Outdoor Housing
Guinea pigs will need a warm and dry hutch or cage at all times. They are very close to the ground and are therefore prone to chest infections if they are on damp bedding.
Hutches
Guinea pigs can live outside during the spring and summer months (May to August), but will need to be kept inside most of the year, or be moved into an insulated and heated shed or garage with natural light. Many people move hutches into sheds or inside during the winter. If you adopt from us, we would need to see that the hutch is going to be warm enough and protected in the winter. Guinea pigs should be kept in temperatures between 10 - 15 degrees Celsius so heating is needed in the winter.
Hutches should be placed off the ground and in a sheltered position out of direct sunlight.
The minimum size hutch/cage for a pair of guinea pigs adopted from us is 140 cm x 70 cm. This should be on one level. Double deckers with levels smaller than this are not suitable. Although guinea pigs are small, they spend most of their lives in their hutch so it’s important that they have space to run around and space to be away from each other if they choose. If the space is not big enough it can lead to fighting as the guinea pigs will feel claustrophobic. With hutches the bigger the better. Single decker hutches with bigger floor areas are preferable to double decker hutches.
Many people keep their guinea pigs in converted sheds which give them excellent space to live in. Runs can be attached so that the guinea pigs can exercise freely as well.
Hutches
Guinea pigs can live outside during the spring and summer months (May to August), but will need to be kept inside most of the year, or be moved into an insulated and heated shed or garage with natural light. Many people move hutches into sheds or inside during the winter. If you adopt from us, we would need to see that the hutch is going to be warm enough and protected in the winter. Guinea pigs should be kept in temperatures between 10 - 15 degrees Celsius so heating is needed in the winter.
Hutches should be placed off the ground and in a sheltered position out of direct sunlight.
The minimum size hutch/cage for a pair of guinea pigs adopted from us is 140 cm x 70 cm. This should be on one level. Double deckers with levels smaller than this are not suitable. Although guinea pigs are small, they spend most of their lives in their hutch so it’s important that they have space to run around and space to be away from each other if they choose. If the space is not big enough it can lead to fighting as the guinea pigs will feel claustrophobic. With hutches the bigger the better. Single decker hutches with bigger floor areas are preferable to double decker hutches.
Many people keep their guinea pigs in converted sheds which give them excellent space to live in. Runs can be attached so that the guinea pigs can exercise freely as well.
Example of a setup in an insulated heated shed.
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Another good example of an insulated heated shed setup.
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