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Outside Soon-ish?

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TheAurora

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I'm so excited about getting the piggies outside for the first time hopefully soon-ish. Obviously not yet but I imagine within the next month.

I was interested what others use as a guide. I like the "feels like" temperature to be at least in the double fingers.

I'll prob start Jaz and Caz off for a few hours in the middle of the day one weekend when I'm home. It will be quite emotional seeing two new fluffballs in the cage that was Freddie and Marmalade's fifth birthday present! It brings a lump to my throat now!
 
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If the ground is dry and I'm happy to be out without a jacket then the pigs go out :) only a few more weeks to wait I think! I can't wait either, Joey loves it outside plus it'll be Shaun's first time so I'm excited :)
 
I told my lot this morning when I put them in the bathroom for their floor time that they would soon be going out side again and how exciting it would be. Unfortunately this news failed to impress them but am sure they are excited deep down :lol!:
 
Hehe yes I agree with the above comments. My gang of 5 have wintered outside all winter for the first time! They have a flap that comes down over their bars and have had plenty of hay to snuggle in, and have done brilliantly. Plus they are all fatties so have had plenty of insulation :) hehe
 
I'm really exited to get the boys out too! Ludo was an outdoor pig before we adopted him so I'm sure he's been missing the grass!
 
It very much depends on whether your piggies are already used to outdoors/lower temperature rooms or whether they are full indoors piggies. In the second case, you need to treat them like tender plants.

Please don't move them outside until they can acclimatise during a warm spell (including nights) that is lasting several days and if necessary bring them in at night. Don't put them out on the lawn until it is dry and warm to bare feed and be aware that conditions especially in spring can change quickly. always make sure that they have got a warm, dry, draft-free space away from the often still cold and damp ground.

They will also need protection during cold nights. What is even more dangerous for piggies than actually the sheer cold is dampness, drafts and major jumps in temperature; this goes not just for the difference between inside and outside temperatures but also for the swings between day and night time temperatures, which are usually biggest in spring and autumn. It is not surprising that we usually deal with a rash of urinary and respiratory tract infections during these months.

You may find the tips in this thread here helpful: https://www.theguineapigforum.co.uk...-preparing-your-piggies-for-lawn-time.111844/
 
My piggies have now been living indoors permanently for the last 12 months so I am very apprehensive about when the best time is for them to go outside in their run.

They have now lost their 'winter coats' from when they were outdoor piggies living in their shed so this year they will not be going out until at least the end of April / beginning of May and that's only if we have nice weather.

I live up in the hills and we are still having snow and bad frosts and the weather here is very unpredictable.

I have always been a worry wart though and only let my pigs have outdoor time when the weather is very nice and the grass feels warm and dry when I stand on it in bare feet.
 
Mine shan't be moving outdoors until it is much warmer, their was a real frost on the ground this morning at 6am (when leaving for work..huff huff), the temp was reading just 1deg c. Whilst I am keen to move the entire mob outside because of hay getting all around the house. I won't be doing so I reckon til May time, especially as I have some face furry faces...
 
My pigs have lived with me in Sussex for the last 20years - firstly as purely outdoor piggies (in a shed)...then as outdooor piggies during warmer weather but coming indoors during winter....and now, for the last 5 years, as permanent indoor piggies with a constant room temperature of 20degC.

My rule of thumb for putting them outside is very similar to @Wiebke - and because we can often have quite variable temperature changes even down here in the SE, in practice this means I aim to put them outside on the grass/outdoor hutches from Whitsun (end of May) to mid September. In my early days of piggie keeping I lost several pigs to pneumonia owing to sudden unexpected temperature drops occurring in early May and late September and as my current pigs mostly have long term medical issues I tend to play it very safe with them!
 
I should point out that we are due a large increase in temperature leading up to next weekend - with possible temperatures of 15degC next saturday here in the SE. However my grass is still completely waterlogged, the ground temperature is still far too cold for little piggie feet, bottoms and tummies and so sadly, despite the tempting balmy forecast for next weekend,my piggies will not be going out in their runs for another 6 weeks or so.
 
I am looking forward to the comfortable run time temperatures. The pigs love running about and eating grass.

Bit upsetting though when it's too hot! Poor girls really don't like that.
 
I'm jealous! It's still significantly below freezing and under several feet of snow in Ontario! The weather isn't pig friendly until May or June, and then only lasts until September or so. Hadley was born in the fall, so she will be about nine months old before she ever gets outside!
 
I'm jealous! It's still significantly below freezing and under several feet of snow in Ontario! The weather isn't pig friendly until May or June, and then only lasts until September or so. Hadley was born in the fall, so she will be about nine months old before she ever gets outside!
We've had mild weather here. Been really weird actually. It was in the plus for two weeks in January! How crazy is that?! I hear Toronto is meant to have freezing rain soon :( BLAH!
 
Too cold until then :( If I'm lucky, it might be a sunny, warmish day in May and she might be able to run around on the deck but it only happens some years lol

Sorry Jennifer... for some reason I just assume everyone on this forum is British - which of course they are not. Was trying to work out why your weather is so different, hahahaha. Then checked your profile. My bad.
 
I
Sorry Jennifer... for some reason I just assume everyone on this forum is British - which of course they are not. Was trying to work out why your weather is so different, hahahaha. Then checked your profile. My bad.
I'm so jealous that your piggies can run around earlier than mine :( lol
 
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