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Original poster

Guinea Pigs in Winter......

23 replies

Sparkler · 30/11/2009 10:21

Just want a bit of reassurance and advice from fellow guinea pig owners please.
We own two male guinea pigs and have a lovely two tier hutch for them outside in our back garden. They also have a separate run on the lawn with a little box to hide in.
I find myself constantly worrying about them in weather at this time of year and as it gets colder, wetter and windier and wonder if they should be moved indoors.
We only have a large tarpaulin which we cover over the hutch with at night to mainly keep the rain out as much as possible.
Hubby keeps telling me they will be fine and not to worry. They are like babies to me ! Haha!
What do you do with your pigs?
TIA

OP posts:
chopstheduck · 30/11/2009 11:56

We used to move ours in the shed. We also nailed several layers of potato sacks (the fabric kind) to the top and used to roll that down at night.

Original poster
Sparkler · 30/11/2009 21:22

We have got a garage we could put them in out of the wind but there's no windows so no light going in.
Blimey, I really am soppy with my pigs aren't I?

OP posts:
CheeryCherry · 30/11/2009 21:28

I am a wuss with our pigs, they get extra covers on their hutch, more bedding, but when it gets seriously cold, they come into our utility room in an indoor cage. Only then do I feel better!

tumshe · 30/11/2009 21:33

Mines have been in since October and I will put them out again about March/April time. I have a hutch in the living room under the window. Its never been outside so it looks ok. They live in a larger two tier hutch when they are outside. Mines are like babies to me too...I miss them when they are outside

katlein · 30/11/2009 21:58

I am planning to keep ours in the outside hutch all year round, they have a waterproof cover and I make sure there is plenty of hay in their "bedroom" to keep them warm. I do worry about them but there is just no room for them inside (we have 4 hamsters too, a cage in every room already). We do bring them in every night for a play, and they do not seem to suffer outside. Have to admit, I still feel guilty, and after a frosty night I do rush outside to see if they are fine and give them a big cuddle

everlong · 01/12/2009 11:22

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

snorris · 01/12/2009 11:46
whispywhisp · 01/12/2009 12:03

About two winters ago I decided to fork out and buy indoor cages for my guineas...simply because I worried about them at this time of year. I would wake up during some of the coldest nights and go out (at about 3am!) and bring them all in from the shed that we kept them in...put them in cat baskets and put them on the kitchen table to keep warm! My DH would get up in the morning, go downstairs to make a cuppa and be confronted by 5 guinea pigs lined up on the table!!!...he'd then say to me...'oh you were up during the night then?' !!

Anyway I keep mine indoors all the time now...they go down during the warmer weather into their run out on the patio but I keep them in the kitchen, in their cages (fortunately we've got a large kitchen) and they don't get cold at all...which helps with cost etc because I don't need to use so much bedding etc.

If you've got more than one in a hutch outside I think they'd be fine because they keep each other warm. Its when they're on their own they get cold...plus you must make sure their bedding is kept clean and dry and not soaked with wee/rain because pigs can so easily die from the cold damp.

cheeryface · 01/12/2009 14:46

i have two guinea pigs who live outside. they were outside in a two tier hutch all last winter. what i did was bought a cover off ebay that had see through panels on the front that you could unzip for feeding etc and i got a heater from argos, a tube heater , doesnt get really hot but dh fixed it to the roof of the bottom tier and it raised the temperature just enough. we do have an outdoor socket though.
if you cant have a heater i would suggest that you give them carboard boxes filled with hay to sleep in or just fill the sleeping area with loads of hay and replace daily.
pets at home also have covers but mine was better and cheaper from ebay. you can also get heat pads that you warm up in the microwave and they lie on but you need to keep them heated because its even worse for them to keep having changes in temperature.
im soft on my pigs and i did all the same worrying when it started to get cold last year.

herbietea · 01/12/2009 14:51

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Message withdrawn

cheeryface · 01/12/2009 14:53

so sorry herbietea i think if you had put loads of hay in she wouldnt have been cold. she very probably would have died anyway , 7 is quite good going for a piggie i think.

herbietea · 01/12/2009 15:11

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diddl · 01/12/2009 15:22

We bring ours into the cellar.

But we are in N Germany so that when it gets below freezing, it stays there for a while!

But they have thick coats-Texil?, so they can´t stand it too warm.

It´s due to dip to minus 2 tonight, but then be milder again for a couple of days.

So I can´t decide whether or not to bring them in tonight!

everlong · 01/12/2009 18:34

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Original poster
Sparkler · 01/12/2009 22:35

Oh herbietea, I'm sor sorry to hear your sad news .
We have two guinea pigs so I'm hoping they are looking after each other and keeping warm. There was quite a frost here this morning and their water bottle had frozen up but they seem to have survived the night.
I've put loads of extra hay in tonight so they can snuggle down in it. I will try out the cardboard box idea (they do have two plastic containers in the hutch already which they sleep in) as it's worth a try.
Thank you so much for your replies. As if we don't all have enough worry already having children!!

OP posts:
SlartyBartFast · 01/12/2009 22:39

i would have posted the same thread sparkler.

someone told me to put bubble wrap round the hutch
and someone else told me polystyrine,

so my gp's have a bit of both and if it continues being cold am planning to move them into shed at the weekend, but am worried they will feel neglected

SlartyBartFast · 01/12/2009 22:40

for you herbietea

magsie100 · 01/12/2009 22:41

Our living room turns into a zoo in winter with a hamster and 2 g piggies. They do start to smell but it means they get cleaned out regularly. They get much more attention inside.

SlartyBartFast · 01/12/2009 22:42

do you just move hutch inside or have you bought an indoor hutch?

MedusaHead · 01/12/2009 22:49

I got 2 baby gp's in the summer so this is the first winter that I've had them and the first proper frost last night has made me so nervous.

Mine are outside but as soon as it started getting cold in Autumn I moved their hutch up against the house wall, (for warmth), and covered their hutch with fleece and a plastic shower curtain, (it's a good look).

I put in loads of extra hay yesterday and they seem fine today but as they are still quite small I do worry about them quite a bit. I've heard bubblewrap suggested before and on this thread too and my neighbour has a massive roll of it in her garage so I might go and beg some from her if it continues to be cold. It was so cold last year I worry for them if it's going to be the same this year.

whispywhisp · 01/12/2009 22:51

I bought indoor cages. I sold their outside ones to buy the indoor ones. Its so nice not having to go outside to cover them up/top up their hay etc and get cold/wet myself! Its nice to know they are snug and warm in the kitchen and they live as part of the family and watch whats going on and squeak each time I chop up food/go to the fridge or even rustle some paper!

sanfairyann · 01/12/2009 23:59

am feeling guilty about mine out in the cold. one hutch is in the shed with a duvet on it, the other is next to the house with a duvet then a silver hutch hugger then another duvet then a plastic cover and finally a blanket over the front part (d'you think they can still breath ) . everything in the garden was frozen this morning but their water bottle was fine so it must keep it a bit less frosty

FabIsVeryHappy · 02/12/2009 16:41

Sorry herbie

I have this. Keeps the water cool in the summer and stops it freezing in the winter.

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