What age do guinea pigs have to be before going into hutch

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Hi I was just wondering what age my guinea pigs would have to be before I can transfer them into a hutch as when I purchased them from my local pet store the lady said they where still quite little and would have to be kept in a cage indoors at the moment . She didn’t mention anything about when they could be put into there hutch
 
Its not so much age alone which is the consideration for living in a hutch, it’s the temperature, how protected they are from predators etc.
Its now too late in the year and too cold for piggies who have only lived inside to go outside. It exposes them to too much of a temperature change and young piggies are particularly susceptible. Now they are indoors, they will need to stay indoors 24/7 until next spring. You will then be able to move them outside once the frosts have pasts and night times are warmer again.

Ideally you treat piggies like tender plants and keep them indoors during the colder months. They ideally live indoors from approximately September until April/May. They can then move outside for the summer from May until around September.

Here is your thread you posted yesterday regarding hutches, with my reply on keeping piggies outside including on how to insulate hutches etc if you are planning on them living outside year round.
As they will need to stay indoors this winter, then you can use this time to get insulation, thermal hutch covers, snuggle safes etc to ensure they are properly protected if they are going to be living outside next winter

Hutch
 
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Hi can guinea pigs go in a hutch just now if I make sure there is plenty of hay to keep them warm and they are kept in the garage
 
Guinea lover 1982 said:
Hi can guinea pigs go in a hutch just now if I make sure there is plenty of hay to keep them warm and they are kept in the garage
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Did you read the reply above?

No they can not go into a hutch now.
As @Piggies&buns has already said it is too late in the year the the temperature difference would be too great for them.
They need to stay indoors now until next spring.
 
Swissgreys said:
Did you read the reply above?

No they can not go into a hutch now.
As @Piggies&buns has already said it is too late in the year the the temperature difference would be too great for them.
They need to stay indoors now until next spring.
Click to expand...
Swissgreys said:
Did you read the reply above?

No they can not go into a hutch now.
As @Piggies&buns has already said it is too late in the year the the temperature difference would be too great for them.
They need to stay indoors now until next spring.
Click to expand...

Even if they are kept In the garage
 
Piggies&buns said:
No, they cannot move into a hutch in the garage now.
The temperature drop from in a house even into a garage is far too great now. They must be kept inside the house until next April/May.
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It’s just that my parents don’t want me to have them in my house all the time. They keep saying to me . They will be fine in the garage. When your brother has his they where fine. But if the weather gets extremely bad . U can bring them back into the house x
 
Guinea lover 1982 said:
It’s just that my parents don’t want me to have them in my house all the time. They keep saying to me . They will be fine in the garage. When your brother has his they where fine. But if the weather gets extremely bad . U can bring them back into the house x
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As we have said, piggies are most comfortable between 18 and 20 degrees. While they can live in a hutch outside year round, with all the appropriate insulation measures, they really need to have the entire summer outside to get used to those outdoor conditions and adjust as it cools throughout autumn into winter. Yours have not had the opportunity to acclimate and this is why its too late in the year for them to go outside now - they would be going from a warm house to a cold garage and even with lots of insulation, thermal covers, hay and heatpads on and in the hutch, it will still expose them to a huge temperature drop which would be too much

Its great your parents will allow them to come back into the house when the weather gets bad, and that will be good in winters going forward, but with temperatures due to plummet next week, for your unprepared and unacclimated piggies they would need to come back inside next week for certain
 
:agr: You will need to keep your guinea pigs inside the house until next Spring (April /May time). Once they are fully grown you can start to acclimatise them to a hutch next Spring when the weather is much warmer, but even then you can’t just suddenly put them outside as they need to get used to the change in conditions.
 
Swissgreys said:
Did you read the reply above?

No they can not go into a hutch now.
As @Piggies&buns has already said it is too late in the year the the temperature difference would be too great for them.
They need to stay indoors now until next spring.
Click to expand...
Good news I’ve told my mum what you said . We have both agreed to keep them indoors but move them into a different room in my house.

