Are hutches so bad? - Page 2 - Guinea Pig Cages, Care, Store, Photos of Guinea Pigs and More Forum!

**futureguineamom** · #21 10-25-05, 09:50 pm

Okay just a question.. do any of you know WHY these two sincere people can't or "won't" keep their piggies inside? What if there is another factor that they are not willing to discuss, something personal maybe, making them unable to do so? I'm not trying to choose sides at all, and I personally have to keep my piggies inside. Please take into consideration that there may be more to this indoor/outdoor thing in independant situations than what meets the eye. In either direction.

**x0PiggyPerson0x** · #22 10-25-05, 09:53 pm

Frankly, if that's the case, it's my opinion that they should say so. They don't need to provide a specific reason, but something along the lines of that or something that leads us to that conclusion without saying it out loud. If it's something like you get a rash on your rump around their hay/bedding then I wouldn't be too specific. Just say you get a rash. Sorry if the above example was a little odd, it was the first kind of personal situation that came to mind.

**futureguineamom** · #23 10-25-05, 09:55 pm

I realize that, however some people have issues that they do not like to discuss, specifically or not. I'm saying that is necissarily right to keep them outside, I meant for both parties (I guess thats the right word?) to take into consideration that there is more to a situation than what meets the eye sometimes.

**VoodooJoint** · #24 10-25-05, 11:12 pm

Give me some examples of when a Guinea Pig must live outside. Personally I cannot think of one valid reason. Therefore I will not accept the word "can't"

**Percy's Mom** · #25 10-25-05, 11:38 pm

If they have a reason that is SO personal that they really wouldn't feel comfortable mentioning it on the forum, then they should never ask a question on a forum where they know they are going to get answers and opinions contrary to what they are doing.

Pinapple · #26 10-26-05, 02:03 am

Quote:

Okay just a question.. do any of you know WHY these two sincere people can't or "won't" keep their piggies inside? What if there is another factor that they are not willing to discuss, something personal maybe, making them unable to do so? I'm not trying to choose sides at all, and I personally have to keep my piggies inside. Please take into consideration that there may be more to this indoor/outdoor thing in independant situations than what meets the eye. In either direction.

Thankyou for trying to see both sides.

Nice to see you dont all jump to conclusions.

How come, if you are all so "anti outdoors", why do you have a board for it? You say its not recommended but is okay if you do it right? Which AliceTittle and I, are. There seems to be a little contradiction going on.

**AliceTittle** · #27 10-26-05, 02:41 am

Want to know my reason? My mums and alchoholic and if I keep them inside I'm scared she will hurt them at night and they will be frightened of all the shouting. And don't say well I shouldn't have them then, because I need animals to get away from it all.

Happy now?

**futureguineamom** · #28 10-26-05, 09:17 am

Quote:

Give me some examples of when a Guinea Pig must live outside. Personally I cannot think of one valid reason. Therefore I will not accept the word "can't"

I don't have any reasons, because I am not nor have ever been in a situation where I need to keep an animal outside. However that does not mean it is the same for somebody else.

Quote:

Want to know my reason? My mums and alchoholic and if I keep them inside I'm scared she will hurt them at night and they will be frightened of all the shouting. And don't say well I shouldn't have them then, because I need animals to get away from it all.

Happy now?

There is the reason that you couldn't think of.

I'm sorry to hear that AliceTittle.

**VoodooJoint** · #29 10-26-05, 09:34 am

Quote:

Originally Posted by futureguineamom

There is the reason that you couldn't think of.

Cute, futureguineamom , but I think you already know that I don't think it's a valid excuse either.

Do you have any idea how many abuse cases there are of animals killed by a violent, alcoholic or drug abusing house member? Rescuers and humane enforcement officers NEVER say..."oh, okay since you need the animals to get you through this abuse we will leave them with you and leave them in danger."

No, they remove the animals and if the non-dangerous family member can extricate themselves from the situation and provide a safe home they may get them back. If not then the animals are rehomed.

I am very sorry for Alice's situation but I don't see why animals have to be put in danger.

If you think I'm being callous then guess again. I have been through it. Years ago I had an abusive family member kill one of my pets in front of me in anger. My solution was to bring what few pets I had into my room and install a lock on the door. I brought home no new pets until I found my own apartment a couple of months later.

