Hi to all here

[Mweekie!]

Hi my name is Julia. I'm 20 years old from Bedfordshire, England. I haven't got my guinea pigs as of yet, but I am setting up accomodation for them. I have got one cat Lucie (14), two gerbils Midnight and Star (had them 7 weeks now), loads of pond fish (Koi Carp, Tench, Goldfish, Shubunkin and Golden Orfe) and that's about it. I am currently studying a CACHE Certificate in Childcare (NVQ2) and I enjoy singing, animals, dancing, reading, writing, camping, cycling, nature and St. John Ambulance.

Hope you enjoy reading about me.

Mweekie!

[michellegaskin]

When are you getting your Guinea Pigs? You will love them. They are so sweet. Let me know if you need any help.

[danmcdowell75]

I'm new here also and looking at the pics and posts and reading the forums will help immensely. It made my life a whole lot easier to do my research here before building the cage and adopting my little girls.

[Mweekie!]

Hi michellegaskin.

I am hopeful to get them within the next month or so...so late spring/early summer. But it depends on when the shed goes up. I am hopeful that it will go up this weekend, so then I can really start planning for it.

The reason why I am getting a shed is because a) my Mum doesn't want any more rodents in the house and b) our house is too small anyway (it's a 2 bedroom bungalow), so I don't really have much of a choice apart from keeping them outside or in a shed.

Hopes this helps.

Mweekie!

[sweetjay6891]

Honestly , I wouldn't get guinea pigs then. They should be living inside with humans. If you can't get them the absolute best....then wait till your on your own. I would never in a million years keep my babies outside. Hope you rethink it.

[Mweekie!]

Hi sweetjay6891, sorry to bother you like this, but I am a little concerned about what you said about me keeping the guinea pigs in a shed. Can I ask what is wrong with this please? I cannot keep them indoor as I live inside a very small bungalow...so I thought of the next best thing...their very own shed. I am planning on the shed being fully insulated, with a fan and a heater in there for the cooler/warmer temperatures, a large hutch with an indoor enclosure, plus a folding one for outdoor use in the summer. It will have enough storage room for all the equipment and everything, so I don't quite see your concern about this.

Mweekie!

[sweetjay6891]

http://www.guineapigcages.com/forum/...t=outdoor+shed

http://www.guineapigcages.com/forum/...t=outdoor+shed

Guinea Lynx :: Housing


Most people including most Admins on this forum are anti-outdoor living for gps. This website is about C&C cages not living in sheds. Sorry, but I find it disturbing. My guinea pigs are right im my bedroom! While I know some people don't have that luxury I feel guinea pigs should be inside.


Go to search and look up "outdoor". And please rethink getting guinea pigs.

[Mweekie!]

Didn't you think that I would have thought about keeping them inside first? I did think it though, very carefully, but realised it was the only way I could keep guinea pigs in the safest possible way.

Mmmm....I think people are far to highly opinionated about things that don't really matter. It's like saying, you can never keep a horse, sheep, cow outside...those are outside, and a lot of people keep rabbits outside as well. I'm not changing my opinion about keeping them in a shed...as it's my only option I have. I don't care if the admin/mods are anti-outside. In fact I used to always keep my rabbits and guinea pigs in a hutch/run outside in the past...so I think keeping them in a shed is a good idea in a way!

Mweekie!

[daftscotslass]

A fan will be absolutely no use this summer. MANY guinea pigs kept in sheds in the UK last year died of heat stroke from their owners thinking a fan was adequate. Temperatures this year are estimated to be in the high 30s once again. If you want to keep them in a shed you will need a heater with a thermostat, adequate insulation and an air conditioning unit for the summer. Guinea pigs are not as hardy as the other animals you mentioned.

Not to mention the number of sheds that have been broken into across the UK and guinea pigs taken or killed - you will need to be exceptionally careful with regards to security.

Finally, I live in a 2 bedroomed flat (small) and I still manage fine with my hamster and 4 cavies.

[Ly&Pigs]

Mmmm....I think people are far to highly opinionated about things that don't really matter.

You know, this site is primarily about housing over all things. Hence the name, guineapigcages.com.

While it's not ideal to keep guinea pigs in a shed due to several factors, if the shed is temperature controlled, and all other safety factors are considered, at least them being in a temperature controlled shed is better than in an outdoor hutch exposed to the weather and predators (both animal and human). But there can still be problems.

The main problem most of us have with sheds is that you cannot actively monitor your pigs for illness if they are outside in a shed when you are inside the house. You cannot be around them 24 hours per day and therefore you can't pick up on illness as quickly as those who house their pigs indoors can.

There are also the factors of heat and cold as there is a temperature range of 65-75F degrees that cavies need to be in. What happens in the middle of summer when the temperatures reach 85-90F and the fan stops working? Your pigs could die of heat strokes. The same applies to the winter when it's extrememely cold out and the heat stops working. They could freeze to death very easily.

It's not just us mods/admin that are against keeping guinea pigs outdoors. There are also many, many members who don't see this as a viable option.

[Mweekie!]

Originally Posted by daftscotslass

Guinea pigs are not as hardy as the other animals you mentioned.

Well if you read my thread properly you would have read that I did used to keep my guinea pigs outside...and had absolutely no problems with them...didn't even need to take them to the vet. They both died of old age at the age of 8! And a lot of my friends have kept them outside as well...with no problems!

Mweekie!

[sweetjay6891]

Originally Posted by Mweekie!

Mmmm....I think people are far to highly opinionated about things that don't really matter. It's like saying, you can never keep a horse, sheep, cow outside...those are outside, and a lot of people keep rabbits outside as well.

So your comparing a horse with a 2 pound guinea pig?

Originally Posted by Mweekie!:289107

I'm not changing my opinion about keeping them in a shed...as it's my only option I have. I don't care if the admin/mods are anti-outside. In fact I used to always keep my rabbits and guinea pigs in a hutch/run outside in the past...so I think keeping them in a shed is a good idea in a way!

Mweekie!

I suppose someone is making and forcing some guinea pigs on you then? You have to have them?

[Mweekie!]

I don't HAVE too have them...but I AM getting them

[piggly wiggly]

Wow, and we are the opinionated ones. you seem to be very determined to get them and don't care about the pigs at all, only yourself. You are saying my other pigs lived fine outside, who cares how uncomfortable they were in the heat/cold/wet. They lived. That is like saying, people who live on the street are still alive so who cares, leave them there. Just because they stayed alive does not mean the should be kept that way.

[sweetjay6891]

And you never took them to the vet? Have you ever taken your senior cat Lucie to the vet? Whether it's a draft horse or a Dwarf hamster-pets need to see a vet anually if not more.

[Tulia&Susie]

Hey there welcome to the forums.