Guinea Pigs

[Rafferty]

Hey there,

Im looking to buy a guinea pig, but it will have to live outside as my house does not have a garage/shed etc. As its so cold at the moment, I was wondering if anyone could give me any advice as to when it would be warm enough to buy the guinea pig? February? March? Later??

Is there anything i can do to make it warmer for the pig? Putting a blanket over the hutch to protect it from wind etc?

Also, im thinking of buying a dwarf bunny to live in the same hutch as the guinea pig. Im told if i buy them at the same time then they should be fine to live together in the same hutch? Is this right?

Thanks everyone!

[bensmum]

I have had guinea pigs for years and they have always lived outside. If you get a young one in spring it should be big enough to cope by next winter. Guinea pigs don't like draughts so if there is a secluded area near the house it would be better. Protect the hutch from the elements as much as you can. In winter mines hutch is covered all over by an old duvet and a waterproof cover which pull over the front at night.
Also make sure that its bedding is kept clean and dry and that in cold weather it has plenty of hay. Mine makes a little nest in his hay at night and is quite cosy in there.
Guinea pigs are very social - people do keep them with rabbits but why not get 2 guinea pigs. They will be great company for each other and if you get 2 young ones (of the same sex!) at the same time they will live together quite well. They are lovely pets - good luck

[carmalee]

google in guinea pig-care of and there is an RSPCA information site for these beasties. Good on you for asking for advice prior to buying the pet. 10 out of 10 for that!

[lifigirl]

Hi i breed mini lop rabbits and french lops too you have to be careful when teaming them up with a guinea pig as the rabbit can bully the pig ig it is a male it will try and mate it constantly when it is sexually mature and also a female bunny can be very territorial and bully too and also try to mate it !
there is no guarantee that they will get on in adult hood just because you brought them together or at similar ages the best friend for a guinea pig is another guinea pig they may get on like a house on fire or they may not it's one of those hit and miss things i'm afraid

[MWB]

You could line the hutch with Pink Batts. A friend of mine has done that with her rabbits.

[lifigirl]

what are pink batts?

[MWB]

Pink Batts is fibreglass insulation. So called cause they're pink. That you put in your ceiling. You must call it something else in Britain.

[lifigirl]

i get it now cheers

[Coppertop84]

Hi Rafferty,

You could always have indoor guinea pigs. My husband and I had 3 guineas pigs for well over 5 years and they lived a long happy life. They were always perfectly warm and we had a run outside for them for exercise.

You will also get to see and speak to your pigs more often inside. They get used to you being around and ours learnt that when they heard us coming downstairs in the morning, they knew it was breakfast time and gave a little squeak.

You will have many happy years with guinea pigs!

Places like Pets At Home have lots of cage sizes - specially for guinea pigs and similar small sized pets.