what tempature is best for my guinea pigs when taking them outside?
I want to start taking my piggies outside and letting them eat the fresh grass. So I just want to know what the maximum and minimum tempatures are that guinea pigs can handle like what would be too cold or too hot and what is considered the perfect tempature for piggies so I can try to keep my bed room around that tempature. I have one long haired silkie and one short haired satin but they are sisters so I guess they are a cross between the two.
They can't tolerate temperatures above 85 degrees fahrenheit at all. They can tolerate fairly cool temperatures (see mommazilla's thread about the one she rescued from 4 days in the ice and snow), but I wouldn't recommend that on a voluntary basis.
I'd say anything from 64 to 75 should be safe, if not in a strong wind, or not in the bright sun. You have to remember that they just little balls of fat and fur, and they can overheat pretty quickly.
pocketmonster (03-13-12)
Thankyou that helps a lot. Hopefully now I will be enjoying some nice spring days in the yard with my girls
Also, if you give them hidey huts in their enclosure outside, if they get hot, they have shade. Or, vise versa, if they get too cold, they can bask in the sun.Originally Posted by cavyluvr
@Zuidy yeah that is a good idea I'm gonna take their wooden huts outside. I plan on getting them a run and the one I have picked out has a little hut bulit in which is cool but until I get it I'm gonna use my playpen and put their huts in it. I may get a few chin chillers for those hotter days.
I use a couple of cardboard fruit boxes (wide but shallow, great pig height), upside down with doors cut in, when my two are outside. Cardboard is a surprisingly good insulator.
Remember too that air temperature varies around your yard, it's usually cooler at ground level on grass than at people level.
If you have good lush grass cover, evapotranspiration from the grass will help cool the area around it, more so if you add some shade. It doesn't work so well on dry grass but a couple of frozen water bottles help there. Heavy shade cloth, 90% or similar, will make a big difference too. It's more expensive but you only need enough to fold over the cage in a few layers. If you can peg it to a fence or something high enough for you too that's even better. It's a little waterproof too, for muggy humid/might rain days. Not for actual rain, but mine stay dry through the odd sunshower.
Last week we had 34 & 35 degrees celcius (93-95F) and they were outside - light breeze, 4 layers of heavy shadecloth over the grid cage, cardboard boxes and grass. Air temp at pig level was 20 degrees. In the house, 27 - 30, depending. I'd have sat in the cage with them if there was room. I don't think they'd have liked me squashing their grass though!
Always have a cover on your outside enclosure. Hawks can grab them in a spit second, even while you're right there.
@pinky thanks for the tip =) I am planning on buying a run for them that is covered most of it has a wire cage like covering and on the end it has a wooden hiding area for them here is the link for it:WARE Premium + Back Yard Hutch at PETCO Animal_1-_-WARE%20Premium%20%2b%20Back%20Yard%20Hutch-110096.
If you're planning a daytime outside run the grids can work out cheaper for a bigger area - mine is 3x4 with grids on top, 26 grids to make up the cage and 2 more for a hay rack.
Plenty of room to run, with a fabric cover over half for wind protection. I've considered ziptying cardboard along the back and one side but so far have just used the boxes. It help to have a piece of timber to hold the top up too. I use tomato stakes because they fit neatly in the grid squares.
Reply With Quote
Bookmarks