Can guinea pigs go out on sun parched grass?

[cloverleaf1985]

I've tried looking everywhere online but i can't find an answer!

We've just moved into a house and finally have a garden that the piggies can go in, but due to the recent hot weather, the grass has died back due to not having anyone to water it.

Am i ok to put them out on it or do i need to wait until it grows back?

I'm itching to get them outside! :biggrin3:

 

[twiggy2]

i should think they will be fine as they can eat hay-if your worried put them out with normal food available

 

[MerrySherryRider]

Mine manage fine but they are free range all year round. They do always have access to hay and various herbs and greenery that I pick for them twice daily though, which is why they never bother to escape from the garden.

I guess, its like everything, changes in diet have to be introduced gradually, so limit it at first. Mine love sunbathing in a sunny spot in the garden, or cooling off under the shade of a large bush.

 

[millsandboon]

I have free range guineas too!!

 

[twiggy2]

I have free range guineas too!!

how do they not get eaten?

 

[FinnishLapphund]

Now you've got me wondering what the difference between dry grass and hay is, could dry grass not be viewed more or less as hay, only that it is still attached to its roots? :confused4:

Anyhow, as long as you've made sure that they can't run away, that they have water, an option between eating the dry grass or the hay and other food that you provide, and can choose between sun or shade when they are outdoors, I can't think that there would be any problem.

 

[cloverleaf1985]

I agree, surely it's the same as hay, but thought I'd get a second opinion!
It's started spitting now, so will have to wait until the next dry day!

 

[MerrySherryRider]

how do they not get eaten?

I have terriers and (did) have cats who keep predators out of the garden. They see them as part of the family pack and are therefore not to be eaten.
The guinea pigs also have lots of safe places to retreat to and never come to any harm,despite backing on to woodland with magpies, owl, and other birds of prey and a friendly fox ( who I've been feeding after she became injured recently).

I think the scent of the Border terrier's urine is a deterent also. My philosophy is a short life well lived is better than a long life half lived but I've never lost one to a predator or had one run off.

 

[millsandboon]

I have terriers and (did) have cats who keep predators out of the garden. They see them as part of the family pack and are therefore not to be eaten.
The guinea pigs also have lots of safe places to retreat to and never come to any harm,despite backing on to woodland with magpies, owl, and other birds of prey and a friendly fox ( who I've been feeding after she became injured recently).

I think the scent of the Border terrier's urine is a deterent also. My philosophy is a short life well lived is better than a long life half lived but I've never lost one to a predator or had one run off.

Ditto this. They can hide under the chicken house. There is lots of natural cover. We have dogs that keep foxes and other unwanteds out. A Kite came and had a look the other day and the owls weigh up their chances. My philosophy is the same as horserider's I'd much rather they were free in the garden than sitting in some cage in a flat somewhere :-(

 

[cloverleaf1985]

How do they cope in wet weather? And what about winter?Everything I've read days not to put them out in wet/cold weather, how do your free rangers not get ill?
Genuine questions as I'm a relatively new piggy owner!

 

[MerrySherryRider]

How do they cope in wet weather? And what about winter?Everything I've read days not to put them out in wet/cold weather, how do your free rangers not get ill?
Genuine questions as I'm a relatively new piggy owner!

They are actually as tough as old boots. Given the opportunity to make their own decisions, they are pretty sensible if they have the right environment that gives them shelter and easily accessible hiding places. They have a cage with an open door. In winter, the cage and bedding area is very well insulated and last year they were spoilt with a heat pad that stays warm for 10 hours.
They have food and forage in the cage as well as outside so they've free choice to remain inside when its snowing. There is an area around the cage under a raised patio that is dry and protected.
The boys retain their body weight well through winter and come into spring looking like fat furry bundles. If they seemed to struggle, I'd bring them in over night - but keep them in a cool part of the house, but even in the winter of (I think) 2010, they were absolutely fine. I tried bringing them in a few times but they were very irritable and seemed more content to have their freedom outside.
In the woods around me, other small mammals cope perfectly well over winter without having a free guaranteed food supply and warm dry bed, so the guinea pigs have an easy life.

 

[FinnishLapphund]

Ditto this. They can hide under the chicken house. There is lots of natural cover. We have dogs that keep foxes and other unwanteds out. A Kite came and had a look the other day and the owls weigh up their chances. My philosophy is the same as horserider's I'd much rather they were free in the garden than sitting in some cage in a flat somewhere :-(

I like that you feel that it is better that your Guinea pigs have a good life here and now, even though that they may risk dying younger, than live their life wrapped in bubble wrap, only to try and guarantee them a long life, and I'm sure that it is nice for your and Horserider's Guinea pigs to live freerange, however, I really don't agree with taring all Guinea pig cages in flats with the same brush.
They might have a different life, but to me, different doesn't have to equal less good. I think that the important thing is that they have a loving and caring owner, that does their best to make their Guinea pigs happy, regardless if that is to live indoors or outdoors in cages or freerange.

Besides, a cage doesn't have to equal that the Guinea pig spends all their time there, but of course, if you have a cage, it is nice if you add things to make it as interesting as possible.

Is it possible to know whether a Guinea pig is always happier outdoors than in or under a hammock?

And living indoors doesn't have exclude green grass

 

[MerrySherryRider]

I agree with you FL, giving guinea pigs a stimulating environment and good care is the main thing. My post wasn't intended to criticise those who keep theirs indoors, it was to explain that the little fur balls can live to a ripe old age in an outdoor, free range environment, as so many owners don't realise that they can winter outdoors successfully.

Your set up looks wonderful. Part of the fun of guinea pigs is creating miniature agility courses, I pretend it's to entertain the grandchildren, but it isn't, I build them as I just adore the little blighters.

 

[millsandboon]

Some of those environments are fab. My guineas live out with no heat pad, even in the snow!! They have access to a choice of two hay boxes, one small and one chicken house which they can either go in or under.

 

[FinnishLapphund]

I agree with you FL, giving guinea pigs a stimulating environment and good care is the main thing. My post wasn't intended to criticise those who keep theirs indoors, it was to explain that the little fur balls can live to a ripe old age in an outdoor, free range environment, as so many owners don't realise that they can winter outdoors successfully.

Your set up looks wonderful. Part of the fun of guinea pigs is creating miniature agility courses, I pretend it's to entertain the grandchildren, but it isn't, I build them as I just adore the little blighters.

Oh no, you didn't say anything that gave me that impression, but Millsandboon ended a reply with a sad smiley and saying

... I'd much rather they were free in the garden than sitting in some cage in a flat somewhere :-(

Everyone is of course entitled to their own opinion, I only wanted to say that I think Guinea pigs can have a good life indoors too.

And I forgot to say in my reply that I had found the photos through Google image search, so they're not my set ups, it was many years since I owned Guinea pigs, there wasn't that much extra additions available when I had mine, but I did my best, gave them fresh branches from suitable trees in my garden regularly, let them run loose in my room, took them out in the garden a few hours per day during summer etc.

 

[FinnishLapphund]

Some of those environments are fab. My guineas live out with no heat pad, even in the snow!! They have access to a choice of two hay boxes, one small and one chicken house which they can either go in or under.

Glad you like some of them , and you have much stronger nerves than me, I would never have dared to let my Guinea pigs live like yours, I would probably want to check so that they were still alive all the time during winter, which would probably also lead to letting cold air into their nest, and everything would go horribly wrong. But I'm sure your Guinea pigs enjoy their lives, together with your other animals.