simon

(I am resending this, the original had a pic attached and it looks like it
never got posted, not a binary group an' all that!)

Hi there.

I have a couple of young pigs,(step daughters' really!) they are actually
about 4 months old now, and
I have been keeping them outside.

I am in the UK and it has been mild, but recently it's started cooling down
at night, (suprise suprise), I have been packing them with hay to keep them
warm, I hope, but not sure how they handle the cold.
There seems to a big diff in opinion as to wether it's OK to keep them
outside or not.

I remember going to see a friend of mine, and his pigs where outside in the
snow which i thought was cruel, but he said they had always been outside in
all weather for 5 years!

Should I bring them in when it get to a certain temperature, or are they OK
as long as they have 'padding'?

Other than that, they love playing in the garden run I have made for them,
in fact, you can see from the time it's just gone 1.45 here in the UK and
I'm just about to go back in the garden to watch them, they're great little
souls.

Hope you can help.

Regards

Si

PS, you can see a pics of snoopy & cuddles on my comp website @
Snoopy, smooth haired mischievious fella
http://netforma.co.uk/images/Stock/pigs/snoopy.jpg
&
Cuddles, rough haired shy chap that had to held for the photo, he's actually
easier to handle than Snoopy, but runs when the camera comes out.
http://netforma.co.uk/images/Stock/pigs/cuddles.jpg

lori coates

The UK winters are too harsh to keep piggies outside during. If you really
don't want them in the house (mine are inside all year round and a great
joy) then bringing them into the garage would be better. They are not
equipped to handle the cold weather and ideally should be brought inside in
the fall.

Mine run around the living room and dance about the place. You might like
having them inside. You can set up a pen for them, or get a big dog pen
(you can get them online for about 40 pounds if you are interested let me
know). But definately get them out of the elements.

Its gotten instantly chilly here in Liverpool so I am guessing its happening
all over the UK!

alison

Hi Simon ,
Your pigs are very young and they need to be in a shed at the very
least . Pigs are not as hardy as rabbits and draughts and cold wet
weather aren't good for them . Beware of suburban foxes too !
Last winter I brought my pigs in and put them in the spare room , I
kept the temp about 55/60F so I could put them in the outdoor run for
a little while with out getting chilled. One of the pigs has lost some
of her hair now so I think I will have to bring the temp up and not
let them outside.
Alison


actually

simon

Cheers for the advice, we have a spare room and we have them in the house a
lot anyway.

We'll keep them warm!

Si

kelvyn

In article, simon.cornforth@blueyonder.co.uk says...
(I am resending this, the original had a pic attached and it looks like it
never got posted, not a binary group an' all that!)

I would like to add, if you do bring them inside during the winter, you probably
should keep them inside throughout the cold months as they will not have had the
gradual adaption to cold weather. However, i found once you bring them in you wont
want to put them out again as they are such splendid company. (and they don't even
chatter when the rugby is on TV!)
kelvyn.

--
No Guinea Pigs were harmed in the writing or sending of this post.

ghost

They might complain during the running of American Football; the
constant throwing and kicking of the pigskin will very likely offend.

Hannibal

kelvyn

In article, see_you_next_wednesday@flystrike.biz says...
They might complain during the running of American Football; the
constant throwing and kicking of the pigskin will very likely offend.

A very astute observation Hannibal.....American football seems to demand tight pants
and bending over a lot...even if this did not offend the average pigster i am sure
they would find it very confusing !!
kelvyn.

No Guinea Pigs were harmed in the writing or sending of this post.

ghost

Thank you for your thoughts. I do believe dancing in the end zone does
offer guinea pigs some wholesome entertainment value; but that
unfortunate habit the players have of patting each other in the end zone
will be a definite source of consternation.

Hannibal

dudley

really

in


happening

Winters in the UK are not that harsh - more damp than anything. Only
occasionally do we have long hard cold spells but even they don't last more
than a week.

The biggest issue with pigs is keeping them dry and stopping any draughts -
the cold is not an issue unless it is very severe and prolonged. GP body
temperatures generally run at a much higher rate then us humans so they can
often stay quite warm even when we start to shiver. The best way of
assessing the GP temperature is to feel their ears. If these are warm then
your GP is also warm.

Our GPs have stayed out in the winter for the last two seasons without any
hardship. We cover their cages with a big piece of tarpaulin we got from
Homebase which stops any draughts - we also add lots of hay which they
prefer to nibble on rather than snuggle up in.

If you do decide to keep them outside you must remember that you can't
constantly bring them in and out of the house, especially on the coldest
days. GPs don't like big fluctuations in heat and cold and it is unlikely
they could stand from going from a nice cosy sitting room back to the
relative cold climes of their hutch in the garden. If you do bring them in
for some floor time, leave the heating off for a while to bring the
temperature down.

Finally, remember to give your GP extra food in the winter so they can keep
their body fat up and also to ensure that they get an extra helping of foods
with lots of vitamin C in. Supa Guinea is the best you can give which can
be supplemented with greens, carrot, g****s, etc.

HTH