Any tips for keeping pigs cool in summer?

[ktfal]

I live in Australia and it gets very hot here in summer. My pigs are indoors but I don't have aircon. The weather is regularly 35-40 (95-104) and I work full time, so I'm not home during the daytime.

Any suggestions would be appreciated. My 2 females seem to be struggling a bit. I always ensure they have water and fresh vegies and I sometimes drop in a frozen water bottle for them to lay on....but they don't seem to use it and it melts pretty quickly anyway.

[auburnmare5]

Wow, that is way too hot for a guinea pig to live in. Guinea pigs need a consistient temperature of about 70 degrees.
You can leave a fan on for them, or an air conditioner.
The cold water bottles are a good idea.
You can also give them a few ceramic or linoleum tiles. They are fairly cool and the piggers can lay on them and keep a little cool. The ceramic ones also help keep their nails filed down a bit.
If you do a search on the forum, you can definetly find some very helpful information.

[Ly&Pigs]

Tiles, bricks and the like can help.

A fan that is not blown on them directly but in their general direction can help also.

Even if they aren't laying directly on or near the frozen water bottles, it may help to keep the temperature cooler in their cage so keep that up. Just make sure you are wrapping the bottles in fleece or a hand towel.

[5guinea5pig5]

You could also make a towel tent in the corner to make it shadey.

[Haley0489]

I use ice pads instead of water bottles. It's just resealable baggies filled half way with water, frozen and wrapped in a towel. Since it's a flat surface my boys can actually lay on them. Plus they seem to stay frozen longer than the water bottles.

[5guinea5pig5]

^ I could tell you just fed your pigs.

[Sammy and Peanut]

I just lay a brick in the cage in an area my pig goes most- usually the kitchen area. I also buy ice packs and wrap them in fleece. My piggie could lounge on them all day!

[fieryone]

Originally Posted by Haley0489

I use ice pads instead of water bottles. It's just resealable baggies filled half way with water, frozen and wrapped in a towel. Since it's a flat surface my boys can actually lay on them. Plus they seem to stay frozen longer than the water bottles.

That's a really good idea! I hope that I remember it when summer comes around these parts. And can I just say how cute that little Milo of yours is? I wish my pigs would let me come close to them in the cage like that.

[MapleOwl18]

I use bricks and a "Chin-Chiller." I have one Chin-Chiller per guinea pig.

I got it from forotherlivingthings.com
Chin-Chiller - For Other Living Things - Supplies For Pets

They do deliver internationally, but I don't know how much that would cost. You can also just do a quick google search for them and there are a lot of entries under shops.

My piggies love them.