Introducing grass time for your guinea pigs

Introducing grass time for your guinea pigs

Guinea pigs need a minimum temperature of 15°C to be comfortable and well. As the weather starts to improve lots of people are either buying guinea pigs with outdoor hutches or thinking of moving existing guineas outdoors.

STOP! It might be sunny but the forecast for today is 12° max, 1° min so tumbling down to near freezing tonight and not warm enough at all during the day.

In the warmest part of these nice, spring days in a sheltered, dry spot it’s nice for your piggies to get a bit of time outside in a run but it’s not warm enough to live out. Other good reasons to keep guineas indoors include safety from predators and far better owner interaction with them. Thermal hutch covers don’t do enough to keep piggies warm but they do wonders for the profits of pet shops, save your money & keep your pets indoors instead.

“Grass time” needs to built up gradually. Grass is rich and needs to be introduced slowly to avoid tummy problems like bloat or diarrhoea. Start by bringing some fresh grass inside and giving it to your guinea pigs after a meal, so they don’t eat too much.

Remember

*Once outside, limit the time they are on the grass, starting with 15 mins. If their poos remain unchanged, then you can gradually increase the time by 15 mins a day.

*Only put them out on dry grass and bring them inside before it gets damp – their bodies are close to the ground and this makes it easier for them to get pneumonia.

*Provide shelters inside the run ( like an upturned box with an access hole ) to give security while they explore their new environment.

*Put shade over the run and have drinking water available.

*Check the area for weeds that are toxic for guinea pigs, like buttercups.

*Don’t put them out on grass clippings or grass that’s been treated with chemicals.

C&C Guinea Pig Cages provide outdoor runs that can be used during the day to let your guinea pigs explore. Place in a shady position and secure with tent pegs or similar (not included). Easily assembled using cable ties and can be folded away once the lid is removed. https://candcguineapigcages.co.uk/product/outdoor-runs/