Guinee PIgs temperature tolerance..

[EricJohn]

Hi,

I consistantly see it suggested that Guinee pigs can't tolerate cold tempreatures. I have discovered something different. I have them out in an outdoor enclosure (granted I'm in Ojai, CA) of maybe 200 sqft of grass enclosed in 1"x2" pig wire fence and 1" sq heavy woven nylon bird netting above, with a 30"x40" x 16" high concrete block (sand filled) high thermal mass "House" (elevated 16" off ground) with thermostatic controlled electric heat. The thermal mass keeps it under 80deg when it's 105 outside, and the electric heat keeps it at 72-62 deg in freezing temps as long as it gets up to 45-50 in the day time.

I noticed something with my Cavys.. If they have a CONSISTANTLY warm place to retreat to, they will go out in the freezing weather for hours by choice. They handle it pretty well. But they have to be able to warm up. I have 3- 20watt 12"x16" electric radiant heaters made for snakes in there and if it gets REALLY cold to where the house temp drops below 60' they can just lay next to the heater.

With that warm place to go, they really don't seem to mind the cold that much.. I think the danger is them not being able to warm up when they feel like it. I have a water bottle inside the house as well.

I was at first very worried about them when they were out in the cold, sometimes even 40 deg or less, but after months of watching them, they are just fine out there. And they much prefer it...

It is suggested that I'm crazy to build such an elaborate compound for them, but we love them and I got tired of cleaning cages (and the little flies that come from the soiled bedding). The "House is big enough (and has a unique sub floor design) it only needs cleaning every 4-8 weeks, and they LOVE being outdoors. Even longer if I take the water out of the house (there are water bottles outside as well) as I do in very mild weather. Inside I use a thin layer of timothy hay for bedding (very thin by the water bottle becasue they generally pee where they drink, and thicker by the heaters) on stainless steel door screen floor elevated on a wooden rib frame 2" above sand in a 30x40 plastic pan, to prevent mold. Urine goes right through the hay top layer and screen down to the sand and drys out. The sub-floor area is open at each end to ventilate and dry the sand and prevent the buildup of ammonia gas. One side of the ventilated subfloor opens to outside with a closeable door if its too hot or cold, but normally you get a gentle airflow under the floor ventilating the urine/sand.

The heaters rest right on the concrete block and over time heat the blocks. The outside is insulated with 2" foam. Works LIKE A CHAMP!!! Extremely low maintenance... Maggie our last pig of 3 (2 passed) has chickens and squirrels to interact with. I also have a little commercial cage on legs I converted into a feeding loft at th opposite end of the pen to keep her food and hay out of the sprinklers for the grass. It truly is a wonderful setup., worth the work.

[BubuCandyBlue]

May you post some pictures?

[EricJohn]

Originally Posted by BubuCandyBlue

May you post some pictures?

They are posted now in my Gallery..

[5guinea5pig5]

I don't want to ask where you live so what kind of temperature do you have when they're outside(warm,hot,freezing,cold,etc.).

[EricJohn]

Originally Posted by 5guinea5pig5

I don't want to ask where you live so what kind of temperature do you have when they're outside(warm,hot,freezing,cold,etc.).

I live in Ojai Ca. Gets 100+ in the summer maybe 7-20 days, average high is 87-90. Gets Freezing maybe 5 - 10 nights in the winter. Average winter high is 45-60 days, 40-48 nights.

Fairly dry. Santa ana winds make it VERY DRY.

If its colder/hotter you just need to insulate better. I just used 2" foam. But the thermal mass doesn't work if it's steady cold or hot, only when it swings like in desert areas. I mean in really crappy weather places like Portland Oregon, they might survive out there year round but they would be miserable and spend 80% of the day next to the heater..

Just down the hill by the beach here I knew a guy who had a whole herd of Cavys living wild in his backyard. They lived under his chicken coop and came out in the late afternoon to graze on his grass. At one point he had like 20 or more until a racoon discovered them... Thats was the end of them...

[Ly&Pigs]

Do the pigs live out there full time or is it just a play area where they are supervised when outside?

[EricJohn]

Originally Posted by Ly&Pigs

Do the pigs live out there full time or is it just a play area where they are supervised when outside?

Full time... Except in really extreme weather, ie freezing temps with cold days or big storms or 105 degrees and 90 deg nights. Anything less than extreme they do fine...

But they have to have the termal mass for the hot days and the thermostatic electric heat for the cold.. They Will die without it. And if your power goes out you have to be aware. Fortunately the thermal mass also keeps it warm for a few hours after the electric stops..

You still have to be very careful with them out there. If in doubt bring them in.