She said to maybe let the run about my kitchen floor but the only thing is it laminate and I’m worried they might slip
 
VickiA said:
:agr: You will need to keep your guinea pigs inside the house until next Spring (April /May time). Once they are fully grown you can start to acclimatise them to a hutch next Spring when the weather is much warmer, but even then you can’t just suddenly put them outside as they need to get used to the change in conditions.
Click to expand...
I’copied your reply onto a text message to my mum we agreed that they should stay indoors and be moved either into my spareroom or utility room. We will move them side when weather warmer or maybe keep them in the garage next spring so they can acclimatise

My mum said to let them
Run about the kitchen floor only thing is it’s laminate and I’m worried they would slip and I would find it difficult to catch them as there to quick
 
Guinea lover 1982 said:
Good news I’ve told my mum what you said . We have both agreed to keep them indoors but move them into a different room in my house.

She said to maybe let the run about my kitchen floor but the only thing is it laminate and I’m worried they might slip
Click to expand...
There so quick that I would be worried
I wouldn’t be able to get
Them off the kitchen floor back into the cage. I can’t even catch them to get them out the cage I have to use there gnawing log that they also like to sit in to get them out or turn there igloo upside down
 
That's good news.

Give them floor time with hideys, then when you want them back in their cage, put a pet carrier or tunnel or cuddle cup down, take away the hideys, and gently guide them into whatever you're using to carry them back to cage. It can take patience and a few attempts.

Some people with wooden floors put a large, thin blanket down for floor time.
 
It’s really great they can stay inside for this winter.
You can spend this winter preparing for them to go out in spring time, if they are to go fully outside you will need hutch covers and a couple of snugglesafes.
If they are to stay outside or even in the garage during next winter, then you will need the hutch to be insulated including having thermal hutch covers, snugglesafes etc

I agree with above regarding playing in the kitchen -
You can put some fleece on the floor for them to run on so they don’t slip.
Ensure you have lots of hideys in the play space as they will feel more secure
Herding them into a carrier is then best way to catch them
If you are worried about not being able to catch them you could put up a large playpen so they are contained but still have more space than in their cage
 
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:agr:Many of us have tiled/laminate/vinyl floors that make it easier for cleaning. You can put down an old duvet cover, some fleece or towels or some newspaper for the piggies to walk on.

Just make sure they’ve got places to hide, tunnels etc so they don’t feel totally exposed otherwise they really won’t run around much (they are prey creatures so until they feel totally safe they will only venture from place to place for safety).

As for catching them, just make sure you have a couple of fleece houses with a base in them on the floor. Gently herd them towards the house so they go in and then lift them up in the cage that way. Also the use of a pet carrier on the floor can be great for herding them into and then picking them up safely.
 
Piggies&buns said:
It’s really great they can stay inside for this winter.
You can spend this winter preparing for them to go out in spring time, if they are to go fully outside you will need hutch covers and a couple of snugglesafes.
If they are to stay outside or even in the garage during next winter, then you will need the hutch to be insulated including having thermal hutch covers, snugglesafes etc

I agree with above regarding playing in the kitchen -
You can put some fleece on the floor for them to run on so they don’t slip.
Ensure you have lots of hideys in the play space as they will feel more secure
Herding them into a carrier is then best way to catch them
If you are worried about not being able to catch them you could put up a large playpen so they are contained but still have more space than in their cage
Click to expand...
Even if they have the igloo hideaway houses will they still need the snugglesafes
 
Guinea lover 1982 said:
Even if they have the igloo hideaway houses will they still need the snugglesafes
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Yes, snugglesafes are essential for outdoor piggies.
Piggies need a source of heat or warmth, and the only way to provide that for outdoor piggies is snugglesafe heatpads. Hidey houses themselves do not produce any warmth.
(The only alternative is to use electric heaters to heat the whole garage all winter - this would most likely not be effective or energy efficient unless the garage is properly insulated and therefore will likely cost a lot of money).

