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Small pets

When to bring GP indoors for winter

13 replies

BeerBaby · 15/09/2017 16:32

When do you do this? My GP are in an outdoor hutch. Plenty of bedding and hay, hutch cover etc but we are going to bring them in when it gets cold. When do we do this?

OP posts:
EastMidsGPs · 15/09/2017 17:27

Mine are in a hutch in an old summer house. It has been quite cold here the last two nights and Mollie is getting elderly so we are thinking it is time for them to move into the utility room.
We need to move DH's 'stuff' - mainly mountain bikes in various states of repair and then they can come in. He has promised to do this over the next week Hmm
Meanwhile their hutch is covered in a large duvet, tucked in all tight at night. Mollie currently also has a small wrapped hotwater bottle. But this is usually unnecessary at this time of year.

and I might have put a small radiator in the summer house

QuimReaper · 15/09/2017 17:30

I just saw this in "Active" and mistook "GP" for "Grandparents" Blush

I had them years ago and we never brought them in. We had a family of them and they just slept in a big pile in the "bedroom" of the hutch, it was ever so warm in there when I went out to feed them.

I think we might have tossed something insulating over the hutch to stop cold air getting in though.

70isaLimitNotaTarget · 15/09/2017 17:56

Mine are in a converted playhouse with two hutches (well one rabbit hutch and one of those big plastic trunks that you put garden cushions in) on the floor , with doors cut out.

Last night was a bit parky so today, I bought straw to bulk out their bedding .
They'll come in for Guy Fawkes ( for the duration of the fireworks) at night.
Then play it by ear.

We have snugglepads, cardboard to go down the back of the hutches and that insulating roll. Thick blanket over the lid.

And on the floor of the hutches they have cardboard, a thick layer of wood rodent-safe cat litter and newspaper.
Our boar doesn't live in with the sows so he has to rely on his lardy fat to insulate him Grin

Don't forget someone will tell you In Peru they live outside in old tunnels and grass, no-one insulates them.

My pigs have never been to Peru , never will do and are Domesticated not wild Smile

Curlybrunette · 21/09/2017 14:05

Hey everyone, I was going to write and ask for your advice on this. Currently our girls are outside, with a snugglepad, loads of hay etc. at night but I was thinking from this week we need to winterproof them more.

Up until this summer the girls always lived inside and just went outside during the day, so we've never faced a winter, on bad days (anything less than pleasant) they didn't go out at all. They have a big run with a wooden housing box in, which they've stayed in most of the summer, we also have a hutch which is currently unused, I was thinking that we could move the hutch into the summerhouse at night for them to sleep in, and when it gets really cold move the hutch into the kitchen.

I know this question has been asked a million times but how cold is too cold for the piglets? Our summerhouse isn't heated (or insulated) so I'm thinking it won't be much warmer than outside in deepest darkest winter? I could put a heater in there though.

What kind of temperature would you say was too cold for them to go out in, during the day I mean.

Any of you that have pigs outside in a hutch/run are they still outside or have you brought them in already?

For the hutch when it does get cold, from here I've seen:
Line the walls with thick cardboard
Lay a duvet over the top/sides (but not the front?)
Snugglepad
Loads of hay

Anything else I should do? Sorry about all the questions, I've had the piglets for so long but am really nervous now we've moved them outside, I don't want the little treasures to be unhappy.

Thank you

user327854831 · 21/09/2017 14:07

As yours have been living inside I'd bring them back in for the winter. Ours are indoor pigs and it's lovely to have their company anyway.

Stillwaitingforsummer · 22/09/2017 18:07

I'm thinking ours might come in tonight. Trying to confuse dh by saying it's nearly Oct.

user327854831 · 22/09/2017 18:29

We've been thinking about putting the heating on so that would be what got us to bring our pigs in if they were outside.

Bubblysqueak · 22/09/2017 18:32

Mine get moved into the garage during October half term then out again at Easter. If it gets really cold they get their heater turned on.

flibflab · 22/09/2017 18:42

Ours live outside all year. They get a hot water bottle sometimes under the vet fleece but mostly tons of hay. We cover their hutch, if it gets to below freezing I bring them inside to the utility (which is cold - don't want them to switch to too warm and then too cold) Their hutch is in a very sheltered nook. They have fleece and a cardboard box also. They snuggle up together too.

Mine are still in their hutch / run combo on the lawn but will come off the grass soon as it has stopped growing (they just need to eat the last of it so I don't have to get the mower out). Perhaps this weekend we will get out all the winter bedding stuff.

womanbehavingbadly · 22/09/2017 18:48

* I just saw this in "Active" and mistook "GP" for "Grandparents*

AmazingGrin

Curlybrunette · 22/09/2017 20:14

Great thank you everyone.

I'll decide tomorrow what to do with them...I'm torn between putting them in the summerhouse, or going with the kitchen. I think I may still put them out during the day though, with a snugglepad/loads of hay, unless it is freezing outside, which doesn't happen very often does it...

BrendaSmith56 · 26/09/2017 22:29

Ours used to go in a shed from mid October until about March.
We did have a heater that clicked on if frosty and they lived for 7 years.

spidereye · 26/09/2017 23:00

Mine go in as soon as it gets cold, so end of October, although they have been out until November when it's particularly mild. It's still warm in the south so they will be staying out for now, no heater, just extra hay

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