Guinea Pigs

[tropicalgirl2007]

Hi Everyone,

Im getting two females pigs tonight from someone that can no longer cope with them. They are coming with a hutch etc...

HOWEVER..

Having never had any outside pets before, a few questions?

How do I keep them warm over the winter, whats the best bedding, What about firework night?.

any advice would be a great help.

Thanks

 

[Wendy-Jane]

Hiya - I think that hay is best as makes a lovely warm bed and is also nice to eat (it's good for keeping their teeth short).

My vet told me that guinea pigs are best brought inside in winter, cos they're a bit delicate, so now mine go out all day and night during summer, then out in the day but in at night in spring and autumn, but when it's winter, they stay indoors all the time.

To be honest though, I think that if there's two of them and you put plenty of hay in the bedroom compartment of their hutch, they'll keep warm by snuggling together in it. Also, I've heard that keeping them out of drafts is more important than the absolute temperature, so make sure you put their hutch a protected spot.

Well done for taking these on by the way - I'm sure you'll love them, guineas are SUCH sweeties

 

[tropicalgirl2007]

Thanks for all the info.

I pick them up tonight, and I cant wait, just want to makesure I get it all right.

I love your pictures by the way.

 

[pica_nuttalli]

Guinea Pigs should NOT be kept at temperatures under 60F in the daytime or under 50F at night. They are mild-climate animals and will not tolerate getting too cold or too hot.

A decent rule of thumb is that if it is too cold for you to sit around in a t-shirt, then it is too cold for a guinea pig to be out and about.

 

[alessasavoca]

we used to have pigs, we had a mix of hay and straw (loads of it so they could burrow) on a sawdust bedding to absorb the pee a bit better. We kept them outdoors in their hutch at winter but boarded up the wire bit on that compartment of the cage and insulated the hutch with one of the horse's old winter rugs laid over the top. Also made sure their water never froze by insulating the bottle.

We would have had them indoors but with two cats it wasn't a wise idea.

Pigs are lovely- they make nice chatting noises when they get to know you

 

[grahamsokel]

They would be best kept indoors once the cold weather starts or A least put them in a shed for the winter.
If they have always been outdoors and you cant bring them in you will need to have a deep bed for them,I use Deep Hay for the Rescues and top it up every day and they are in a shed.
if you have them outside you will need to give them the deep hay and get a hutch hugger for them to keep them snug

 

[Luketendo]

We used to have them outdoors all year round even in winter. We bought a female which was pregnant (we didn't know), and her babies all survived.

 

[VampirePlec]

Mine were Spoilt, they came inside at night during winter, but also had hot water botles, and funnily enough it was the long haired one that couldnt wait to jump onto the hot water bottle. we had the two eldest for bout 7yrs, the other to about 6 and 4 yrs?

 

[ShoC]

Guinea Pigs should NOT be kept at temperatures under 60F in the daytime or under 50F at night. They are mild-climate animals and will not tolerate getting too cold or too hot.

A decent rule of thumb is that if it is too cold for you to sit around in a t-shirt, then it is too cold for a guinea pig to be out and about.

100% correct.
I keep my guinea pig indoors

 

[cheesy feet]

Our guinae pigs arn't affected by the temp atall much, and the vet said generally they are tougher than rabbits.As others have said though, best to keep them inside in the winter, as we do on cold nights.

Shelty guinae pigs rule!

 

[Yanglicious]

Guinea Pigs prefer to live in the centre of humans' affection so it would be better to house them indoors.
They thrive in a C&C Cage, and they need a LARGE cage.

 

[cheesy feet]

I think a 4 x 2 x 2 indoor cage is adequate for a pair, maybe 3.

 

[Yanglicious]

2x4 Cube and Coroplast cage is the min. size for 2 Pigs.