Where do guinea pigs hibernate?
Deciding whether to hibernate your beloved guinea pigs outdoors or indoors in a warm house is an important consideration for any pet owner. Both options have pros and cons that should be carefully considered to make the best choice for the animals' health and well-being.
Outdoor housing
Pros
- Natural environment: Guinea pigs are naturally outdoor animals. Outdoor housing provides them with a more natural environment.
- Exercise: outdoors they have more space to run around and explore.
- Fresh air and sunlight: outdoor animals get fresh air and sunlight, which is important for their health.
Cons
- Cold: in winter you need to make sure your guinea pigs are protected from the cold. This may require the use of insulated hutches or heated shelters.
- Predator protection: outdoors guinea pigs are vulnerable to predators. You need to make sure the outdoor area is safe to keep your animals out of harm's way.
- Maintenance: keeping them outside requires more effort in terms of cleaning and maintaining the enclosures.
Keeping them inside
Pro
- Temperature control: inside you can better control the temperature and ensure that your guinea pigs are warm enough. You should offer temperatures between 18°C and 22°C.
- Protection from extremes: inside your animals are protected from extreme weather conditions such as cold, heat and storms.
- Safety: keeping them inside protects your guinea pigs from predators such as birds of prey or cats.
- Social interaction: you can more easily maintain social interaction with your guinea pigs when they are indoors.
Cons
- Space requirements: you need enough space in the house to set up a species-appropriate habitat.
- Cleaning: keeping them inside requires regular cleaning as odor and droppings can accumulate. Increased susceptibility to respiratory infections due to dry heating air.
Conclusion
The decision depends on individual circumstances and preferences. If there is enough space and resources, guinea pigs can be kept indoors, providing them with a safe and cozy environment. Hibernating outside is more natural, but requires more effort to protect them from the elements and predators. It is important to ensure that, regardless of choice, guinea pigs have a species-appropriate home and are adequately protected from weather conditions.
The right diet
Guinea pigs' diets should be based primarily on hay and can be effectively optimized by adding dried herbs such as "TinyHerbs Fitness" and "TinyHerbs Fruit" in addition to seasonal fresh vegetables such as fennel, carrots and iceberg lettuce.
Grain feeds that are rich in starch do not meet the nutritional needs of these animals. If guinea pigs are fed a one-sided diet of grains and lack sufficient hay, this can lead to inadequate food intake, where the chewing process is also not sufficiently intense. This chewing process is crucial for the physiological wear of the teeth and should not be done primarily by gnawing on "substitute objects". A diet without sufficient hay can lead to imbalances in the calcium-phosphate ratio and, as a result, excessively long teeth.
Amaranth is one of the oldest agricultural crops of humankind.It is not among the sweet grasses, such as normal grain varieties.It is one of the fox tail plants.This makes it to one of the pseudo-cereals.Amaranth is gluten-free and thus an excellent alternative for dogs who are fed grain free.- easily digestible- As an addition to fresh or canned meat
Content: 0.4 Kilogramm (€29.88 / 1 Kilogramm)
Fit-BARF BM-Yeast consists of brewers' yeast bound to malt rootlets. Brewers' yeast contains biotin, folic acid, iron, zinc, and trace elements, which have a positive influence on the condition and resistance of skin and hair. The nutrition-related regenerative capacity of individual cells can also be influenced. Malt rootlets are characterized by their content of easily digestible carbohydrates, crude fiber, and crude protein. Due to their high crude fiber content, germ buds also have a good dietary value.
Content: 0.6 Kilogramm (€18.25 / 1 Kilogramm)
The proportion of animal fat should be 15-25% in the diet of the dog and the cat should be at about 10%. If your dog or cat is fed with lean meat, it uses proteins to produce energy. In this case, wastes will be generated that need to be digested by liver and kidneys. The strain on the metabolism increases. On the long term, this can lead to congestions of the excretory organs. In case of dogs or cats that are poorly using the feed or very underweight, special attention should be paid to the fat content of the meat.
Content: 0.5 Liter (€33.90 / 1 Liter)
Brewers' yeast, as the most balanced, natural source of vitamin B, whose vitamins are present in a broken down state and can be absorbed directly, is a valuable addition to the daily diet. In addition, brewers yeast has a positive effect on the intestinal flora. Its content of phosphorus, potassium, magnesium, calcium, iron, zinc, copper, and manganese, as well as the trace elements cobalt, molybdenum, chromium, and selenium, provide an important contribution to demand-oriented nutrition.
