ruthie1982
Junior Guinea Pig
Hi i have noticed that my girl tango is shedding a lot should u brush short haired guinea pigs
Shedding
- Thread starter ruthie1982
- Start date
Wheekallweek
Adult Guinea Pig
Is she still outdoors alone? Hopefully she is not shedding too much as she is going to need a winter coat to keep her warm.
But yes you can gently brush her to remove any loose hair.
But yes you can gently brush her to remove any loose hair.
Shedding is normal to some extent particularly for outdoor piggies as they adjust to changing temperatures.
However, if the shedding becomes excessive or if she starts scratching, then she will need to see a vet to have her skin checked (prolonged or excessive shedding may be due to parasites or skin conditions.
However, if the shedding becomes excessive or if she starts scratching, then she will need to see a vet to have her skin checked (prolonged or excessive shedding may be due to parasites or skin conditions.
ruthie1982
Junior Guinea Pig
She is in my garage to shelter her from the cold I go out to give her some love as much as I can and I Make sure I put loads of hay in her hutch
Wheekallweek
Adult Guinea Pig
That’s good 
ruthie1982
Junior Guinea Pig
Is a Guinea pig best to be kept somewhere indoors in the colder months . Mine is in the garage with plenty of hay in her hutch and her plastic hutch cover down
It is fine to keep a piggy in a shed or garage in winter but you still need to make sure you are keeping her warm enough.
Use lots of hay, a couple of heatpads*, thermal hutch covers and potentially extra blankets over the hutch as well.
A thermometer is needed inside the hutch to ensure it is being kept as close to 15 degrees as possible.
If you cannot keep it above 10 degrees then they should be brought indoors for all of winter and then kept in a room between 18 and 22 degrees
*A heatpad is absolutely essential for outdoor piggies. Hay and a hutch cover don’t generate heat so you need a source of warmth within the hutch.
She will need a couple in the hutch - one in a hide, but still have another hide without one in so she can choose whether to be on a pad or not but still be within a hide.
Snugglesafe heatpads are heated up in a microwave and then put in the hutch. They say they stay warm for 10 hours but I don’t find that to be the case. I find they stay warm for around 6-8 hours depending on the temperature of the space they are in (the colder it is the less time the heatpad will stay warm). So mine get heated at around 9.30pm. I will do them during the day as well during the depths of winter
ruthie1982
Junior Guinea Pig
I have put loads of hay in her hutch am sure she will be ok
She still needs a heatpad and you still need to know the temperature in the hutch.
Do you have a thermometer in the hutch?
Hay is insulating so it will help but without a heat source you are only relying on her own body heat , even more so given she doesn’t have a friend to cuddle up with (and of course if she gets cold then she is at risk)
ruthie1982
Junior Guinea Pig
I’ve been giving her a bit more food then normal
L
L
That isn’t going to help much.
Do not overfeed veg and pellets. She will only need extra hay to eat.
Do you have a thermometer in the hutch and a heatpad for her?
ruthie1982
Junior Guinea Pig
No but I do have a old quilt I could use
Again, that doesn’t provide any heat. You need to provide source of warmth in the hutch to enable hutch covers and while to trap - you need to get her some heatpads.
They are essential for outdoor piggies
ruthie1982
Junior Guinea Pig
She’s not outdoors she is inside my garage
That is still considered as being outdoors and the measures you need to take are exactly the same as if she was fully outside - ie heatpads, thermal covers, thermometer in the hutch so you can ensure the space she is in is kept warm enough.
All being in the garage has done is remove wind and damp, but unless the garage is heated she is still at risk of getting cold without adequate measures being taken
The fact she doesn’t have a friend will make things harder for her - she doesn’t have the ability to share body heat with another piggy so you have to do even more to ensure she is safe
All being in the garage has done is remove wind and damp, but unless the garage is heated she is still at risk of getting cold without adequate measures being taken
The fact she doesn’t have a friend will make things harder for her - she doesn’t have the ability to share body heat with another piggy so you have to do even more to ensure she is safe
Wheekallweek
Adult Guinea Pig
She either needs a couple of snugglesafe heat pads or moving indoors. Once it reaches ten degrees (which it will in a garage over winter) she will start to struggle.
A quilt/extra hay/extra food etc do not generate heat and will do little to keep her warm - particularly as she is on her own with no friend to snuggle with.
If you can’t do that please bring her inside ASAP. It is set to go very cold over the next few days.
A quilt/extra hay/extra food etc do not generate heat and will do little to keep her warm - particularly as she is on her own with no friend to snuggle with.
If you can’t do that please bring her inside ASAP. It is set to go very cold over the next few days.
Absolutely - if she doesn’t have heatpads, a thermometer so you can monitor (and a friend) then she will definitely have to come indoors from now until next spring