Australia Guinea Pigs Not Allowed Inside :(

Linds · Oct 26, 2013

Maybe compromise and ask your parents if you can keep them in your garage or shed (if you have one) of course only if there are no cars in it, so at least there is no draft. And to keep them warm you could get a dome lamp with a ceramic heat emitter which you can find in the reptile section of a pet store.

Piggyziggy · Nov 1, 2013

ClumzyPanda said:
I have had one of my piggies (custard) inside now for 1 week and she still has at least a week to go (she has an eye infection so she can't be in hay with the others). My room does not smell even after 1 week as I have been doing almost everything you suggested, changing the flooring (a blanket) twice a week, spot clean daily and leaving the window cracked open for fresh air circulation. She is in a run around the size of a 2x4 and I still have lots of spare room for an even bigger cage. Mum has not had to do anything as far as cleaning/upkeep she only has to help me give her the medicine and eye drops (she hates them) and I have been trying really hard to show her I will take full responsibility for them if they are in my room. I have presented her with my argument about how it's safer/more convenient to keep the piggies inside and instead of saying no she said "ask your father" (challenge accepted), I'm just waiting for the right time to ask him because he has to be in a REALLY good mood or he will say no. (broken link removed), that's the site I'm showing them it makes really good points. Fingers crossed dad will say yes

Yay! i hope he says yes. Thats the website I used to try to convince my mum and dad inside housing is safer and better for guinea pigs.. Good luck

bpatters · Nov 1, 2013

@GreyWish, guinea pigs are from the mountains of South America, where it is considerably cooler than the current temperatures in Peru. And guinea pigs cannot be litter trained. If you're lucky, they'll go in the same place most of the time and you can put a litter pan there to catch it, but you can't teach them to go in a particular place.

Guinea pigs are very intolerant of heat, and are susceptible to heat stroke at anything above about 85 degrees. Unless they're skinnies, they're comfortable at about 65 degrees, but can tolerate temperatures colder than that for some period of time. We have one user on this forum who rescued a guinea pig from under a bush in sub-freezing temperatures where it had been for a couple of nights.

However, that's not to say that they should be kept in the cold. If they've been exposed to any bacteria and viruses, a cold draft can make any illness worse. They need warmth and protection from cold wind, and a clean place to live. Additionally, you need to see them several times a day to catch any illnesses before they get serious. Ideally they should be kept inside.

ClumzyPanda · Nov 3, 2013

Sorry for not replying in a while, I was sidetracked by the fact I am getting three more piggies (yay!)

Now I know that some of you will say "don't get more if you keep them outside" but hear me out. I live in the Tasmania in a highly populated area so the only worry as far as animals is cats (dogs don't roam around) but I am going to predator proof against animals of this nature using stronger wire bars around the play area. There is already a wire mesh around the play area to protect against snakes, birds ect. but snakes are rarely seen where I live and they are never in our backyard. I am going to insulate the bed area and place a microwaveable heating pad under the hay bedding to keep them warm. I'm also getting a custom made weatherproof insulation cover (meant for boats) made up to fit over it to prevent drafts. When it gets too hot I will put the piggies in a large puppy playpen in the garage (you'd think it would be hotter in there but it stays really cool all day). This is the Hutch I am talking about:

I did try all your suggestions but I have only recently discovered something that I cannot avoid preventing my piggies from being inside, IM ALLERGIC TO GUINEA PIGS

. I found this out after having Custard inside for one month due to an eye infection the dander in my room was causing me to have coughing fits, inflamed itchy eyes and completely blocked sinuses. Although my piggies have to stay outside I am providing them with a perfectly adequate home where they are kept healthy and happy. Thank you all for your help, I greatly appreciate it!

Piggyziggy · Nov 3, 2013

@ClumzyPanda I'm sorry to here your allergic to guinea pigs.

Cool hutch though!!! Its so called "bedroom" is really big and will let your piggies stay realy warm. I like it. You will be able to put fleece cozies in there now!