Content: 0.2 Kilogramm (€54.75 / 1 Kilogramm)
Fit-BARF Cod Liver Oil is a high-value supplier for omega-3-fatty acids and vitamin D. Omega-3-fatty acid (for example linolenic acid) are polyunsaturated fatty acids, which cannot be created itselves by the body. Thus they are called essential and must be fed to the organism with the nutrition. Vitamin D is important for the builing of the bones and the regulation of the calcium balance.
Content: 0.1 Liter (€109.50 / 1 Liter)
Calcium intake, in particular, plays a major role in the feeding of raw meat. This can only be achieved by feeding sufficient bone. Not every dog can or wants to eat bones, and in the case of cats, feeding whole prey (mice or chicks) is not always problem-free either.Fit-BARF Eggshell Powder is a readily utilizable animal source of calcium for daily feeding. It provides balance when feeding raw meat by balancing the high phosphorus content of the meat with its natural calcium content. Due to the fine degree of grinding, the product has a high bioavailability.neutralization of phosphorus excess with predominant meat feedingfor bone-free feedingas an extra source of calcium in times of increased demand (growth, gestation, lactation)
Content: 0.3 Kilogramm (€36.50 / 1 Kilogramm)
Fit-BARF Feeding Oil is a mixture of high-grated cold-pressed vegetable oils. Cold-pressed, food-grade linseed oil forms the basis of this purely natural feeding oil. This admixed functional oils (evening primrose oil, wheat germ oil, pumpkin seed oil and argan oil) ensures the optimal, well-balanced maintenance with essential fatty acids. Through this combination of pure naturally ingredients Fit-BARF Feeding Oil is a high-concentrated energy source and similarly an origin of significant vital substances of selected oils in one product.
Content: 0.1 Liter (€89.50 / 1 Liter)
Fit-BARF Fruit is made from selected ingredients to enable a well-balanced nourishment with feeding. It complements the requirement of vitamins (Niacin, Riboflavine (B2), folic acids, E, A, K, C), flavonoids (polyphenols) as well as fiber.Fit-BARF Fruit is free of grain and a healthy alternative to vegetables. It does not bring only variety, but also a balance in the BARF feeding plan. In combination with Fit-BARF MicroMineral, the basis is thus laid for healthy raw feeding.
Content: 0.1 Kilogramm (€109.50 / 1 Kilogramm)
Feed material (powder) for dogs and catsNatural source for taurine and glycosaminoglycans – for the demand-oriented provision at feeding with raw meatThe naturally very high taurine content of the greenshell mussel is a very pleasing aspect for cat owners. Cats in particular depend on a sufficient supply of this organic acid in their food, as they cannot produce taurine themselves and lose a large part of it through their excretions. Taurine is essential for cats. A deficiency can lead to severe impairments and physical damage.Fit-BARF Greenshell Mussel consists of New Zealand greenshell mussel powder (Perna canaliculus, freeze-dried, non-defatted mussel meat). In addition, the greenshell mussel provides important components of the body's own mucous membrane as a building block and can thus have a supportive effect on the functionality and elasticity of the urinary bladder and all other mucous membranes. Occasionally fed, the trace elements and vitamins contained in the greenshell mussel can have a positive effect on vitality, metabolism, nutritional imbalances and on stressed skin.Expert tip: Does your dog suffer from joint problems? Then take a look at ArthroGreen Classic. The herbal composition, proven for years, supports your beloved four-legged friend on his daily tours.Growing puppy? Here ArthroGreen Junior offers the nutrients for a safe step into the big, wide world.Composition: New Zealand greenshell mussel powder (Perna canaliculus, freeze-dried, non-defatted mussel meat) 100%Analytical constituents: crude protein 54,1%, crude fat 10,3%Feeding recommendation: Add daily to the feed. Cats: 0.5 g/5 kg body weight. Dogs: 0.5 g/10 kg body weight. 1 half tsp. corresponds to ca. 1.5 g.
Content: 0.035 Kilogramm (€455.71 / 1 Kilogramm)