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Small pets

Guinea Pigs - keeping them warm indoors - what bedding/beds?

4 replies

Twirl · 21/11/2011 20:07

We have just adopted 2 gorgeous baby girl guinea pigs (12 weeks old) from a rescue centre and I am unsure whether they are warm enough at night? They are kept indoors in the guest bedroom in a C&C cage, lined with fleece & bed pads. They have a seperate small kitchen area with carefresh on the floor and a manger full of hay on the wall. They have igloos, huts etc. I did buy 2 really cute fluffy pet beds that have proved totally useless as they don't wick the wee away so are absolutely soaked after one night. At the moment both guinea pigs seem to squeeze into one hut to sleep. Is this for comfort or because they are cold? The house is generally around 17-18C during the day and 14-15 at night. Are they warm enough or should I be putting something else in the cage for them?

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LordOfTheFlies · 21/11/2011 20:43

The temperature sounds ok, I think the RSPCA recommends they are kept about 16-18 C.
They probably sleep together for company rather than warmth -they are still babies and everything is new to them, so really the only thing they know is each other.

I've just started giving my GPs fleece but it's not absorbant. I use newspaper under the fleece (they don't eat it there's too much hay) or cardboard which is absorbant, and I can get a plentiful supply from work.
If you are very lucky they might choose an area as their toilet so will be easier to keep clean.

My 2 males (1 yo) rescue GPs are in for the nights now and don't like their cage .Tonight they have fleece and loads of hay. (I buy a bag a weekas I use it as bedding. Mine CBA walking to the hayrack Hmm ).

Outside I use - rubber car mats inside their wooden house.
Newspaper or cardboard depending on what I have.
Shredded plain paper then hay on top.
The box inside has a fleece blanket.
I give them a Snugglepad and a hotwater bottle. (Snugglepad in the box and hotwater bottle- in a fleece cover- buried in the hay)

The main issue (not problem !) is my GPs pee and pooh as if their lives depended on it. They 'mark' as well so there are little puddles of cloudy pee where they scent.The hay at the back has to be changed daily as I don't want them on damp bedding.I can salvage about a third some days which goes on the bottom, then fresh on top.
I'm changing the sleeping area bedding daily, the rest every 2 days. But I think that's because they are adult and uneutered boys.


Inside my boys get a bit lazy if they get too warm, and sprawl in the hay.

Enjoy your piglets, they are lovely. It's really nice finding out their favourite foods too. Smile


Are your girlie GPs in all the time?

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LordOfTheFlies · 21/11/2011 20:55

Oh, and have a mosey through the threads on here for advice.
I'd kept GPs as a child but recently got the 2 boys for my DCs.
Loads of advice had changed over the years, but as far as bedding goes-
No straw, it can stab their eyes
No sawdust, again it can get in their eyes and there can be chemicals that irritate their breathing
No shavings, sharp, not very absorbant and irritant.

Newspaper isn't recommended by alot of sites (the ink if they eat it, but mine don't chew it, and it's well covered)

Some hay I have bought has been sharp, not baled horse hay but bagged pet hay, so something to be aware of.

I'm also recycling an old HippyChick bedmat from my DCs (it's felty cotton on both sides with waterproof in the middle)

And I wash their fleeces with one of those wash balls- in case they don't like washing powder.Gps are quite respiratory sensitive little things Smile

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Twirl · 21/11/2011 21:45

Thanks so much for the tips. It's amazing how quickly you become slaves to these adorable animals Grin and I do worry so very much about them. I have absorbant bed pads under the fleece and it's working really well so far, the fleece is staying completely dry, and I just scoop the poops up every day. I've just popped a thermometer in their room so I will get up in the night to check it isn't too cold, thanks for the temperature info. Yes, they are going to stay indoors all year round, although I do have a large run for them for when the weather gets better.

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KRITIQ · 22/11/2011 00:31

Oh, they are adorable indeed and glad to hear you are enjoying your wee girls.

As others have said, they are probably warm enough and just enjoy cuddling together.

I think all pigs have different preferences/tastes when it comes to sleeping arrangements. One of mine likes to sleep in the open in a box or basket with a cushion in it. I wrap the cushion in a puppy training pad (you can get them cheap at home bargains) and then wrap it in a small fleece and tuck in. He's so lazy, he'll not get up to wee, but you only need to change the fleece and puppy pad every couple days. The other likes to sleep in his "house" on a kitchen chair pad, also covered in a puppy pad and wrapped in a fleece. The house holds the cushion down so the fleece doesn't come untucked.

They're just a bit spoilt! :)

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