Also thanks for the ideas on how to keep them warm.

bpatters · Nov 3, 2013

If you're allergic to guinea pigs, then rehome them to someone who isn't and get a pet that you're not allergic to. It's not fair to the pigs to be confined to an outdoor area for the rest of their lives and not have someone who can interact with them on a frequent basis.

maiden · Nov 7, 2013

ClumzyPanda said:
So I have had my three American Crested Sows, Custard, Cocoa and Chewy for 10 months 15 days (specifics :crazy and when we first got them my parents said they would have to stay in a hutch in the backyard and being a first timer I thought that was ok. After the cold winter and 1 sick GP with a URI I now know that outside is not suitable for a guinea pig. They are currently in a two storey wooden hutch with an enclosed hay bed but it is quite small (especially after reading about the recommended sizes for a cage) and they can't always get floor/wild time because I have school and work (I'm 15) and my brothers don't have really anything to do with them. Anyway I asked my parents if I could have them inside in a c&c cage and they said no because they will smell, so I promised to spot clean every day and fully clean once a weak and put an air freshener in my room (mild one so as to not effect the GP's little noses) but they said that I don't have the space. So I spent 4 hours rearranging my room to make space for a 2x4 to 2x5 c&c and then they said and I quote "guinea pigs are animals and belong outside, they have fur coats and a blanket over the hutch when it's cold and a hay cave to snuggle in so there fine". Now we all know that GP's feel the cold the same as we do so I said that and they just ignored me and walked away. Thinking a pile of hay would keep you warm is ridiculous and a blanket only stops drafts it doesn't keep out the cold because it is the same as the ambient temperature in about 10 minutes. I live in Tasmania so it is always cold but especially in the winter time and I am so worried about them being outside but my parents won't listen to me. I will also get to interact with them more if they are inside so that's an added plus and a c&c is easier to clean the a hutch but I can never get to tell them that before they get mad and leave. Can anyone please offer up any advice on how to convince my parents to let my GP's live indoors or even address to them directly. Thanks in advanced and sorry for the long post lol

Hi there,
I bought a thermo plastic blanket which I cover my budgie cage up over night in the winter months and I'm thinking that would be excellent to put over your piggies cage to keep the cold air and draughts out. It's better then nothing if your parents wont let you keep the piggies inside. Good luck and by the way google thermo blanket for horses or thermo blanket to cover cage. Maiden

Traysea · Nov 7, 2013

Another thought about all the insulating you are planning to do…

If you have 3-6 piggies huddled in that enclosed area, that's going to generate a ton of ammonia fumes and possibly methane from the poops? Plus adding a heating element, it could possibly overheat the bedroom. There is probably some sort of way to figure out how to best heat, without over heating such a small box. Maybe you should try put a thermometer in there and make sure it doesn't overheat (even in the colder months). If there is a heat pad and the whole thing is covered up, the bacteria that helps break down organic matter is going to be working, the heat is going to speed up the process, that's not going to allow for proper air ventilation. What is the average temperatures year round where you live?

I would think that they would be able to keep each other warm. Especially if they had a smaller area within the bedroom that their body heat would warm up. Similar to a dog in a dog house. If you make the dog house the right size for the dog, then the body heat gets trapped in. It's the same concept if you are caught out in the snow. If you dig a smaller snow cave, your body heat will be able to warm it. Maybe putting a plastic house big enough for all of them could help contain body heat.

I think the big trick is going to be to keep the air they will be breathing clean and healthy enough, while also keeping the heat in. If it's too cold they may stay in that very enclosed area for prolonged periods of time and air quality will suffer. Im totally not saying let them freeze, but please do research on how to give them both good air quality as well as a climate controlled house.

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Australia Guinea Pigs Not Allowed Inside :(

Linds

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Piggyziggy

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bpatters

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ClumzyPanda

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Piggyziggy

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bpatters

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maiden

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Traysea

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