Guinea pigs in winter

[winesolveseverything]

We rescued 2 guinea pigs at the beginning of May. With such a long spell of lovely weather, they have spent almost every day in the big run on the patio or lawn.

What I'm wondering, is what do people do in the winter months? They currently live in a hutch- it has 2 levels and they have a bed each and some toys in it.

Trouble is, I think they now only associate their hutch with going to bed! They go back happily at the end of the day, have a snack and snuggle down to sleep. In the morning they are waiting impatiently by the door to come back out. As soon as they are in the run, they jump around and climb and chase each other about.

The run has a tiny hutch (just a weather proof box really) but it's off the floor, tunnels, archways, pigloos to hide in etc. Today they are 2 thirds on the patio and the rest on the lawn as the grass was a bit damp. Not that it's stopped them grazing.

With winter round the corner, will they be ok to still go out? Have thought about bringing them indoors but can't let them roam due to the cat, and not sure if them going from a warm house to a cold patio would be bad for them. But having them indoors during the dark evenings will mean more attention for them.

I can't bear to leave them in the hutch all day- they'll be so cross! As soon as I open the lid, they climb up my arm to get out...

Most pig slaves on here move the pigs indoors for winter. Mine (I'm down to one now) live indoors all year round and go out in the run if it's nice. During the winter I put an old fleece blanket on the kitchen floor with box tunnels for them to play with. Having said that last winter was quite mild (at the start) so they still had the odd hour outside in December/January.

Ours move into the utility room and have free roam of it when we are about. Last year this resulted in DH having to dismantle a floor to ceiling cupboard as the then baby Nessa got stuck behind it
However, generally even when let out for a 'run' they tend to waddle over to the parsley pile and sit amongst it.

Mine have also been outside for the whole of the summer, I think Ness will be when she realises she cannot play out stuff herself with grass everyday.
Over the winter months DH grows grass seed in trays on the window ledge for them and last winter went daily to the park and cut a bag of grass for them ... but then he is their slave😃

Mine are inside now, I used to wait till Guy Fawkes but they're all getting middle-aged so I'm worried about their comfort.

I used to let mine graze till late October , only in the warmer part of the day and if they had some dry cardboard and a shelter. They'd sit there judgily

You could get a small animal pen and put it in a cat free room?
Lots of tunnels, boxes, paper bags (without handles)

Last Christmas they got a block of dry turf to scoff and pee on. Wilko IIRC.

Thank you- lots to think about..
Animal pen not really a possibility due to lack of space- plus 2 young children. But we do have a unit in a corner that the indoor cage can go on...
If they could still pop outside for an hour or two on dry days then they should be happy enough. They do have a little wooden hide in the run- it's on legs and the door folds down to create a ramp up into it. I line it with newspapers and put a box full of hay inside so they have a warm, dry shelter if they want.
Then they have an igloo that sits on dry cardboard. But if the grass is wet then they're on the patio anyway.

They have just been spoilt with all the warm weather over past 6 months- 23 degrees forecast here tomorrow so it's not over yet!

This is my reply to another thread on this subject. Hope it helps your thoughts!

My guinea pigs go out all year round. Only time they stay in their hutch if it's forecast to chuck it down all day. They have shelters in the run and are fine. I've often seen them trotting about in the rain! They grow really thick coats and are very happy even on the coldest days. They live out in their hutch too. I put in extra bedding so they can really bury down in it and cover the hutch with a thermal cover and two thick horse rugs overnight. I'd hate to keep them in - would be so dull for them. I really don't understand the idea that guineas need to come in in the winter and not go out on the grass! They've gone through 3 winters happy and healthy.

Wine mine are indoor piggies, though they have a run in the garden where they can exercise and graze for short periods when weather is nice.

They have plenty of warm fleece bedding and lots of hay. Never skimp on hay- it is essential for their diet but also makes great bedding.