Do guinea pigs get cold? (2023 Update!)

Hey there, GuineaGang!

Check out this video for a quick and fun summary!

Guinea pigs do get cold—in fact, they get cold pretty quickly! It’s important that you keep an eye on the temperatures around your guinea pigs in order to keep them safe and comfortable. Too much heat or too much cold can put their health at risk. 

Before we discuss what temperatures are comfortable for guinea pigs and how to keep guinea pigs warm, we’ve also got a blog post on the pros and cons of keeping guinea pigs indoors or outdoors. You can read that and see which might be better for you and your piggies over all, and then look into temperature maintenance afterwards!

Guinea pigs’ bodies can undergo some stress if they are introduced to temperature changes too quickly, which can weaken their immune system and make them vulnerable to becoming ill or contracting infections that can put them in danger! It’s vital that we as piggy parents do our best at keeping them warm, and keeping their living environment warm and comfortable for them so they feel safe and taken care of!

Do guinea pigs get cold?

While guinea pigs are able to handle cold weather and cold temperatures a lot better than they can handle heat, being too cold can still be extremely uncomfortable and stressful for guinea pigs. They can become sick or even die if they are too cold and for too long. 

According to the USDA, if you’re keeping your guinea pigs indoors, try to keep your home’s temperature anywhere from 60-75°F to make sure your piggies are comfortable and warm! Try to keep their cage or enclosure away from areas that tend to get cool drafts, but make sure there is ventilation! Drafts are that reaches them down at their face level, while ventilation is air movement up and down, which doesn't harm them.

Make sure to pay attention to the condition of your guinea pig’s bedding! Wet bedding that stays wet and gets cold can be uncomfortable for your piggy.

Wet bedding isn’t a problem if you use the Premium GuineaDad Liners or the Original GuineaDad Liners because they are super absorbent while being super fast-drying, which keeps your guinea pig comfortable and prevents them from walking around in their own urine!

The fleece material also keeps them warm, especially if they’re cuddling up with their piggy companions. What's especially great about the pocket feature of the GuineaDad liners is that when the piggies are cuddled up inside and sleeping it prevents drafts from reaching them!

If the temperature of your guinea pig’s living environment is outside of the range listed above on either end, try to bring it back to the safe range as soon as you can to prevent being too cold or overheating.

How do you keep outdoor guinea pigs warm?

Because as the weather gets colder it’s not only chilly but wet, we recommend considering bringing their hutch inside to a garage or a similar area. Or, set up a guinea pig enclosure inside your home utilizing a C&C cage like the Offbeat Piggy Condo. It’ll be like a winter and fall time vacation home for your piggy, and they can return outside once it gets warmer!

If you’re not able to do this, you can utilize heat lamps that are meant for small animals that aren’t too powerful or get too hot. There are also heated pads that are meant for small animals that don’t get too hot and aren’t too powerful, so they won’t overheat and harm your guinea pig. 

With guinea pigs that are kept outdoors, it’s especially important to keep an eye on the condition of their bedding! If you’re using bedding like paper or wood shreds, they sometimes don’t always absorb enough of the guinea pigs’ urine, which can be pretty dangerous if it’s especially cold out. Colder temperatures also mean that it’s even more vital that your piggy has as many piggy friends with them as possible! They can cuddle and keep each other warm.

Remember that guinea pigs can be easily affected by sudden changes in temperature, so it’s vital that we try to maintain a warmer temperature for them as much as possible. If you’re using traditional shreddings of either wood or paper as bedding and don’t want to use fleece bedding like the GuineaDad Liners, try providing them with old blankets or towels for them to cuddle into for warmth.

It’s also important to make sure that your guinea pig stays well fed and hydrated, as this will help them maintain a comfortable and safe internal body temperature.

When it’s cold out, it’s cuddle time!

Another way that you can keep your guinea pigs warm is by cuddling with them! Let them sit on our chest and chill on the couch with you. Nothing beats the warmth of their piggy friends and their piggy parents.

Want to read more about your guinea pig's care?

Click the link to read our blog post on ‘How to Properly Care for a Guinea Pig - Do's and Don'ts for This Season’