You heat the snugglesafes up in a microwave and pop them in the hutch under piles of hay and hidey houses. They give the piggies somewhere warm to go. The hidey houses themselves then keeping the warmth within them. The company claims they stay warm for 10 hours but I find they are only really warm for about 8 hours.
I have four snugglesafes between my two piggies.
I find it best to use wooden hidey houses for outdoor piggies, not plastic. Plastic houses may get condensation inside them (particularly once snugglesafes are put underneath them) and mean piggies are exposed to damp

The way I keep my piggies warm enough by insulating their shed and their hutch. Being in the shed makes a huge difference and means they are generally 5-10 degrees warmer than the outside temperature.
Their hutch has silver foil insulation on it. It then has a thermal hutch cover. The next layer is two blankets. The next layer is a waterproof hutch cover (being in the shed of course means they aren’t exposed to rain but the hutch cover provides another layer of insulation and the plastic front means warmth can’t escape). I then pull an old duvet down over all of it during mid winter. All these blankets etc go on the sides and roof of the hutch.
All hutch covers are pulled down at night and removed during the day so the hutch can thoroughly ventilate. I may leave just plastic front of the hutch cover down during particularly cold days though - so coover air doesn’t transfer into the hutch but so they can still get daylight and see out .
Inside the hutch, it is completely filled with lots of deep meadow hay. The hidey houses also have hay inside them. i then put the snugglesafes under the hidey houses and by their timothy hay piles so they can eat and be on a heatpad. I have four snugglesafes between my two piggies.
The snugglesafes are used during the night primarily but also during the day when needed.
Any wet hay is thrown away and replaced every day. So having outdoor piggies in winter, you will get through a lot of hay!
I spent a lot of time each day heating up the pads (just over 6 minutes per pad, twice a day means I spend an hour a day just heating heatpads!), removing and replacing hay, checking the thermometer etc!
 
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Piggies&buns said:
Yes, snugglesafes are essential for outdoor piggies.
Piggies need a source of heat or warmth, and the only way to provide that for outdoor piggies is snugglesafe heatpads. Hidey houses themselves do not produce any warmth.
(The only alternative is to use electric heaters to heat the whole garage all winter - this would most likely not be effective or energy efficient unless the garage is properly insulated and therefore will likely cost a lot of money).

You heat the snugglesafes up in a microwave and pop them in the hutch under piles of hay and hidey houses. They give the piggies somewhere warm to go. The hidey houses themselves then keeping the warmth within them. The company claims they stay warm for 10 hours but I find they are only really warm for about 8 hours.
I have four snugglesafes between my two piggies.
I find it best to use wooden hidey houses for outdoor piggies, not plastic. Plastic houses may get condensation inside them (particularly once snugglesafes are put underneath them) and mean piggies are exposed to damp

The way I keep my piggies warm enough by insulating their shed and their hutch. Being in the shed makes a huge difference and means they are generally 5-10 degrees warmer than the outside temperature.
Their hutch has silver foil insulation on it. It then has a thermal hutch cover. The next layer is two blankets. The next layer is a waterproof hutch cover (being in the shed of course means they aren’t exposed to rain but the hutch cover provides another layer of insulation and the plastic front means warmth can’t escape). I then pull an old duvet down over all of it during mid winter. All these blankets etc go on the sides and roof of the hutch.
All hutch covers are pulled down at night and removed during the day so the hutch can thoroughly ventilate. I may leave just plastic front of the hutch cover down during particularly cold days though - so coover air doesn’t transfer into the hutch but so they can still get daylight and see out .
Inside the hutch, it is completely filled with lots of deep meadow hay. The hidey houses also have hay inside them. i then put the snugglesafes under the hidey houses and by their timothy hay piles so they can eat and be on a heatpad. I have four snugglesafes between my two piggies.
The snugglesafes are used during the night primarily but also during the day when needed.
Any wet hay is thrown away and replaced every day. So having outdoor piggies in winter, you will get through a lot of hay!
I spent a lot of time each day heating up the pads (just over 6 minutes per pad, twice a day means I spend an hour a day just heating heatpads!), removing and replacing hay, checking the thermometer etc!
Click to expand...
Would they still need the heatpads in the spring time xx
 
Guinea lover 1982 said:
Would they still need the heatpads in the spring time xx
Click to expand...

When you first start putting them outside next spring, they probably won’t be able to stay out overnight as you will want to introduce them to being outside slowly - so they can go out during a warm day but ideally should come back inside at night initially. You can then transition them slowly to being outside day and night.
This means that they possibly won’t need heatpads this spring time as yours won’t be staying out until the night times until closer towards the summer.

if they are going to be living outside permanently from then on, then you are going to need them from autumn until spring time in the following year. I start using them around October and don’t stop using them until around April.
 
