What's wrong with keeping guinea pigs outside?

Also, I JUST read on Guinealynx how a person lost two guinea pigs because a leaf from a poisonous plant blew into their enclosure when they were outside. She doesn't keep the pigs outside; she just took them out. Imagine the probability of that happening if they are outside 24/7.

We don't have any poisonous plants around where I live
But, I think I'll be keeping them inside probably anyway. Mistymu, would you mind telling me where you got your grids from? I've looked EVERYWHERE and I just can't find anything!! Not even anything similar!!

melissa98 said:

Thieves would never be a problem for me.

Click to expand...

I used to think I would never be attacked in my own home...until I was. The truth is, you can't say it would never be a problem because you just never know.

Also, in New Zealand, I'd say the biggest predator here would be dogs, and there aren't many dogs in our neighbourhood.

Click to expand...

How about spiders, flies, or ants? Granted these are not predators necessarily but they are pests that can affect your pigs living conditions. They can get into your pig's bedding and food. They can lay eggs or leave fecal matter in the cage or on your pigs.

Weather isn't such a big problem either, our weather isn't that extreme here. I would be able to provide some shelter for them, like a tent or something.

Click to expand...

Sure, weather isn't a big problem...until it is. No one can predict a sudden change in weather. A spike or dip in temperature. A sudden thunderstorm is enough to stress pigs out to no end. A tent is not enough of a shelter for pigs in severe weather.

my mum is under the impression that guinea pigs are outdoor pets, like rabbits

Click to expand...

Rabbits are not outdoor pets either.

i think every argument on this topic has already been made. but if i may add my two cents in. i really don't understand the point of having guinea pigs if you keep them outdoors. i have my pigs for their companionship. they're cage is right next to my couch, so i get to see their antics, and watch them whenever i'm home. if they were outside, i'm sure i'd visit, and maybe play with them for a few minutes a day, but out of sight, out of mind. what would be the point of having them? and they're so fragile, helpless, and totally dependent on us - ESPECIALLY when we keep them confined to a small space with no access to food or water except from us (not to mention medial care). they're not in the wild, or in any position to care for themselves. i guess it feels like they're either hostages or companions, depending on how WE see then and care for them.

Technically someone could be locked outside in winter temperatures and still be fine for a while. This does not mean that it is ok to do that. Just like for guinea pigs, since they can not look up at you and say "I really don't want to be out hear it's to hot/cold" You have to try to give them the best settings possible. Aka having them live with you in the house, having a big cage or even being free range, not stuffed in some small dark hutch, and having a constant temperate, where they don't have to huddle together when it gets to cold, or possibly suffer heat stroke when it gets to hot. My friend had a bunny that was taken from it's hunt in her enclosed back porch. She lives in a place where she thought no one would want to steal a bunny, however there are some people in this world that just like to do stuff like that, and even if you are 1,000,000% sure that no one will steal your guinea pigs, no animals will get to them, none of them will suffer heat stroke, die from it being to cold, or a plethora of other things, isn't it still better to be safe rather then sorry? It doesn't take that much to house guinea pigs inside. When you think about it, a 2x3 cage isn't even the size of most dressers. My house is super small, yet I still found a place for my 40 square foot cage. Plus you don't even have to walk outside to feed them on the really hot and cold days, as they are in your house already. Plus you can sleep good at night knowing that your guinea pigs are truly safe, and that you are giving them the best life you can possibly give them.

CavyMama said:

How about spiders, flies, or ants? Granted these are not predators necessarily but they are pests that can affect your pigs living conditions. They can get into your pig's bedding and food. They can lay eggs or leave fecal matter in the cage or on your pigs.

Click to expand...

Spiders - we have three that we need to think about - here is a link to the three spiders we avoid... (broken link removed)
the one that is the most annoying is the white tail as it is in our houses now and I have found it in my clean washing so inside or out it could get at my piggies actually more likely inside because they love to hunt other spiders

ants here are in our houses too but fortunately they are little black ants that just search out food.... there have been some ants that have come in with imports that we dont want but at this time they have not been found in my area

flies - indoors or outdoors they will always be around - as I said my gp's dont live outside they are outside on fine days (not hot days) so they get fresh grass etc.... the "cage" i put them under is the lid off an indoor rabbit cage and check it each time to make sure nothing is nesting in cnrs etc....

we are a lucky country and I know that others in other countries dont believe me and tend to think we are under stating the dangers but sorry folks we aint.... it is really good living here.... (other than the normal dickheads and morons that are around)

Thanks again for the replies
Just so we're clear, I DON'T WANT TO KEEP THEM OUTSIDE!! I'd much rather have them inside!
We are moving house soon, and then I'll be allowed to keep them in the garage, which is better than outside.
I was just curious about this, because in New Zealand, there is the general idea that guinea pigs and rabbits are outdoor animals. There are heaps of wild rabbits around where we live, so Cavymama, I think they CAN live outside, just saying. But I'd much rather have my guinea pigs inside

also the flies lay eggs in ur piggies fur and in 24 hrs the eggs hatches and the maggots eat their way into ur piggies rectum

oie1243 said:

also the flies lay eggs in ur piggies fur and in 24 hrs the eggs hatches and the maggots eat their way into ur piggies rectum

Click to expand...

That's called flystrike and is common in animals that are kept outdoors on farms. It's a horrible way to die.

