Stop right now, thank you very much! It’s the Spice Boys!
Meet Ginger and Cinnamon, the two brothers known as the Spice Boys.
They’ll tell you what they want, what they really, really want, and that’s to not be cold over winter!
Their Mum has done an amazing job of sewing them some gorgeous little sleeping bags. She’s giving them everything, all that joy can bring!
Our guinea pig friends are sensitive to temperature. Heading into winter, we need to provide ways for them to keep warm, because no piggy likes to get chilly!
If our guinea pig friends can come inside overnight, to somewhere the temperature doesn’t drop as much, this is ideal. If this is not possible, an enclosed area of the hutch, or hide box, is important to allow piggies to get out of the cold and wind. Fleece and towel bedding, changed daily, provides them with somewhere to hunker down and keep warm, that is still soft on little piggy feet.
Fleece sleeping bags or tunnels are quite popular for piggies to snuggle in, can easily be sewn at home, or purchased here at the clinic.
Please feel free to post photos of your Guinea pigs in the comments below, and how they’re keeping warm for the winter!
This is Ginger, inside his sweet little sleeping bag that Mum made! Super perfect for a little guinea pig to keep warm inside!
Ginger all cuddled up. It’s a good life when you don’t even have to get out of bed to eat snacks!
Cinnamon sitting on top of his sleeping bag! It also makes a good tray for eating snacks!
We are lucky here in Sunny Queensland that the weather doesn’t get too cold for us (although it feels a bit chilly at times!). Most temperature related issues when it comes to small animals are related to overheating – which is common in the summer months. However particularly as piggies, ratties and mice get a bit older they feel the cold more, and often appreciate some warm bedding to snuggle up into.
Ideally older pigs would be kept indoors, particularly over the cooler months. It is also often a good idea to provide them with hides – warm fluffy ones such as tunnels and sleeping bags are usually appreciated, but some pigs prefer plastic igloos to hide in. This will give them a sense of protection and will ensure they are sheltered from any drafts.
It is imperative that bedding is kept clean, as a build-up of urine and faeces can result in health issues (the ammonia from urine can be extremely irritant to airways, especially in our respiratory rats!). So bedding should be changed daily and washed thoroughly. If you notice your pet is slowing down in the winter months it could be a sign of arthritis (as this is often exacerbated in the cool weather). If you have any concerns a health check is recommended – feel free to call the clinic to discuss.
