Outside Time

[Rolo&HarrysMum]

Hi
I have been gifted an outdoor house which will need adapting slightly but I think it would be really good to create some outside space for the piggies when I’m out in the garden. This is just like a daycare trip when I’m there. It is not their permanent home and they will not be left without supervision or overnight.
I’m thinking of putting some Artificial grass down (the shortest I can find, almost like football pitch) as a base. What do you think?
I have included pic of my patio and also the house.

 

[Piggies&buns]

What is your full plan for the space?

Artificial grass can be problematic if they try to chew it so it would have to be very short to remove that risk. The main issue is that artificial grass can get rather hot

As you now have four young boars together, you obviously would need to make sure any area they have access to is big enough - four square metres.
Outside space is lovely for piggies but keep in mind the potential disruption to boars when changing environment and territory, particularly in an unstable grouping as a boar quartet.

The houses should be considered as single exit hides as they are (perhaps you can make more holes?) so keep an eye on how things go with them - if you end up with more than one piggy attempting to go in at the same time, then there is a potential for problems; and also ensure you add two more hides into the space so there are always four of everything out there

 

[Rolo&HarrysMum]

Okay noted about distribution especially as I have recently bonded them. I did think this too and don’t want to upset them already when they have done so well.
I know about space, I’d move the table and chairs. I would have a parasol over the space too so that it would have shade. But noted about the grass getting hot.
Any ideas what I could use instead?
I have a dog so I can’t let them on the grass x

 

[Piggies&buns]

- laying foam matting?
- If they’re going on the pavings slabs then you could put down mattress protectors and lay fleece on top. The downside to that would be because they need such a big area, it would take quite a lot to cover it!


It’s not necessarily just a case of moving them being an issue now when they’re recently bonded, it could be an issue at any point during whatever time they are able to remain together.
I don’t think you said how old the babies are, but once they hit their teens at any point from then on the stability will be at risk.
We had a new member yesterday who managed to keep a boar quartet together for six months before it all broke down.

 

[Wiebke]

Hi
I have been gifted an outdoor house which will need adapting slightly but I think it would be really good to create some outside space for the piggies when I’m out in the garden. This is just like a daycare trip when I’m there. It is not their permanent home and they will not be left without supervision or overnight.
I’m thinking of putting some Artificial grass down (the shortest I can find, almost like football pitch) as a base. What do you think?
I have included pic of my patio and also the house.

Hi
Please be aware that this house is not suitable for outdoors; it is a first class deadly heat trap as soon as temperatures climb over 25 C (77 F).
Have a look at outcomes of measuring the temperatures on the lawn and in various huts, just in pleasant conditions in the relevant chapter in our hot weather guide. Then think how it is in full sun or a sun-heated over 50 C hot summer breeze (even when in the shade at over 30 C.
Hot Weather Management, Heat Strokes and Fly Strike

I am very sorry. It looks great but it has sadly not been built with the species needs of guinea pigs in mind.