NO!! DONT KEEP THEM IN THE GARAGE!! there is fumes, drafts, poor ventilation and poor lighting which is VERY harmful to ur cute little piggies.

thanks for the common term and thats why i keep my piggies near a natrual lights and great ventilation and i always walk past her and pet her every time. i couldnt imagine my poor defenceless cavy outside with all those flies eating at her while she screams in pain and i couldnt hear her cause i was inside.

The weather fluctuations are also hard on guinea pigs just like its hard on other animals as well. Plus, living outdoors makes them more likely to contract illness. Of course, they are not a real part of the family when living outside like they are inside. Guinea pigs like to be a part of the family and hear the fridge opening, know when you get up in the morning, and like to see you as you walk through the house. Also, high winds can happen anywhere in the world and no outdoor enclosure can withstand all your weather conditions. If a guinea pig is housed outdoors, they are exposed to a lot of scares as well. (even if you don't realize it because you are indoors) Think about what it would be like to be in a cage outside during a thunderstorm. Also, if an animal attempts to get to the pigs, think about how terrifying that would be for the guinea pigs. No matter what is done with an outdoor cage, it is nowhere near as safe or cozy for a guinea pig as being indoors. The same arguments can be said for cats and dogs and other animals as well. Look at how long an average outdoor cat lives compared to the average indoor cat. It's astounding. This is why, today, it is known to be best to house pets indoors so they can live longer, healthier, and safer lives. They give us so much love and happiness. Shouldn't we give them the best?

jacqueline said:

i think every argument on this topic has already been made. but if i may add my two cents in. i really don't understand the point of having guinea pigs if you keep them outdoors. i have my pigs for their companionship. they're cage is right next to my couch, so i get to see their antics, and watch them whenever i'm home. if they were outside, i'm sure i'd visit, and maybe play with them for a few minutes a day, but out of sight, out of mind. what would be the point of having them? and they're so fragile, helpless, and totally dependent on us - ESPECIALLY when we keep them confined to a small space with no access to food or water except from us (not to mention medial care). they're not in the wild, or in any position to care for themselves. i guess it feels like they're either hostages or companions, depending on how WE see then and care for them.

Click to expand...

I am glad you said this. I was thinking the same thing. I work in animal rescue and am constantly seeing the examples of people who have animals but by no means are they companions. They are thrown outside, held as hostages, and would live better lives if they were roaming free. It's the most horribly sad thing sometimes. If we are going to have pets, we need to give them fulfilling, safe, comfortable, healthy, and happy lives.

@mistymu Honey, there are bad people all over the world.

i would agree with ThePigAlchemist. I was going to say it's hard to compare wildlife with our pets. Wildlife has the ability to fend for itself- they can run, burrow, whatever they need to do to live. Our pets rely on us for their needs and don't have the ability to defend themselves as easily as wildlife because of the position we've put them in just having them as pets.

We don't say, "Our pets cousins have the capability to feed themselves, so my pet must have that ability to. It'll survive if I don't feed it/them/etc." We provide for their every need- why wouldn't we provide for their safety and security too?

ThePigAlchemist said:

Also, as the whole "rabbits live outside, so that proves you can keep rabbits and guinea pigs outside:" I don't think anyone is debating they can survive outside. But wild rabbits can run away from predators, they can forage for food, and they can find hiding places. Guinea pigs (or rabbits) in outdoor cages are sitting ducks. Also, a wild rabbit's life isn't pleasant, and often ends in getting eaten. Their life expectancies are way lower than our pets, so even if our pets lived the exact same quality of life they would in the wild, it's still far inferior to what we can provide them if we open our homes to them.

Click to expand...

Last week we found a severed rabbit head in our yard. I was really sick about it and asked my husband to get it out of there. He said the predator that killed it would probably be back at night to get it and, sure enough, it was gone the next morning. We figured a coyote or hawk or owl must have gotten it. We've had a rabbit nest in our yard every year since we've lived here. It's not uncommon for us to find dead rabbits that have been killed by predators.

Skippie said:

@mistymu Honey, there are bad people all over the world.

Click to expand...

so true lol

A friend of mine had a litter of rabbits born in her backyard. She would occasionally see mama rabbit hopping around with the tiny bunnies. She saw the mom and babies out one day but noticed that one of the babies was missing. Her fear was that the bunny was snatched and killed by a neighborhood predator.

Ok, I'm going to say this one more time... I DON'T WANT TO KEEP THEM OUTSIDE!! I was just wondering about the dangers of keeping them outside. I'm asking around and doing my research, because that's what good owners do, right?
I'll make sure, wherever I keep them that they'll be safe, have good ventilation and have very happy lives. I'll probably end up keeping them in our garage (we don't keep our cars in there, so no fumes, and they will get proper ventilation, trust me!). I was just a bit confused because pretty much everyone in NZ keeps rabbits and guinea pigs outside and they're fine. But I was just making sure, and now I've come to the conclusion that I WILL NOT be keeping them outside! Thanks for all the advice

The excuse of 'guinea pigs smell' is ridiculous. It came from people who kept guinea pigs indoors in tiny cages that were barely ever cleaned out. Even then, the actual animal doesn't smell - it's the soiled bedding, urine and faeces.
Someone I know had lots of guinea pigs when they were little. Apparently they smelt quite bad. I asked them how big (or small) their cages were and they were not very big at all. About 3sq ft. I doubt they got cleaned too often either if they did smell that bad.