Guinea Pig: House pet or outside pet?

Question

My mom seems to think that while it's hot/warm outside that the guinea pig should stay outside like my old pet rabbit did. :/

When it's a colder night she said he can stay in the house and when it get Autumn. but I want him inside.

What do you think?

Answer 1

It's best by far to keep him inside.  Outside he won't get enough attention.  It would be hard to tell if he's sick.  He won't like switching back and forth.  Also, if outside he'll get fleas and ticks unless there's a vet who can give you something for Guinea pigs to prevent it.  Even if he can't get out of his cage, other animals may be able to break into it to eat him or to eat his food.  Raccoons can get into almost anything.

Answer 2

My friends piggy lived outside all the time whether it was summer or winter, but when it was cold outside it had a piece of carpet over the roof and front of the cage so the cage wasn't overly cold.

Hope this helps

Answer 3

I had a guinea pig when I was younger, and I think they should be indoor pets.  But I spoil my pets..

Answer 4

It sounds to me that you have a good setup for the guinea pig outside.  They can stay outside in warm weather.

My dad made a little wire fence  (maybe 1foot or 1.5 feet high) in a circle, which we could move from place to place on the lawn; and he made a little wooden house for shelter.  He did fine this way, eating the grass.  Except there was one kind of grass that made him constipated, very bad in a guinea pig, as they normally p**p every 2 minutes!  So I had to be careful not to include the constipating grass in the circle.

Even in the winter (in Southern California) he spent nights outside with my rabbit in a cage; on cold nights they cuddled together.  

Answer 5

they're indoor pets all the way. they need constant temps without too many breezes because they can get sick like that. and even if they don't seem to be bothered by it, they are prey animals in the wild which means that they are trained from birth to hide any sickness so they are not targeted. so he or she might even be sick right now and you wouldn't even know it. im not trying to scare you, i just want you to have all the facts so you can be the best owner that little piggie can have. good luck luv.  

Answer 6

inside in my opinion.. my boys stay inside but its up to you. they can live outside very happily.

but for your cage you have outside.... your not meant to use plastic glass stuff especially in the summer (even with the slightest bit of sunshine!).. it gets far too hot and the cage becomes a sauna. think you'd be better buying a hutch to be honest.

Answer 7

I had mine inside for about 2 months, And then when it got cooler, We put him outside in a wired cage (A 12 ft tall by 10 ft wide cage) And i made a lil burrow for her, And she used to sleep in there all the time until about a year and a half later.. We were out there cleaning her cage.. And she wasnt in her usual sun bathing spot.. And we found her dead in her burrow from old age.

Answer 8

i know from experiance that you shouldnt keep changing him from inside to outside he will get really depressed and confused.If you want him inside keep him inside because they become climatised to were ever they are and if you keel moving him then his body wont know what to do and he may become ill. I used to do that with my rabbit but i had to keep the radiaters off and all the widowes open to keep my room cold so it didnt get used to the warm that way they dont become climatised.

Answer 9

Guinea pigs do not need to be kept inside all the time, that is utter rubbish.

I used to own 5 guinea pigs, who went in their run everyday (unless it was  really cold) and lived in their hutch either outside in the summer or in the shed in the winter.

As long as their run has a hutch/house attached to it so that they can sit inside if they choose they are perfectly fine to spend all day outside and go in their hutch at night.

I currently have 2 guineas who spend all day outdoors and sometimes come inside to run around the lounge in the evenings. They sleep in their hutch in the garage with plenty of bedding to keep them snug.

Keeping him in the house in the winter is fine, but you will need to bear in mind that if he is not going out everyday to get exercise and grass that it is important to let him run round indoors and that he has fresh fruit and vegetables to eat.

Answer 10

I think their a full time inside pet. That's just my opinion though.  

Answer 11

I don't know a lot about Guinea Pigs, but what I do know is that they like to vanish for extended periods of time, then turn nibbling a quarter under your couch cushion.  You might want to keep an eye on it if you put it outside, it's probably a lot smaller than a rabbit.

Answer 12

it really is good both ways. my guinea pigs loved to go outside but they were usually inside.