Very Worried

Flamestriker

Flamestriker

Adult Guinea Pig
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As you are all aware, the herd has moved in to the cabin.

The house is very quiet and the piggies seem to hide when I'm not in the cabin with them. I have clipped a fleecy blanket over one side, hiding one hay tray and a part of the cage to give them shelter from the openness of the cage. Most of them are hiding under there, with the reminder of the herd in the hidies.

But the only time I see them on the cameras is when my OH is in the cabin with them. I just did a poo clean (the cage really needed it) and gave them nuggets. There were pigs everywhere. Within a minute of me leaving, they are all hiding again.

It's like the reverse of having new piggies. New ones will only emerge when it's quiet. Mine only emerge when it's noisy. They are used to the house noises from the tv, the washing machine, us...now they have silence. What else can I do?

What is the optimum temperatures for piggies? We are due snow soon, and I'm worried the 800w heater in the cabin won't be enough. IV got 3 Snugglesafe pads standing by just in case.

The OH is talking of bringing the herd back inside the house for a month or so...and although I really do miss them, we have spent two grand on this cabin. I no longer know what to do. I just turned the heater in there off as it was too much for me to poo clean in there.
 
How long how long have they been in the cabin? I have an outdoor hutch and when I was switching them between indoors and outdoors (this was for brief periods of time in the summer for when I did cage cleaning and to give them a change of scene)they didn't seem to like the change in environment. I am sure your herd will settle though as they get used to the change.

I read somewhere the comfortable temperature range for Guinea pigs is similar to the comfortable range for us - 17 c I think - not sure of upper limit. The room mine are in though is usually 14 c at the moment even with full blast heating on.

If you are worried about the temperature in the cold snap I would personally bring them in again although it might disrupt their adjustment period. Hopefully someone with more extensive outdoor piggie keeping experience will be able to give their better advice though.
 
They need to have a period of adjustment like any new piggies. It's all new and scary to them at the moment. I'm sure, after a while, they'll get used to it. I was going to suggest a radio too like @Hoppity.K has.
 
Hoppity.K said:
Just a little thought but would a radio playing quietly in the cabin help them? It would be a mix of voices & music & might help break the silence that the piggies are not yet used to. x
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That sounds a great idea-
and perhaps make a recording of the noises in your home that they are familiar with and playing that to them?
 
I think that a part of the problem is they are no longer in the house. We can bag rustle to our hearts content and there's no squeaks. That level of interaction has gone

It's...strange.
 
Radio would be my suggestion.

My girls go from being in the spare room during the week, which is very quiet, to being in the dining room at weekend, which isn’t, very easily now. It just takes a while to adjust. Humans as well as pigs!

Can’t really say with temp I’m afraid. Do you have a thermometer in there? I have one that records the max and minimum temps, as well as the current one, so I can monitor how cold their room gets in the winter (because we don’t keep the heating on overnight or when we’re at work) we used to use them in our shed too and it can be wall mounted.
image.webp
 
Flamestriker said:
I think that a part of the problem is they are no longer in the house. We can bag rustle to our hearts content and there's no squeaks. That level of interaction has gone

It's...strange.
Click to expand...

Adjustment period needed on all sides! Hope you all settle into the new routines soon.
 
Flamestriker said:
I think that a part of the problem is they are no longer in the house. We can bag rustle to our hearts content and there's no squeaks. That level of interaction has gone

It's...strange.
Click to expand...
Who’s missing who? I think you are really missing the interaction with them. Poor you.
I remember reading the quote on here, probably from @ Wiebke - if it’s too hot for you or too cold for you it’s the same for piggies!
Mine are in a Piggy Palace in the garden and when I walk in there it’s just slightly warm. Then when I start cleaning them I’ve to take my gilet off! At night I do give each group a Snugglesafe buried in each hay area! Hubby thinks that’s crazy but I feel better doing that. I’ve also got blinds on the windows!
Yours are probably missing the household noises so a radio is a great idea!
 
your cabin is wonderful and you might consider furnishing it with an armchair for you, some shelves with magazines and books, some music, a kettle for a cup of tea, a little table... it could become an intimate and relaxing corner for you and the piggies and not only their bedroom. Then the piggies can stay at home or at the cabin according with your wish. If you have guests at home the piggies will prefer being in the cabin, if you are alone or only with your husband they can come and stay with you.:)
 
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Flamestriker said:
View attachment 81572 View attachment 81573 View attachment 81574

Happy herd again!
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Aww I feel for you and truly understand. I showed my husband your cabin yesterday he was impressed and now they are inside again I chuckled as I would of been the same and my husbands face me moving them back in :mal: would of been priceless, I’m glad you are happy. I moved mine into my bedroom once from the living room and hated how I couldn’t walk past them and stroke them so I moved them back. I think they love the tele and movement and when they are in they can’t hear birds as much. When I used to put them in the run in summer they hated birds and did a funny humming noise.
 
@Flamestriker I can totally understand you bringing them in again if that is what you and they are used to. I had a flash of inspiration at 3am this morning:yikes: on what you could do with your wonderful cabin:nod:. You could either a) have it as a very lovely summer house:D, b) offer piggie boarding in a lovely warm purpose built cabin with cctv :hip:or c) ignore these suggestions completely and think up your own:lol!:
 
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