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Can Guinea Pigs Go Camping? (Things You Should Know)

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You can take guinea pigs for camping if you don’t leave them unattended. Consult a vet to know whether your pig can handle changes in surrounding well or not. If the vet says negative about this then don’t take your pig camping.

In this article, I’ve cleared some doubts about camping with the guinea pigs. So if you want to take them with you, better read this post first as it will help you a lot for happy camping with your lovely pig.

Are guinea pigs allowed to go outside?

Yes, guinea pigs are allowed to go outside and live outside for all 12 months but it is your duty to take care of their health because they’re very sensitive to extreme temperatures.

Like if the temperature is too cold then you must cover his hutch so that he won’t get cold, and that hutch should be sturdy for windy and rainy conditions.

Which temperature is ideal for guinea pigs to live? Approximately 65-75 degrees Fahrenheit is the ideal range of temperature for them to live.

But as we know, it is camping and we don’t have much control over the changing temperature as we have in our homes. So it is better to know what critical so you can take some steps to keep the temperature below that number.

The temperature below 65 and the temperature above 90 degrees Fahrenheit is the range where temperature can affect your pig very badly where it can develop respiratory infections

When you take him outside you need to watch your surrounding very often as there are potential predators like foxes and cats.

Overall if you can keep an eye on your piggy all the time then you’re good to go but if you fail to do so then relax on your couch and give another thought toward this.

How do I know if my guinea pig is cold?

The best way to know if your guinea pig is cold or not is by touching his ears. Also, touch and feel the temperature of his forehead, and better to use a thermometer to know the temperature accurately so that you can do something to rise or descend the body temperature.

How to bathe guinea pigs while camping?

Bathing guinea pigs while camping is the same as you’re bathing them at your home. Not, entirely the same as the things are little different during camping like the weather, surroundings, and temperature.

If it is winter, make sure that you are drying him ASAP after removing them from the water.

Make sure your camping surrounding is peaceful!

What you need for GPs bathing:

  • Guinea pig or baby shampoo (Biodegradable only!)
  • A brush
  • A towel
  • Collapsible bathtub, RV sink, or big bowl with 2-3 cms of warm water
  • A hairdryer with a cool setting

Here’s an awesome youtube video that you can use as a help to bathe your pig.

Don’t do too much mess during camping and only use biodegradable shampoo to make sure you’re not messing with nature and other wildlife.

Can guinea pig sleep in my tent or need a separate one?

Yes, they can sleep inside the same tent as they don’t demand humongous space.

The question becomes good when you ask can guinea pig sleep with me? I would never recommend this due to 3 reasons – the biggest is, you can in your deep sleep crush him with your weight, and secondly, they poop a lot on the bed, and thirdly they’ll make noises when they are not near their food and water supply which may disturb sleep.

However for a short period of time when you’re awake you can bring him on your bed to puddle with him. Don’t forget to bring an extra layer of cloth as they can poop on your shirt and even your bed. Just make sure before falling to sleep, you’re not sleeping with him as it can turn nasty.

Will my guinea pig feel bore during camping?

It depends on your ability to keep him happy! One thing you should know before taking him to camp that they’re susceptible to depression-like symptoms when they are in an environment where they feel bored.

You bring him camping, so do everything you can to keep him happy, engaged, and playful. Playing with him and keeping him engaged will promote a happy camping lifestyle.

During road trips, do everything you can to provide him a comfortable seating. Here are few tips:

  • What would be the best before taking your pig or any pet on to a road trip is to have a short trip like a mile or so from your residence and see if everything is working out well.
  • Instead of putting his hutch or cage on the car or any vehicle’s floor, put him on the seat and strap it with the seat belt.
  • The cage should be comfortably large in size and equipped with all essentials like his toys, food, water, and toilet.
  • Like humans, these pigs can also feel unease inside the car. That’s why don’t forget to move your eyes often toward him.
  • If you feel like he’s not feeling comfortable inside that car then get out with your piggy and his hutch to get some free air.

Is it safe to leave the guinea pig alone inside the tent?

As I’ve told in the very first paragraph of this article, that if you don’t want to pay attention to your pig all the time then it is the worst idea to take him camping.

Better leave him alone in your home (the place he/she is familiar with) instead of leaving him alone inside the tent. If your pig is inside the tent then you should stay with him or better take him with you.

Guinea pigs are not like dogs who can live alone inside the tent for some time during camping.

Do guinea pigs miss their owners?

In most cases, guinea pigs won’t miss you if you decide to leave them in the home instead of taking them with you for camping. You need to follow some general practices like having enough food and water supply inside their cage to keep them happy in your absence.

You can ask someone that will take care of them as you do.

Here are some signs to know if a guinea pig is emotionally attached to you:

If they like to:

  • lick your finger
  • be on your lap
  • Being hand-fed only from you
  • comes to say hello
  • Respond to your voice and talks to you all the time
  • Play with you and can’t stop himself to stop playing with you

If your GP shows more than two signs from the above list then there are a high number of chances that he will miss you and can even show depression-like symptoms.

In such cases, you have no choice left rather than taking him with you if you don’t want him to suffer even a little. But, if in your family, he shows above sings then you can leave him to them and he won’t feel stressed in your absence.

Should I cover my guinea pig’s cage at night?

With proper ventilation, you can cover the guinea pig’s cage at night. This question might be arising in your mind because you may be going to camp in areas that are cold at night.

Better to cover the cage with a mylar blanket as it will reflect the body heat to your piggy which will to some extent helps to maintain the body temperature. Just don’t forget the ventilation.

It is a bit of humble advice that you should not camp in temperatures above 90F and below 65F. If you have a little doubt about your camping location’s temperature then better postpone the date.

If you have no choices left, then do your best to keep the pig’s surrounding temp in a range of 65-75 Fahrenheit.

What foods are bad for guinea pigs?

Remember not to pack any of these if you’re taking your guinea pig for camping.

  • Any kind of:
    • chocolate
    • pickled foods
    • dairy product
  • Any snack made for a human
  • Bread
  • Bindweed
  • Buttercups
  • Celadine
  • Cereal
  • Crackers and biscuits
  • Citrus fruit
  • Peanut butter
  • Potato chips
  • Sugary foods

How often should you let your guinea pig out of its cage?

No matter if it is a camping trip, road trip, or just your home, guinea pigs needs some time outside of the cage twice a day for at least an hour each day.

But you need to be careful so that he won’t run away from you. They are fast runners and they should be so that they can run when they see predators who are looking for them.

You should never put guinea pigs on a leash however some people say that if you find a very comfortable leash then it would be ok. But no, according to one of my readers and a knowledgeable person on guinea pigs named Kate, their spines are very fragile and can cause injury or even death if you put them on leash or harness. Instead of these dangerous things, you should use a bonding pouch to keep them close.

If you’re inside the tent or any protected area like your RV then you don’t need a leash. Just know that he is a living thing who desires to be in open spaces of nature like you.

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