❄️ Keeping Guinea Pigs Warm in Winter

They cope with cold better than heat, but freezing is still dangerous. How to keep a piggy cosy.

Guinea pigs are happiest around 18 to 24C (65 to 75F). They handle cool better than heat, but below about 15C (59F) they start to struggle, and freezing conditions can be deadly. This is the winter companion to our summer guide.

Keep them cosy

Bring them indoors if you possibly can. An unheated outbuilding or hutch in a hard frost is a real risk.
Move the cage away from draughts, cold windows and cold floors; raise it off a tiled floor.
Pile on extra hay to burrow in, and add cosy fleece snuggle sacks and hideys.
Give more food: staying warm burns energy, so appetites go up in winter.

Signs a pig is too cold

Huddling, shivering, cold ears and feet, or being unusually still and quiet. Warm them gradually with body heat and a warm (not hot) room, and if they do not perk up, see a vet, cold stress can tip into a chest infection.

Never use a naked hot-water bottle (they chew) or a space heater right next to the cage. A pet-safe microwave heat pad wrapped in fleece is the safe way to add warmth to a chilly spot.

Last updated August 2026 · Written from years of keeping long-haired guinea pigs in the Houston area. This is general care information, not veterinary advice. For anything medical, please see an exotic vet.

Shop guinea pig supplies More guides