**Ly&Pigs** · #30 10-26-05, 11:44 am

Quote:

How come, if you are all so "anti outdoors", why do you have a board for it? You say its not recommended but is okay if you do it right? Which AliceTittle and I, are. There seems to be a little contradiction going on.

Who said we are anti-outdoors? We have the Outdoor environments board mostly for those who have playtime pens outside for their pigs. When it says "Not recommended, but if you must, do it right!", that means if you have no choice but to have them live outside then their environment must be safe and protected. I feel that instead of letting them live totally outside exposed to all the elements, that they could be housed in a temperature controlled shed at the very least. I know that in some countries, that it's the "norm" to keep piggies outside, but people need to realize that the only way to change that is to go against what is considered the "norm".

Alice, I am sorry you have to live in that type of situation. My dad is an alcoholic and he now has been sober for well over 20 years. Have you ever thought about getting your mom some help? Animals are great comfort for stressful sitations.

weaseldropping · #31 10-26-05, 12:14 pm

Quote:

Originally Posted by daftscotslass

I'm in the UK and I beg to differ from the views above. Maybe it's just because I'm from Scotland, but keeping guinea pigs outside IS a very dated view on things. Cages in pet shops are, of course, sold as indoor cages. I very rarely see a "guinea pig outdoor hutch" for sale in pet shops now.

I don't believe the temperature here in Scotland is much more extreme than that of England. It's just a case of you hadn't heard of keeping guinea pigs indoors - it's not that it's "not the done thing" over here.

All our local pet shops sell indoor and outdoor housing for guinea pigs and rabbits. We live in Yorkshire, and our weather is a little better than Scotland's, but not a great deal, especially up in the hills.

**VoodooJoint** · #32 10-26-05, 12:22 pm

Quote:

Originally Posted by Pinapple

How come, if you are all so "anti outdoors", why do you have a board for it?

As Ly said we aren't anti-outdoors.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Pinapple

You say its not recommended but is okay if you do it right? Which AliceTittle and I, are.

Any full time outdoor living situation is not recommended. There is no such thing as a safe outdoor hutch. As explained earlier the animals are subject to temperature fluctuations, insects and parasites, and both animal and human predators.

To "do it right" your outdoor hutches must be in a stong and secure outbuilding with temperature control, electricity and constant human monitoring. If it was up to me that part of the forum would be closed down. I'm certain T has her reasons for keeping it even though I know she is as anti-outdoor hutch as I am.

To us outdoor environments means a supervised and safe playyard for part-time playing and grazing. If you noticed we do not have a gallery for outdoor housing, just playyards. We do not allow any substandard cages, including even the most luxurious outdoor hutch, to be featured in the gallery.

In just the last 2 weeks these are some of the things I have heard about happening in so called "safe" outdoor hutches

-2 baby Guinea Pigs getting stolen out of their hutches by humans.
-neighborhood dogs breaking into rabbit hutches and killing the rabbits.
-a hutch either not locked properly or tampered with. The GPs got out and are still missing.
-GPs dying due to heat or cold
-a neighboorhood kid putting his pitbull in an outdoor hutch full of rabbits to watch the dog kill.
-racoons trying to rip apart rabbit hutches. Luckily they made enough noise that the owner was able to stop them although this same person had their rabbits' toes bitten off in the past by racoons reaching the rabbit through the flooring wire.

People that keep their animals in outdoor hutches are playing with their pets' lives. Then, when the worst happens, they come on the boards whining about how awful it is. I have only sympathy for the animals that suffered. The neglectful owner gets nothing but anger and disgust from me.

**AliceTittle** · #33 10-26-05, 05:28 pm

I see your point, but there are also danger's with C&C cages, as there is with the world altogether. Rodents, insects, many types of animal can get in, cats even. Some guinea pigs are subected to cleaning products, perfumes, sprays, many things without people realising what they are doing. On another post, I asked some opinions on how to make my outdoor cage more secure, or the best wood to use or something, and I was told to rethink getting guinea pigs etc etc... I'm not saying that it's not best to keep them indoors, but sometimes it's not possible, and we post here so that we can make the best out of these circumstances.

