Guinea Pigs - Where do yours live?

12 replies

Sparkler · 26/01/2009 21:18

Ours have an outdoor hutch but we brought them indoors in November away from the fireworks and then kept them in because the cold weather set in. We have a small indoor cage so when the weather wasn't too chilly we put them out during the day and brought them in at night.
Tonight is the first night since November that we are leaving them outside again and I feel soooooo mean!!! I hope they are going to be alright. This weather keeps changing doesn't it?
We have a large tarpaulin (sp?) over the hutch in case it rains but I do worry it's still too cold.
Do I spoil these guineas' or what? LMAO

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Original poster

Sparkler · 26/01/2009 22:04

Anyone?

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wohmum · 26/01/2009 22:15

ours are indoor pigs, but go out during the day in summer/autumn into an Eglu( we only got them last summer ) not sure when they'll go out side again - seems far too cold and wet still

chipkid · 26/01/2009 22:18

I had the nursery guinea pigs for the weekend and fell completely in love with them. I too was wondering how cold they are able to stand

chipkid · 26/01/2009 22:18

how much cold they are able to stand that should read

Goober · 26/01/2009 22:19

In a country house in the Peak district.

Original poster

Sparkler · 26/01/2009 22:22

LOL @ Goober.

Am worried though. They will stay out tonight and I'll see how I go.
A friend of mine has left hers out all summer in their hutch but says she has put an old duvet over the top and covered it with tarpaulin. Hers seem to have survived.

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MrsDoylesMole · 26/01/2009 22:26

Our 2 live in an indoor cage in the lounge.
The cage isn't huge but they are let out each day and run around the kitchen.We tried to put them out last year in a run when the weather was good but they didn't appear to like it and just stood still for the whole time.

silver73 · 26/01/2009 23:11

Sparkler - I'm not sure it is a good idea to put them outside in January after they have lived indoors for a couple of months...the shock may be too much.

We bought our pigs in October and were told that they should stay indoors until May as the change in temperature could be too much for them....

whispywhisp · 27/01/2009 10:34

All 5 of mine live indoors. They go out during the warmer months into their runs with igloos. I only brought mine indoors last Autumn. With two kids and a job I wasn't getting to go out and see them enough when they were outside and felt I wasn't giving them enough attention so they came indoors. Every rustle of a bag, opening of the fridge, getting out a knife from the drawer or even the chopping of an apple and they all squeak away. It gets very noisy and I can't even blame the kids!

Original poster

Sparkler · 28/01/2009 21:47

Thanks for all the advice. The two boys are still outside and they seem to be doing just fine. I put a huge pile of fresh hay in for them and they were running through it and throwing it in the air just like they did indoors. They are eating and drinking quite happily.

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christywhisty · 28/01/2009 21:56

Ours live outside most of the time, when weather gets too bad the hutch goes in the garage.
During the day they go in the run with a little hut to shelter in.

pigsinmud · 30/01/2009 10:35

I have 2 guinea pigs (living seperately due to fights) and they live in a hutch outdoors. They have been outside all their lives and cope well - got slightly worried when it went down to -9, but they have a snugglesafe microwaveable hot pad each. They get very excited when I put them in at 8pm - it gives about 10 hours of warmth. Loads of hay, the hutch is against the house, so protected from wind & rain. I also cover the hutch at night with a tarpaulin.

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