Indoors or Outdoors?
Our recent Piggy Census via East Anglian Guinea Pig Rescue got 800 responses and was very insightful in regards to how guinea pigs are currently being kept. I wish I could go back in time and do the same survey 10, 20 years ago though! 78% of those surveyed kept their guinea pigs indoors in the house, with only a total of 14% either outdoors or in an outbuilding. While this might be skewed by the
demographic that the census reached, it's still a big change (I had expected roughly half and half).
We are based in the UK, so the weather is not ideal for guinea pigs for much of the year - too cold and damp in Winter, too hot in Summer. Historically guinea pigs have been housed outside or in a shed in a hutch all year round, and many still are (including some of our own), but it isn't easy to deal with the extremes of temperature and every Winter and Summer we hear of losses due to heatstroke and cold.
With a properly insulated and heated shed in the right position, guinea pigs can be comfortable year round. Bringing them indoors ensures that we are at least experiencing the same temperatures as them, and are more aware of their discomfort!
Pros to having piggies indoors:
1 Year round temperature is more stable
2 They get a lot more human interaction and are a much more rewarding pet
3 It's easier to observe their behaviour and spot any illnesses more quickly
4 You don't have to go outside in all weathers to feed and clean
Cons to having piggies indoors;
1 It can set off allergies as household members are exposed to the pets and hay etc. - we have seen a rise in surrenders due to allergies and these are almost always from indoor pigs
2 The smell can build up and is more noticeable indoors
3 They can be messy in terms of bedding, hay etc flying out of their cages.
4 They are surprisingly noisy at night, they are crespuscular which means they are active at dawn and dusk but it's surprising how noisy a water bottle can be...
Pros to having piggies outdoors:
1 Mess is less of an issue
2 It usually means there is ample space for storage of hay etc.
3 If you have a number of piggies this might be your only real option to extend your numbers
4 You can easily then give them access to grass time when weather is suitable
Cons to having piggies outdoors:
1 You have to go outside no matter what the weather to clean and feed - this is often off-putting for children especially to get involved
2 In the UK it is hard to manage the extremes of temperature without taking measures such as insulation, ventilation, heating and even air-con
3 The food and hay can attract rats and mice, and the pigs can be at greater risk from predators such as foxes, dogs and cats
4 Although unlikely, pet theft is on the increase and outdoor pets are more vulnerable
Of course it's not necessarily an either / or situation. Many of the survey respondents opted for indoors in winter and outdoors in summer, which if managed carefully can be the best of both worlds, with the only drawback being the investment for two living quarters.
Whatever you decide, invest in a min / max thermometer for a few pounds and just keep an eye on the temperatures. Guinea pigs are not good with extremes of temperature, or with damp. Their ideal temperature range is not below 15 degrees and not above 24 degrees (although sources differ, as do pigs - older pigs will find the heat and cold much harder to deal with, as do humans).
We love to see pictures of your set-ups, whether indoors or out - send your photos to us at beyondthehutch@gmail.com
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