piggiemummy03x
Adult Guinea Pig
outside run
- Thread starter piggiemummy03x
- Start date
Claire W
Forum Donator 2025/26
- Joined
- Mar 23, 2008
- Messages
- 38,096
- Reaction score
- 31,200
- Points
- 2,915
Please do not think I’m being horrible but just to warn you that it will be too unsafe to leave them in that cage unsupervised as a predator could easily get in. Personally, you’d be better with a sturdy wooden run with fox proof wire if you’re planning on leaving them unsupervised for any length of time. All it takes is for a heavy fox to sit on top and the cage would collapse x
piggiemummy03x
Adult Guinea Pig
not at all, unfortunately though i don't have the money to keep spending out, this is the best i can do at the minute and its only to get them out the shed when its too hot. i cant pay out for a wooden run right now x
piggiemummy03x
Adult Guinea Pig
i totally agree though, i wouldn’t recommend this as an outdoor run but i don’t really have any other option. i don’t work so my income in low already and iv just spent out on the hutch and getting the summer house sorted. i just don’t have any other option
If it is warm enough for you to be sat outside (ie you are comfortable in light clothing) then it’s fine for them to go out. You will need to supervise them with the cage though
You’re looking for it to be between 15 and 25.
Quite simply, if it’s a warm, bright, sunny day then my boys come out (even if the shed isn’t too warm).
(They obviously come out if the shed gets warm).
They’re out now at 16 degrees outside, it’s breezy but it’s bright blue skies. Their shed is at 22-24
So actually they would be ok in the shed (the stable door is open) but they’re enjoying the time out regardless!
You’re looking for it to be between 15 and 25.
Quite simply, if it’s a warm, bright, sunny day then my boys come out (even if the shed isn’t too warm).
(They obviously come out if the shed gets warm).
They’re out now at 16 degrees outside, it’s breezy but it’s bright blue skies. Their shed is at 22-24
So actually they would be ok in the shed (the stable door is open) but they’re enjoying the time out regardless!
piggiemummy03x
Adult Guinea Pig
okay thankyou! so can i use the thermostat to judge that? is there anything i can do to this current cage to make it so i can leave them in it unsupervised? i thought because it had a base it would have actually been better than the metal ones iv always used..
because its not an ideal set up i think ill only put them in it if i HAVE too, but it wouldn’t be more than a couple of hours right now this point in my life.
oh wow your shed gets HOT!
its 18 outside here, summer house is currently sitting at 20.9. i suppose i can put them outside whilst i clean them today! i’m interested to see how hot the shed gets without opening doors etc on a day like today to give me a bit of a gauge!
I just look at the weather app and see what temp the day is supposed to be.
If it’s predicted to be warm, and I’m warm outside then they come out.
I really don’t overthink it.
Yes yours could be in there today while you clean out if it’s sunny
No I’m afraid there isn’t any way they can be left unsupervised with the cage you have, and there isn’t really much you can do to it to make it safe. They aren’t intended to be used outside. I think you’ve said in another post that you have rats around due to a river nearby (? Or am I imagining that?) so the only thing you could do is cover the whole thing in rodent proof mesh to stop rats getting in but it wouldn’t improve the strength of it enough to protect them from anything else.
Even with a wooden run you still shouldn’t leave them unsupervised ie it wouldn’t be recommended to go out for the day but you could be indoors with them in a wooden run.
(I have wooden runs and I’m happy to leave them and be indoors myself but I’m still popping out o them every so often to check on them (come summer days they will be out from first thing in the morning until just before dark).
Yes my shed does get hot - that temp in there is with the doors open, and they have been open since 9am.
There is a lot worse to come - thermometer hit 45 in there last summer! Predicted to be 22/23 tomorrow here so the shed will get to high 20s, may even break 30.
The plus side for this time of year is that when the temperature drops outside overnight, enough warmth will be trapped in the shed to keep the temperature up in there during the night
If it’s predicted to be warm, and I’m warm outside then they come out.
I really don’t overthink it.
