Anybody out there with rabbits/guinea pigs? I need your advice.?

Question

I have a rabbit & guinea pig which both live outdoors. I'm getting a bit concerned as I know the winter is coming & the the weather is getting colder. As they live outdoors, what changes should I make to their living environment in the winter? I want to make sure they're warm enough. They have a large hutch, which doesn't get a lot of wind. They have a large pen around the hutch, with windproof sheeting around it. However, it's not going to be enough to keep them warm when the weather gets colder & icier. Can anyone give me some advice please.

Answer 1

Take them indoors. Even if you add insulating sheets of hay or other material of that kind to their pen, they still won't be warm enough. In winter time, these animals stay most of the time underground in tunnels and they shed their fur to form insulating layers to keep them warm. Snow packing above their dens also works as insulating material. If they are not kept warm enough, they will soon become weak (they will try to minimize their activity to preserve energy. Also, in winter make sure to feed them more since they require extra energy to grow their new winter fur and to augment their adipose tissue (also insulating material).

Answer 2

I have had a ton of guinea pigs and rabbits. I have been successful keeping my bunnies outside. I had some in my garage and some in my shed. Both were insulated and were draft-free. My recommendation is to provide the rabbit with a "house" inside it's hutch with hay or straw in it. Be sure there are no drafts, and the hutch itself is insulated. In my experience, if I kept rabbits in a hutch outside, I moved them to a side of my house that is down wind, so the chance of a draft is reduced even more.

As far as guinea pigs go, I don't recommend keeping them outside in the winter time. Bring him/her inside :) Usually I brought my guinea pigs in when the temperature dropped below 50 or 60 degrees. Guinea pigs come from a rather tropical climate--they don't like the cold.

:)

Answer 3

You sound like you are doing lots of great things. With my rabbit (and in the old days when I had a guinea pig) I do/did this. Currently with my bunny I make sure her hay is clean, change in winter a little more and layer with paper underneath the hay. Putting a cover over it at night is great, I do this. But is it possible to move it at night? I move ours under our pergola in winter (don't need to in summer). Our pergola is covered and has bricks underneath. I put a drop sheet on the ground so I don't end up with poos all over the place and put the hutch on that as my hutch sits on the ground. I cover the cage totally with drop sheets and on the really cold nights I even put an old doona cover over that. It was in a sheltered spot right in the corner with a wall beside it so it got no wind. If you are really worried is there space in a garage or carport that you can easily move the cage into each night. On really cold winter days I still left the cage under the pergola for the day. In summer unless it rains I pretty much leave it out all the time but then the sun and heat can become a problem too so if it's going to be really hot I will put the cage under the pergola and put a drop sheet on the top to cut out the sun.

Moving the cage may seem a hassle but just getting it off the grass and in a really sheltered area and fully covered with drop sheets or something similar can ensure maximum warmth. I had thought about moving my bunny into a cat carry cage inside the house each night (I use to put my guniea pig in large plastic toy box at night when it was really cold or in summer when it was really hot then pop it in the laundry for the night) but bunnies are better in their cage I think.

Good luck, you are doing lots of great things...I hope I give you some ideas.

Ted x

Answer 4

I had a piggette die of a cold after a draft got to it- inside my house! Wind protection is #1. Sudden changes in temperature- like moving from outside to inside each day- are just as harmful. I'd really recommend taking the animals inside for the winter. Put the whole animal house in the garage and open the door minimally, or in a 4-season room or heated porch.

Sounds like you love your critters a lot. If this site doesn't come up with enough advice, call your vet! They're perfectly willing to give that kind of advice for free. Even though treating the sick keeps them in business, none of them would truely mind being put out of business if it meant happy, healthy animals.

Answer 5

The best advice I can give is to bring them indoors. Rabbits and guinea pigs do better inside and you get the benefit of their company. If that is impossible, then the Ontario Rabbit Education and Rescue group offers this advice:

"Proper Housing
If you cannot bring your rabbit indoors, then provide him with a wooden or plastic box, stuffed with hay or straw to burrow in for warmth, inside of his cage. Make sure that the cage is sheltered or placed in a barn or shed. The hutch should be free of leaks, have a sturdy, solid roof, be sheltered from the wind and have a locked door (raccoons can be very clever!). To further guard against predators, enclose your rabbit's cage inside of a covered metal dog run, or even in a barn or shed. Remember to take advantage of daytime sun and place the hutch in an area that provides some sunlight for warmth.

It is very difficult to ensure that your rabbit will be warm, safe and comfortable if housed outdoors. Rabbits make excellent house pets. We urge you to bring your rabbit indoors, and give him a chance to be a treasured member of your family. By bringing your rabbit into your home, you will give your rabbit the opportunity to shine. You will get to know him better, become appreciative of his quirky, special personality, laugh at his silly antics and admire his cuteness. Our website offers information on indoor housing, litter training and essential bunny proofing to help you help your rabbit adjust to indoor living."

source: http://www.ontariorabbits.org/hot_topics/winter_woes.html

same type of advice on ideal housing for a guinea pig:
http://www.guineapigcages.com/location.htm

Here is an article from the House Rabbit Society about outdoor and indoor dangers for your rabbit (I would guess that many are the same for the piggie). Even if you bring your pets inside, you still have to do some "pet proofing".
http://www.rabbit.org/faq/sections/hazards.html

Answer 6

Sounds like you are off to a good start. Is the hutch completely solid meaning no openings but the one to go in and out of? If not wrap window plastic around it to keep the cold out. If the temps drop below 40 use a heating lamp ( sold in most feed/seed stores). Also use fresh hay or cedar chips which help insulate the hutch and also keeps them from loosing body heat. An alternative is to buy small animal cages at your local pet stores and have them in a warm room like the laundry room or garage. What mostly hurts them in winter is cold drafts that keep them chilled like it does to humans. I hope I have helped you. Good Luck!

Answer 7

Yes Hitler(German) Castro(cuban) Stevie(white) Carlos(Hispanic) Tavon(black) Chong(Asian) Fabritsio(Italian)

Answer 8

yes what you are doing is fine, only now since winter is coming you should give them a smaller home, like one of those carrier units for cats and dogs whenever they need to go to a vet. those will do nicely along with wool blankets. and if it gets too cold then i suggest you at least bring them in, {still in the huts} at night and put the huts in the laundry, or any other room that isnt much occupied.

Answer 9

make sure they have something to get into out of the weather put straw or hay in their box i even put a tarp around mine with a peice of plywood to hold itdown for extra coverage this way no rain or snow will get in an we line the bottom with hay an straw as well make sure they have fresh food an water an keep them fattened up they should be fine good luck

Answer 10

i once got a rabbit and i really love it but it die because i did not take good care of them so if you want an advise you must take good care of your rabbit.To keep a rabbit warm put some wool in its hut and remember not to feed him cold foods.