I have put my piggies in their outside run today...

[Bramshott]

And I don't think they're very impressed . I thought they'd like the sun, and the chance to trough some grass, but although GP2 (the greediest one) has ventured out for cabbage, they are resolutely staying inside.

I should just have left them in their cosy hutch in the shed and chucked the cabbage in there shouldn't I?!

What sun???? I had two rabbits that lived outside, all year round, by outside i mean, outside, in the garden - did away with their hutches as they never went in them, ever - they did get to come inside if it snowed they were tough little buggers

It was sunny and bright earlier! I think it's going in now - I'm going to pop them back in the shed before I go out.

Hi =- it is tempting to put guineas out so they get their exercise quota, but they are not hardy like rabbits who grow a lovely winter coat, and do not adapt well to temperature chances esp when it is so damp and a bitter wind blowing.

I sometimes put my girls out to get some fresh air even for an hour, but the grass was so damp they really didnt want to move out of their cosy snuggly hutch and looked at me VERY judgily if I tried to do so.

Used to put a big hay bale in our shed ( Cost a fiver from local farmer) and let guineas free range in bottom of shed and 'play' in the hay bale, they loved it.

It is a rubbish time of year for guineas, they can get very bored and arsey, so if you can do anything to try and keep them busy and alert in the warm - exploring your house for example, it will keep them out of the cold.

Thanks! I honestly thought they would like it, as only about a week ago they were in the outside run and nibbling grass rapaciously. DD1 and her friend have converted the playhouse into a "guinea pig playground" so I think I'll try them in there next time. They looked most affronted this morning when I suggested them leaving their cosy hutch with a filled-to-the-brim haybox!

Mine get judgey from October onwards
Last year I put GP1 and GP2 in their run while I cleaned their Pighouse (a couple of days before Hallowe'en).
DD has photos on her iPod- it was sunny and bright, you'd think they'd be happy........?

Not a bit of it, the little blighters just sat on their blanket and griped to go back inside
"Oh but you can cut us a plate of grass to take in, OldBat, we'll lower ourselves to devour peck at it"

Ours are hardy piggies - outdoor hutch and run all year round.. they only come indoors for claw clipping ( ALL bloomin black claws on both piggies- argggggggghhhh)... they get cuddled and played with outdoors too - due to DDs allergies -

but they seem fine.. so long as we dry their chubby little bellies before they go to bed if they have been out!!

One of my guineapigs from days of old used to Free Range round the garden even in the damp grass.
She had the most amazing long legs for a guinea-pig and her belly was hoisted far above the grass. (She was an odd piglet- we bought her mum and didn't realise she was pg so piglet was a free gift. She had a tail - extra spine bones- and could run upstairs )

The boars are a bit lardy like saggy old armchairs. Even the teenage big is a bit too solid to hoist his belly up. (not fat - solid )

teenage big - pig

Freudian slip there 70?

I was thinking "teenage pig" (because I can't call him the piglet now or "teenage boy" ( but that sounds really, really bad at my age )

So boy/pig came out as Big

'Tis my excuse........

I was told they needed the light so have been making sure to put them in their outdoor run when it is sunny/ dry enough. I worry about them being in shed with not much natural light, but then I was worried about keeping them outdoors in their hutch in this weather too - more worried when they were outdoors I should say, even though they had lots of straw etc.

What to do?

It just depends what they are used to - that is what the breeder said to us.... he said his piggies thrived on outdoors, fresh air and a snuggly hutch packed full of hay... so we went with it and everything has turned out fine... so far....

can't imagine a long legged piggy 70 mine have always been short and round... (they are smooth haired piggies, but it is all hair!! due to them being outdoorsy I guess..)

It's cold and miserable in Essex today and have I moaned enough today about cavity wall installation ?

But if the girls were out, they would be judgily sitting in the 'summer house' attached to their run.

When DD and I went to bring the boars in, they were playing in their hay/straw on the floor of the Pighouse. The heater was on so it was warm, they didn't feel the need to huddle up.
They were being wild guineas

StarDust our little leggy pig was a one-off. She was always very tiny, (her mum was very young) and a single piglet.
She stuck her tail out (well the end of her spine) when she was angry.
And she travelled on my DSis shoulder then leaped onto the top bunk as she walked by.

Wish it was warm/dry enough for my lads to go out. They've been making do with their run in the conservatory which yesterday was invaded by Current Bun. They were overjoyed - he was less pleased to find them.