Yes yours could be in there today while you clean out if it’s sunny
No I’m afraid there isn’t any way they can be left unsupervised with the cage you have, and there isn’t really much you can do to it to make it safe. They aren’t intended to be used outside. I think you’ve said in another post that you have rats around due to a river nearby (? Or am I imagining that?) so the only thing you could do is cover the whole thing in rodent proof mesh to stop rats getting in but it wouldn’t improve the strength of it enough to protect them from anything else.
Even with a wooden run you still shouldn’t leave them unsupervised ie it wouldn’t be recommended to go out for the day but you could be indoors with them in a wooden run.
(I have wooden runs and I’m happy to leave them and be indoors myself but I’m still popping out o them every so often to check on them (come summer days they will be out from first thing in the morning until just before dark).
Yes my shed does get hot - that temp in there is with the doors open, and they have been open since 9am.
There is a lot worse to come - thermometer hit 45 in there last summer! Predicted to be 22/23 tomorrow here so the shed will get to high 20s, may even break 30.
The plus side for this time of year is that when the temperature drops outside overnight, enough warmth will be trapped in the shed to keep the temperature up in there during the night
piggiemummy03x
Adult Guinea Pig
yeah i bloody overthink everything annoyingly
i just don't want to do anything wrong.ah thats a shame. i doubt ill be able to buy a run anytime soon so ill have to try to work around the hours they will need to be in it! yes your right, however this is the only option apposed to them being in an overheated shed.. so what are you supposed to do then if you go to work all day? i thought it was normal for people to leave their pigs out in a run.
ah yes at least thats one positive haha!
piggiemummy03x
Adult Guinea Pig
seems to be only around now (5pm) the summer house is getting to the point where itll be too hot for them to stay inside (23 degrees) i have had the door shut the whole time though, ill track it now with the door being open see if it starts to cool!
We would not recommend, and most people won’t, for them to be left unsupervised all day in a run.
Sadly we do see the occasional case of attacks from predators happening.
I bring mine into a temporary cage in the house when both shed and outside are too hot/they can’t be in the run due to not being home. Of course it doesn’t entirely eliminate the issue because when it’s really hot in summer, then the houses heat up too!
This is why I have more problems with them being outside in summer than during winter though - They’ve never had to come indoors due to being too cold, but they have to come in every year during summer.
Using an air conditioning unit in the shed would be the alternative but then you need openings for the vent pipe to run etc - it’s a whole thing on its own
Sadly we do see the occasional case of attacks from predators happening.
I bring mine into a temporary cage in the house when both shed and outside are too hot/they can’t be in the run due to not being home. Of course it doesn’t entirely eliminate the issue because when it’s really hot in summer, then the houses heat up too!
This is why I have more problems with them being outside in summer than during winter though - They’ve never had to come indoors due to being too cold, but they have to come in every year during summer.
Using an air conditioning unit in the shed would be the alternative but then you need openings for the vent pipe to run etc - it’s a whole thing on its own
piggiemummy03x
Adult Guinea Pig
yeah that is heartbreaking.
yes i need to have a plan when it gets to that point, but actually, the house seems hotter than outside so i dont even think that would be an option
yeah bloody nightmare! I'm hoping ill be in a position I'm able to just bring them in and use the AC.
Claire W
Forum Donator 2025/26
- Joined
- Mar 23, 2008
- Messages
- 38,096
- Reaction score
- 31,200
- Points
- 2,915
Sorry for the confusion but when I said about leaving them unsupervised, I didn’t mean to go out all day and leave them out in a run but being indoors and popping in and out to them during the day is fine but sadly not with the ferplast cage although it’s fine so long as you can sit with them.
I do appreciate though that money is tight and you can’t keep spending
x
I do appreciate though that money is tight and you can’t keep spending
x
piggiemummy03x
Adult Guinea Pig
Sorry for the confusion but when I said about leaving them unsupervised, I didn’t mean to go out all day and leave them out in a run but being indoors and popping in and out to them during the day is fine but sadly not with the ferplast cage although it’s fine so long as you can sit with them.
I do appreciate though that money is tight and you can’t keep spending
don’t be silly! i understand, I'm going to see what i can do and hopefully make an ‘area’ the cage can be in thats more predator proof so i can know they are safe if i have to pop in etc x