they go back outside? Or is it better to just keep them in one place, cosy in their hutch until spring?

 

[Piggies&buns]

Fill the hide inside with hay, make sure to add a snugglesafe under it. You can also throw hay over the top. They will be fine without fleece over it given a hop inn is a solid structure.
I use a small fleece over the top of bendy bridges. A fleece over those just helps keep warmth inside given they are more open. It hangs over the open ends a little way but they don’t sit on it.
(If you do decide to throw a fleece over the top of a hop inn make sure it’s a small one that they can’t sit on it/pee on it and make it damp. Make sure to check it very regularly. As they are flat roofed they do mean they are more at risk of sitting on it so using a fleece over the top would be risky .)

Snugglesafe use will need to start soon depending on where you are in the UK. Once the nights get to 10 degrees pop two snugglesafes with them.

It’s best to just Keep them outside in their hutch. It’s not just the temperature from going back outside, it’s also the one coming indoors They can’t be exposed to anything more than a 5 degree change in one go so you would looking at having to dramatically drop the temperature in your house/room to be able to let them have run time indoors.

Mine don’t come indoors at all in winter (except if it gets to minus figures and I can’t maintain the shed - it’s only happened once - but if they come inside due to it being too cold then they have to stay in until April).
The only time they have to come in the house is during summer. It has become increasingly difficult to keep outdoor piggies in summer - I find summer much harder to keep than safe than in winter to keep them warm.

 

[Mrs Tiggy Winkle]

Fleece will get damp outside so not sure about using that for insulation. I've never kept guineas outdoors. I do know of people who've used styrofoam to insulate but only in a way and place the guineas couldn't reach to chew.

I wouldn't bring the guineas into a normally heated area of the house in winter for their floor time because of temperature shock coming in and going out again. But if you had a sheltered, unheated or only marginally heated area that could work. I looked after rabbits one year and eventually I had to bring them in during a very cold spell. They came into the unheated basement which was above 0 Celsius, about 10 degrees maybe, can't remember exactly and lived out the remainder of the winter there. Outside it was possibly -15, it can get that cold here.

 

[SapphirePisces]

Fill the inside with hay, make sure to add a snugglesafe under it. They will be fine without fleece over it.
If you do decide to throw a fleece over the top make sure it’s a small one that aren’t sitting on it/peeing on it and making it damp.
I use fleece over the bendy bridges. A fleece over those just helps keep warmth inside given they are more open.

It’s best to just Keep them outside in their hutch. It’s not just the temperature from going back outside, it’s also the one coming indoors They can’t be exposed to anything more than a 5 degree change in one go so you would looking at having to dramatically drop the temperature in your house/room to be able to let them have run time indoors.

Mine don’t come indoors at all in winter (except if it gets to minus figures and I can’t maintain the shed - it’s only happened once - but if they come inside due to it being too cold then they have to stay in until April).
The only time they have to come in the house is during summer. It has become increasingly difficult to keep outdoor piggies in summer - I find summer much harder to keep than safe than in winter to keep them warm.

That’s fine, I’ll just make their hutch as cosy and interesting as I can for them through this winter Hopefully by next winter I will have something larger for them. Ideally would like a small heated shed with space for them to run around indoors during colder months if they choose to.

We currently bring them inside for around 30/40 mins a day for some “lap time”, for some cuddles, attention & food. In the room next to the garden which always stays pretty similar to the outside temp with no heating on. Have some soft fleece houses on our laps they sit in if they feel the cold. Should we stop doing that during winter and not bring them inside at all?

Thank you for all the answers by the way! Youve been massively helpful

 

[Piggies&buns]

That’s fine, I’ll just make their hutch as cosy and interesting as I can for them through this winter Hopefully by next winter I will have something larger for them. Ideally would like a small heated shed with space for them to run around indoors during colder months if they choose to.

We currently bring them inside for around 30/40 mins a day for some “lap time”, for some cuddles, attention & food. In the room next to the garden which always stays pretty similar to the outside temp with no heating on. Have some soft fleece houses on our laps they sit in if they feel the cold. Should we stop doing that during winter and not bring them inside at all?

Thank you for all the answers by the way! Youve been massively helpful

If the room you are bringing them into is anything more than 5 degrees different to outside, then yes, stop bringing them in. (You really would be looking at needing to keep the room literally 0-5 degrees in mid winter to be able to bring them indoors at all).

You will need thermometers outside in their hutch and one in the room so you can be sure that indoors really is the exactly the same temperature as outside.

 

[Nire]

Hello, if the original poster were to cut a hole in the mesh at the end of her hutch and attach the small wooden hide she said she had, would that be big enough

Welcome to the forum

We are here to help and advise you in a friendly way! We absolutely are accepting of outdoor set ups and will do all we can to help you.
I’m an outdoor owner myself (I do have a shed though)

I'm really sorry to be the bearer of bad news but this kind of hutch is not suitable to be used for outdoor guinea pigs at all. (It’s a real shame they are still sold as suitable).

The problem is that the enclosed area which they need to be locked into (at night and all winter) doesn’t come anywhere near even welfare minimum sizing at all (120x60cm is the absolute smallest for two piggies but even that size is only suitable for two sows).
The run area does not count towards living space as it’s not somewhere they can have constant access to.
Two boys need the enclosed area they are shut into (at any time) to be 180x60cm on a single level.

For two boys You need something like the 6ft single level chartwell from home and Roost :
6ft Chartwell Single Rabbit Hutch | Free Shipping & 90 Day Returns

That hutch would then need to be insulated (with the foil you suggest is fine) and have waterproof and thermal covers.
Snugglesafes are a must for outdoor piggies so it’s great you’ve got them, as well as being filled with lots of hay and hay stuffed hides inside.

We do not recommend the use of plastic hide houses outside due to the condensation that can form in them when warm piggies are breathing in outdoor temperatures. It risks damp inside them and then health issues.
Fleece items also cannot be used outdoors in winter as the colder conditions mean they remain damp.
Wooden hides or bendy wood log bridges are best types to use in hutches. Nothing single exit as they can cause issues between boars.

Regarding exercise - essentially they can’t have any out of hutch time, that is why it is so important the hutch is suitable and big enough for them to run around inside and still stay protected.

EDIT for size comparisons - just seen on online which says the enclosed area of the type of hutch you have is just 3.3 sq ft whereas two boys need 12 square feet at all times (8sq ft is minimum for two sows).

Hello, if the original poster were to cut a hole in the mesh at the end of her hutch and attach the small wooden hide she said she had, would that be big enough? Thanks!

 

[Piggies&buns]

Hello, if the original poster were to cut a hole in the mesh at the end of her hutch and attach the small wooden hide she said she had, would that be big enough

Hello, if the original poster were to cut a hole in the mesh at the end of her hutch and attach the small wooden hide she said she had, would that be big enough? Thanks!

No it still wouldn’t make it a suitable.
I assume you’re thinking it would increase the overall floor space but it actually wouldn’t do that. It is just a single exit hide, not a safe living space so adding it onto the hutch (as it is sold) won’t make the whole thing more suitable.

Even if the OP made the modifications proposed (which would only have been able to be a temporary measure), in terms of cladding it with wood and insulating, adding the box on wouldn’t improve the space in other aspects: The box itself isn’t predator proof, attaching it would create a point of weakness and they’re flimsy/highly susceptible to weather.