General Preparing for Outside Time?

[Rayvn]

The grass has turned green again, and I thought Leo would enjoy some outside time. I've never brought him outside, so I wanted to ask a few questions. I already have a good pen (I use it for my rabbit, and it has a top as well as appropriate bar spacing), and I know to watch him when he's out. Here are my questions:

Can I have him out on grass that has been mowed?
Is it alright if there are plants other than grass present? (It's mostly grass and dandelions, but there may be the occasional unknown weed.)
Is it better to have the pen in the sun or shade?
How long should I have him out?

Any other tips/advice that you guys have would be appreciated . I'll probably post pics of Leo's little adventure soon lol.

 

[Rayvn]

Anyone there?
Maybe I'm just as interesting as people with emergencies.

 

[schavarry]

I'm interested to know too! I haven't had my piggies long enough to take them outside... From what I've heard you should definitely have a shady spot for them to rest but I'm not sure if it all needs to be shady, and you shouldn't let them eat grass treated with chemicals (duh) but that's about all I know being a newb.

 

[Marybonus]

Hi! I am no expert, but I let my piggies out on the grass everyday and I have done some research. I also have a pen with a top. They are outside in the shade if the temperature is 20 C or above, and if it is a very hot day (over 25 C) i bring them out early in the morning and when the sun starts going down (after 4 pm). I am afraid of a heat stroke. I also try to look for a spot in my garden where the grass is not wet (sp in the morning, bec of dew). Now that fall has arrived here in Argentina, I choose places where they have optional sun or shade and I always bring their hideys out. As regards grass, in my garden they eat that, plus clover (even the flowers, which they loooooove) and some occasional other weed. Before I started bringing them out i did some research and I found a site where I even found pictures of the weeds they could eat. I think it was here in this forum or in guinea lynx. I'll look it up for you and paste the link when I find it. They surely enjoy their time outside and I love watching them run and eat the grass and just be piggies!!! Have fun!

 

[Marybonus]

Here's the link: https://www.guinealynx.info/forages.html you'll find there both poisonous and permitted forages! Good luck! Can't wait to see the pictures!

 

[Raine59]

My piggies are outside right now and they really love it. I just have them in a 2 x 3 pen made out of grids with more grids for a "roof". My grass is usually wet in the morning so I put them out in the late afternoon. It's pretty sunny in my backyard so I drape a towel over about half their pen so they can get in the shade if they want. I think it's okay if the grass has been mowed but I leave a spot in my yard unmowed so they have some nice long grass to nibble. I probably have a variety of grass and weeds like anyone else but I doubt there's anything poisonous. I usually only leave them out for an hour or so at a time.