My guinea pigs live outside...Help!

[caviecrazie]

I have a problem. I want to keep my guinea pigs inside, as I know this would be better but my mum thinks it is unnatural. Even though she kept Elvis inside for six months before he died.
I asked my dad but he said a definite no, even though I told him the story of the escaping guinea pig. I nearly died of a heart attack as she was running round the garden, terrified. A noise had scared her and she had jumped out of my arms. Thank god I caught her before she found a way into the garage or something.
I think my parents are worried about where I'd keep them, the smell (I told them guinea pigs don't smell) and the space they would have. I think they think they would have more room outside. I want to keep them in my room, but I don't think Mum thinks there is any space.
I really need reasons to bring them in. I live in England, so there really isn't much threat from predators, so what can I say? We have no extreme weather either, sadly.

[sarahj]

We do have predators in England- humans! There are many people who could endanger the life of your pets should they gain access to your garden. To say that England has stable weather is ridiculous. We have just had the hottest May on record, snow in March and last year parts of the country were devestated by flood water- none of these conditions are suitable for Guinea Pigs!

[Paula]

If guinea pigs are inside, they aren't as likely to be forgotten, as they would be if they are left outside. And you're likely to notice health issues much sooner if they are living inside, and the sooner you notice something, the more likely you are to be able to treat it.

[longboardskier]

If the temp always stays between 65-75 degrees F (18-24C), but I don't think it does. Remember that guinea pigs are very prone to heat stroke.

Maybe have them read this:
Guinea Lynx :: Housing

[caviecrazie]

If I suggested human would be predators, I would be laughed at. I live on a hill too (not much threat from flood waters) and a small villages where its mostly people we know.
I will tell them about the health issues. But then again, I did ask Mum and it was a VERY definite no. Guinea pigs are 'outside animals' apparently...

[greenbeans]

they need to know it is not a laughing matter! I'm sorry to have to post these distressing news articles:

Pet guinea pigs stolen and killed
Cavy stolen from garden
Despair over stolen pets
pet rabbit killed by thieves

these are just a few examples. It DOES happen in rural areas. Type 'stolen pets' into google if you want to see more. People are sick and twisted and will hurt an innocent animal for 'fun'.

Also, there are animal predators in the UK- often other people's pets.
When I was a kid, and didn't know any better, I kept rabbits and pigs outside
(together- wrong, I know. I did everything wrong. I feel so bad about it now). A stray ferret once got into the hutch and tried to kill them. We managed to get it out though. Another time a dog got into the garden- the rabbit actually screamed as it tried to get into the hutch. Thankfully the rabbit was ok. I'm sure other people could tell stories of foxes, cats etc traumatizing, injuring or killing cavies and rabbits kept outside. They are cunning- I still don't know how the heck the ferret got into the solid, enclosed hutch!

I don't know if any of this will change your parents mind...I guess you just have to try and discuss it in an adult manner, and try and show how you've really done the research and will be responsible for keeping them clean indoors.

[caviecrazie]

Okay, I am getting seriously annoyed with my parents. I tried to talk to them again. Mum asked me if I had a problem with keeping guinea pigs and I said, ouside yes.
Dad's reply alarmed me. He said, "They will move to a different house if you persist."

What am I going to do???

[sarahj]

It is naive to think that just because you live in a small community there will somehow be a stronger moral fibre. Your community will always be open to strangers.

With regards to the weather I look at it like this. Would you be prepared to sleep outside with little shelter in the British climate? I think not. Then why should your Pigs.

[caviecrazie]

Actually, I love sleeping outside. In a tent. But that is beside the point. Your preaching to the choir sarahj. It's not me your supposed to persuade. It's my parents.
It doesn't exactly help my friend just up the road kept hers outside and they hardly had any health problems and one lived to be ten. I'm so frustrated!
I'm half expecting them to stop me bringing them in in winter.

And I don't know why anyone would like to come to our village. There isn't even a single shop. And the pub has closed.

[greenbeans]

sorry to hear that caviecrazie. Its hard! I think someone else had this problem on the boards a while back. In the end they compromised by keeping the pigs in some kind of shed or unused garge....not perfect but better than the pigs being out in the elements...

[greenbeans]

I just remembered who it was, it was FoolOntheHill. The thread is here:

http://www.guineapigcages.com/forum/...ighlight=alarm


might be useful?

[caviecrazie]

I think being in the garage would actually be worse. We don't use it as a garage but it is very dusty and disused (the previous owner of our house died and didn't use the garage anyway) and we have chucked all sorts of junk in there and I'm pretty sure there's rats and mice in there as well (mice chewed up my roller blades, bless 'em). It's gloomy too and the bolt is hard to undo (I couldn't be spending five minutes trying to undo the bold every time I went in to see them!). Basically, we don't use it very much at all.

[tantrixfafa]

I think you all are being quite strong opinioned about 'outdoor cavies' here... I myself have my piggies indoors, but i think that with all the right measures taken, i don't see how a cavie outdoors wouldn't have a good, healthy, happy life. Yes, there is the odd chance of predators (human or animal) but then you shouldn't venture out of your home yourself, because of the odd chance of getting injured, raped or murdered. And if the cavies are provided with enough shadow and water, and maybe some bottles of icewater wrapped in a towel or something during a heatwave, and warm (well isolated), windfree shelter, with a small 'door', so cats, foxes etc can't get in, and take them in the house for the winter... i don't see what the big problem is.

[caviecrazie]

thanks tanthrixfafa. That's made me feel a lot better about it. I do know they were housed outside before now and I know of other people who house their piggies outside.
I don't think I have any chance of them coming in. Mum said only if the weather is really bad.
She thinks its 'cruel' to keep them inside. I have no chance of arguing with her when she gets like that.
I guess they are outside to stay. Oh well, the good thing is we've finally got the run secured!!! I don't have to sit and watch them for hours now, I can leave them on their own. Yay!!! They love it!!!