What's wrong with keeping guinea pigs outside?

[melissa98]

If they're warm, safe from predators, still get heaps of attention, are looked after properly, and are checked on often, is there anything wrong with keeping guinea pigs in a hutch outside?

[suzilovespiggie]

Many places are not suitable for pigs outside. Where I live the heat alone would kill them,( and in my case has, even indoors a/c went out ). Plus I have predetars all over the place. Very secure cages have been broken into my big dogs, coyotes and such and destroyed the animals inside. There are many threads to testify to this. Weather flucuations can be a problem. To hot, to cold, winds, rain etc. It is just a general safer idea to keep them indoors.

On the other note. When you have piggies outside you tend to not see them as often as you would outside. Most of us have our piggies in an area that is well travelled in our homes. We interact with them, lap time etc. The way piggies hide illness you might not see how sick they are as quickly when they are outside. Not catching illness can be life or death to a pi

There are many threads about this. Pros, cons. Check it out and then make the best decision for your piggies. Which we at this site believe is inside in a c&c cage.

[chkymoo]

I live in the UK I have just put mine outside a few weeks ago, and they are fine, i have four girls in one hutch and two boys in the other. There are a few foxes/cats. but i have the hutches wrapped in blankets for the cold, put more than enough hay in. and also have an old tent which I use to protect from the rain, so they are well wrapped up at night, I also have a cage round them with things on it for at night so mr and mrs fox cant get near the cage. during the day the blankets are off for light and air but the tent covers from the rain. they have attention everyday, and are always checked on. And they are out in the runs everyday except when wet

[lissie]

We do not recommend outdoor housing. Even when you think it's safe. There are far too many articles of stolen guinea pigs or ones that are brutally hurt (by humans, or other animals).

See a picture on this site. It's an overturned hutch. Imagine what will happen to your piggies if they were living in the hutch at that moment.
http://www.guinealynx.info/housing.html

See recommended cage location on this page.
Cage Location

Edit to add:
The only time they should be outside is when you have a secure pen to put them in and that you have time to watch them.

[chkymoo]

Hi I am Happy to say that mine are secure in hutches with heavy bricks on top, so i would be very surprised if it was to blow over, plus in the UK the wind does not get too high.

[lissie]

What about protection from thieves?
These are some of the articles that shows up on google search.
Baby Guinea Pigs Stolen from Balsam Fields | Wincanton Window
Stolen guinea pigs
Press and Journal - Article - Guinea pigs abandoned in bag had been stolen

[chkymoo]

Am pretty sure no one around here wants to steal a guinea pig.

[Puggles]

Winters can be harshed I looked up many places and also many handbooks that guinea pigs shouldn't be outside if bound to go under 16 degrees celcus cause there survial falls and winters make them sick really easy

[chkymoo]

Hi, they were in over the winter, they only been out a few weeks, and like i said they are well covered up to protect from the weather. thanks for your advice

[Puggles]

Thats ok also I heard hot waterbottles with covers with them are good too as well just a suggestion

[suzilovespiggie]

It is very sad but some will break into piggies and rabbit hutches just for the sake of killing for sport. Tall 2 legged animals (man) can be worse than any amimal. Bricks or nothing else will keep your piggies safe. We can pro and con this subject to pieces. This site will stand firm and will believe in keeping prey animals indoors.

Right now your animals may seem safe. But if tradgedy strikes you will be heartbroken. None of us want that to happen.

[chkymoo]

Well you can stress about these things till the cows come home, but in reality you are more than likely to get your house broken into than someone stealing piggies from the back garden.

[Eimear]

Hi chky moo I know many people in the UK and Ireland keep their guinea pigs outside but I would also recommend against it. The weather in the UK and Ireland has been very unpredictable lately as Im sure you know; snow one day and 20 degrees the next. That cant be good for guinea pigs even if they are covered.

I think my main concern though is humans stealing them or as suzi said just killing them for sport, I can just imagine some gang of drunks stumbling into a garden and torturing some poor little guinea pig. Anyway, thats my two cents, good luck with your guinea pigs

[Puggles]

I am happy to keep mine inside there safe I love interacting with them or talking to them in the morning when I about to head off the work when I am in the livining room they seem to alway be up when I am, I worry about spiders cause I live in Australia wouldn't want my piggies to be bitten or by a snake no matter how close I am in town so inside is safe

[chkymoo]

Yeah i guess it depend where you live, don't need to worry about snakes here . I am up at 7am to check, and i work at home so constantly checking up on them. even 3 am when i let the dog out

[HannibalLecter]

Placing a guinea pig outside is quite like placing a small child in Pj's outside, they are NOT able to cope with the extreme weather, especially not in countries like the UK or Australia. They are not able to tell you when the weather gets too tough & deadly.

Guinea pigs are extremely fragile, and sensitive to temperature changes, as well as too hot, cold & drafty weather. Keeping them outside is a clear target for predators, parasites, & human idiots. You will not be able to check on subtle changes in behavior that indicate an illness the same way, meaning they can deteriorate quickly beyond help. And they are much more likely to get ill. You will not be able to enjoy watching them like indoors, and you will ultimately spend less time with them which could lead to you missing out on the special bond that can be formed.

If people plan to keep fragile defenseless domesticated animals not able to cope with outside weather outside, I really don't see the point in owning them at all. I would not put my puppy permanently outside in a wooden box either, but somehow critters are worth much less to people in terms of housing.

I will also add that there has been a wave of stolen/killed rabbits in my country since February, estimated 21 lost their lives/homes because they were unfortunate enough to be housed defenseless outside or in a shed.

[chkymoo]

I would not say there is no point in keeping them if you put them outside, there are lots of arguments around this situation. there are hundreds of piggies that live out side all year round and live long happy lives, I choose to bring mine indoors in the colder weather. putting them outside in a secure hutch and well protected does certainly not mean I should not own them. If I did not think they were secure enough I would not have them outside. But thanks for your input.

[blackieNbrownie]

In most countries, it is recommended to house guinea pigs indoors. The only exception is that if your yard has high walls and gates to keep animals and humans out such as what we have in my country and if you can keep the hutch under a roof or inside a well ventilated shed. There are situations here when it can get hotter indoors than outdoors which is why others choose this alternative. The downside is that you will be unable to watch over them more often unless you are able to lounge outdoors or have some business outside the house.

[pinky]

Emergency situations happen so you are risking its life and well being having it housed outdoors. Things like a URI can creep up and you can easily miss the early warning signs. A URI can develop into pneumonia without you even noticing it. My guinea pigs are in my living and dining rooms so I can hear them when I'm on the computer. The sounds of sneezing or labored breathing can easily go undetected if they're outside but I'm able to hear any changes because we're here for a good part of the day. If their cage is messier than usual, I clean it immediately since I'm right there to notice. If their water bottle leaks or if they're out of food, I'm taking care of it. I can hear them at night if they cry out about something and I get up to check on them....It only takes a single, determined predator to break into a hutch. It happened in a suburban yard in my area. The lady thought she had a predator proof hutch but something broke into it during the night and killed one guinea pig and totally traumatized the other one. You can also have issues with flystrike or other insect infestations. I don't really understand why anyone would have a pet if they keep it outside, where they don't have that much interaction with it. It's like a lawn mower or rake that you use as you need it. I agree that's it's like keeping a child outside who doesn't know how to defend himself or call for help if he's in trouble.

[Puggles]

also guinea pig live longer indoors than outdoors