Single hen

[Gayle]

Hi,

 

Please can you let me know how I should look after my 2 new guinea's. They will live in an eglu on our patio during the winter and I will ensure that they are looked into the house at night but do I open the door to the run everyday regardless of weather or should I keep the door shut when it is very cold or wet?

 

many thanks.

[Mez]

Hi Gayle,

Guinea pigs don't do well in the cold or wet, they like to be cosy. I don't have an eglu, but I have a hutch with a permanent run attachment. I have a cover over the run to protect them from light rain but if I know it is going to be heavy rain, or wind and rain, then I keep them in just the hutch area for the day. Generally they tend to stay in the warm and dry but on occasions mine have willingly gone out into the rain and I have had to blowdry them A wet guinea can get cold and ill very quickly.

I think some people use a shower curtain over the run area of the eglus to give better weather protection. You could ask one of the Omlet experts via the website. I don't have experience of eglus, just guineas but I hope this may have been some help.

Enjoy your guineas

[Louise]

Yes lots of us have shower curtains over our runs to keep the rain off

 

You will need to open the door as your guineas will need light every day

 

Remember to give your pogs fresh greens every day because like humans they can't make their own vitamin c and can get scurvy

[The Dogmother]

Yup, lots of fresh greens and hay. Most GP dry feed now has extra vitamin C in it.

 

When we had GPs, they always came into the summerhouse in the winter - as Mez said - they don't tolerate cold and damp at all well. Personally, I wouldn't leave them in the eglu and run during the winter.

[redfrock]

mine are truly pampered and live in the lounge

If money isn't too tight next year we are going to upgrade to a cube and convert one of the eglus into a guinlu for the summer months

 

but to reiterate what everybody else has said, cold and wet are killers for GPs

[Gayle]

Many thanks for all your help. I am giving them lots of greens and cuddles so hopefully they will be happy pigs... I have a cover for the run and will take note of all your suggestions. Unfortunately I don't have anywhere inside that I can move them in the winter hence getting the eglu which is supposed to be Ok for them in the winter ... many thanks!

[victoriabunny]

For the winter, could you get an indoor cage (about 100cm long would be OK for two guineas) and put it in the kitchen, or even elsewhere in the house? If you clean it every day, it won't smell, and guineas make lovely indoor pets - those adorable noises they make! Chances are you won't want them to go back outside...I definitely wouldn't keep them outside all winter. It's fine for rabbits but guineas come from a much warmer environment (South America) and they will be miserable.

[Chickybaby]

Sorry to contradict what everyone else has said but I have kept guinea pigs for many many years and I only bring mine inside when there is a really sharp frost, rainy weather doesn't seem to bother them at all. I just make sure they have loads & loads of hay to snuggle in to and also a blanket over the hutch to keep out the cold wind if necessary. If you put your hand into the hay when it's cold outside you'd be amazed how warm and snug it does feel, plus they would naturally snuggle up together too.

[Happybunny]

I agree with Chickybaby. We used to bring our 2 boys into the shed for the winter but they never seemed all that happy and tended to squabble.

A couple of years ago I bought a hutch snuggle and raincover and left them outside ( they are 'free range' during the day) and they seem so much perkier now. They even move in a more upright way - they look like very small dogs! Having said that, I did keep them in the hutch during the snow, just in case.