Guinea lover 1982 said:
I do have a hutch cover with the plastic front I don’t think it’s thermal though
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I would suggest you also get a thermal cover - you put the thermal cover on first and then the normal cover on top of it - or make one yourself using silver foil insulation or polystyrene sheets etc
 
Piggies&buns said:
I would suggest you also get a thermal cover - you put the thermal cover on first and then the normal cover on top of it - or make one yourself using silver foil insulation or polystyrene sheets etc
Click to expand...
I got there hutch of Amazon I’ll have to see if they sell them for the brand of hutch I sell
 
Piggies&buns said:
When you first start putting them outside next spring, they probably won’t be able to stay out overnight as you will want to introduce them to being outside slowly - so they can go out during a warm day but ideally should come back inside at night initially. You can then transition them slowly to being outside day and night.
This means that they possibly won’t need heatpads this spring time as yours won’t be staying out until the night times until closer towards the summer.

if they are going to be living outside permanently from then on, then you are going to need them from autumn until spring time in the following year. I start using them around October and don’t stop using them until around April.
Click to expand...
I’ll probably move them outside permanently in April/may next year
 
Guinea lover 1982 said:
I got there hutch of Amazon I’ll have to see if they sell them for the brand of hutch I sell
Click to expand...

Just a word of caution, if the hutch is to go fully outside (ie not in the garage), then you will need to ensure it is good quality - thin plywood hutches don’t always stand up well to UK weather, particularly not in winter

Also ensure the hutch is big enough - that is a recommended 5ft x 2ft (150x60cm) for two sows (But a minimum of 4ft x 2ft for two sows)

Guinea lover 1982 said:
I’ll probably move them outside permanently in April/may next year
Click to expand...

You would still ideally need to make the move gradually to get them used to it. As I said, outside during the day but inside at night for a few weeks. They can stay out at night as well once it is definitely warm enough
 
Guinea lover 1982 said:
Will they be okay with out them then . Do u have to put them under there hidies or can u place them inside there hutch
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They will only be ok without them while night time temperatures are above 15 degrees.
As soon as it drops below 15 in autumn onwards, then they need the snugglesafes, hutch covers, extra hay etc

It’s best to put them under the hides so the piggies can be in a hide and still be warm. Plus, I find they stay warmer longer (just in the cage, I find, can mean they get cold quicker).
This is why I have four though - I put two under two hides so the piggies can rest in a hide on a heatpad. Plus
I do put the other two by their timothy hay piles, so they can eat and still sit on a pad. They also have two other hides which do not have heatpads just in case they choose to move away from them but can still be in a hide
 
Piggies&buns said:
Just a word of caution, if the hutch is to go fully outside (ie not in the garage), then you will need to ensure it is good quality - thin plywood hutches don’t always stand up well to UK weather, particularly not in winter

Also ensure the hutch is big enough - that is a recommended 5ft x 2ft (150x60cm) for two sows (But a minimum of 4ft x 2ft for two sows)



You would still ideally need to make the move gradually to get them used to it. As I said, outside during the day but inside at night for a few weeks. They can stay out at night as well once it is definitely warm enough
Click to expand...
Yeah hopefully it will be warm enough for them be out day and night in the spring next year. I’m the winter I would probably move the hutch inside my garage but I would have to leave the garage door slightly open to keep it ventilated as my garage doesn’t have windows
 
Piggies&buns said:
They will only be ok without them while night time temperatures are above 15 degrees.
As soon as it drops below 15 in autumn onwards, then they need the snugglesafes, hutch covers, extra hay etc

It’s best to put them under the hides so the piggies can be in a hide and still be warm. Plus, I find they stay warmer longer (just in the cage, I find, can mean they get cold quicker).
This is why I have four though - I put two under two hides so the piggies can rest in a hide on a heatpad. Plus
I do put the other two by their timothy hay piles, so they can eat and still sit on a pad. They also have two other hides which do not have heatpads just in case they choose to move away from them but can still be in a hide
Click to expand...
I only have the plastic igloo hides for them and I don’t really want to be spending more money on wooden hides
 
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