Thankyou Ly&Pigs for your kind comments. Me and my mother have a very fragile relationship, and I just try to keep out of her way. She is not as bad as she was, but it's my brother I sympathise for. He is seven and I work hard at school so that I can take him out of the enviroment as soon as possible.

But anyway, I understand that people have reasons not to keep there guinea pigs outside, but evr heard the saying If you can't say anything nice, don't say anything at all???

**VoodooJoint** · #34 10-26-05, 05:47 pm

Quote:

Originally Posted by AliceTittle

evr heard the saying If you can't say anything nice, don't say anything at all???

Actually my best friend and I have a similar saying.

"If you can't say anything nice, come sit next to us"

Seriously though, you cannot expect to come onto a site like this, one that advocates indoor housing and has a high standard of animal care, and expect for no one to challenge what you are doing.

There are other sites that have a more apathetic view of animal welfare. This is not one of them.

ilovpiggiesthei · #35 10-26-05, 05:56 pm

the reason i do not keep my inside is:
i spary perfumnes ect so this would harm them
my house is alway really hot
we have kittens and a BIG dog at the moment
i have no room

So instead i keep them in a shed at the right temprature.So it is not cold like out-side and not boiling inside (like my house always is!)
My pigs come in every for cuddles ect when my bed room has been aired ( no sprays ect) and go outside in the run while i am supervising of corse.
Also my Shed has a cam' so i can watch the piggies and here them if they are sick ect!
Actully the shed is better than the house more tidy and clean

!

**VoodooJoint** · #36 10-26-05, 06:44 pm

I am sick of the excuses. That is all they are! I have not heard one single valid reason for keeping GPs outside.

I'm going to pick apart the latest ones.

i spary perfumnes ect so this would harm them - So, stop spraying the perfumes or only use them in the bathroom.

my house is alway really hot - Buy a fan.

we have kittens and a BIG dog at the moment - I have 3 cats and 4 dogs, one of which is a Great Dane, I manage to keep my small pets safe.

i have no room - I live in a small house and I found the room. I know Ly lives in a small house too and she finds room.

I have NOTHING nice to say, so like someone suggested maybe I had better say nothing at all. I will issue a general warning. If these ignorant, selfish excuses continue you will all hear all the "not nice" things I have to say.

**x0PiggyPerson0x** · #37 10-26-05, 06:50 pm

I also have a bunch of very curious pets in my house. We've got four cats, two of which are certainly heavy enough to get into Baby's cage if they wanted to, but we keep her cage safe and out of reach where only our very petite cat could reach it. We also have an overexuberant Giant Schnauzer who loves to stick his nose anywhere he can and wags his tail hard enough to really hurt if it smacks you in the thighs. We too don't have a big, roomy house. There are four bedrooms, one is mine, one is my sister's, and one is my parents. The fourth is the guest bedroom and if we kept her in there she'd be left out of family life so now she sits, happily, in full view of the kitchen so she gets a treat every time anyone opens the refridgerator door. No matter how small your house is, if there's room enough in your heart for your cavies, then you are able to make room in your home. It's an issue of whether you feel like it or not.

ilovpiggiesthei · #38 10-26-05, 06:51 pm

A fan will not make the whole house cooler
The perfumes and sprays actully spread round the house.
I actully have no room as i have a big family so i can not keep them in the house.
Kittens like to climb especially if you have three of them.
My dog likes any thing small and furry with legs-this is just instinct to her.
And my shed is way nicer than my house HONEST!
I'm not arguing just putting my point across just like you

xx

**x0PiggyPerson0x** · #39 10-26-05, 06:52 pm

You're not the only one with a large family frankly. Plus, my dog also would love to 'play' with Baby if he got the chance, but he doesn't. I keep it that way.

ilovpiggiesthei · #40 10-26-05, 06:55 pm

And as my house is small i don't really want them locked away in a room!
I spend more time in the shed than i do in the house ( i even have a bed in there, dont ask long story

)
My cats are very small and could get in a cage and my dog would just knock it off or break it.
So thats why i have just a piggy zone in my shed where they get to run round ans 14 X 10 room every day (all secure of corce)
xx