Where People & Piggies Thrive

Newbie or Guinea Guru? Popcorn in!

Register for free to enjoy the full benefits.
Find out more about the NEW, drastically improved site and forum!

Register

Keeping Cool Hot hot hot!! Best place for piggies in Summer?

Laurandmegan

Member
Cavy Slave
Joined
Oct 18, 2013
Posts
19
Joined
Oct 18, 2013
Messages
19
Hi everyone,
Just looking for a bit of advice.
It's starting to get quite hot here in Leicestershire (England). I have looked into many different methods of keeping my boys cool in the summer months, Frozen water bottles, ceramic tiles, etc, etc.
However, I don't know where the best place is for my boys, Fred, George and Albus on hot days.
My bedroom is quite a hot room, and being in England, we have no air conditioning. There is no way I can move them into a different room, my mum is already a bit annoyed at their 8x3 cage, it would tip her over the edge if I asked to move them :D
Their run is one that I made, and measure 9ft by 6ft ( I got a little excited), all of the items inside the run are wooden as I know the plastic igloos turn into a sauna in the sun and their cage is completely covered over, meaning that they have pretty much the entire run in the shade, with only small sections where the sun pokes through.
Would they be better to be in my room in the hottest part of the day, or would they be better in the garden?
My windows don't open too far, but will let a little breeze through, but would they be better outside in the shade with the natural breeze?
Sorry if this has been asked a million times, just don't want them to get too hot!
Thanks!!
 

Starthecavy123

Well-known Member
Cavy Slave
Joined
Jun 23, 2013
Posts
3,242
Joined
Jun 23, 2013
Messages
3,242
You really only need something in the cage to keep them cool. You can even use fans (if thats available) just make sure its not directly on them. You can try ice packs, really anything that you can freeze. You could make a frozen pad just take a zip lock bag and fill it with water. Then at least they can lay on it. But you want to make sure they can get away from it if they want. It also depends on the breed of your pigs. If they have long hair maybe giving them a trim.
 

bpatters

Moderator
Staff member
Cavy Slave
Joined
Sep 23, 2009
Posts
29,251
Joined
Sep 23, 2009
Messages
29,251
They need to be wherever the temperature doesn't exceed 85 degrees fahrenheit (29 degrees celsius). More than that, and they can have heatstroke. GPs are descended from animals native to the South American mountains, and they tolerate cold much better than heat.

So if the temperature outside exceeds that, they need to stay inside with all those coolers you mentioned, and lots of them. A fan will also help, and if you've got long-haired piggies, it's time for a very short haircut. Don't let the fan blow directly on them, but make sure there's air moving across the cage.
 

Princess_Piggie

Cavy Star, Photo Contest Winner
Cavy Slave
Joined
Nov 10, 2013
Posts
3,279
Joined
Nov 10, 2013
Messages
3,279
@Laurandmegan it's supposed to be cooling down (and raining) for the next two weeks, so you haven't got too much to worry about yet. Ahh British weather, so decisive (not!)

I've just been putting a thick blanket over half my girls cage so they've got a cool shady area to go to, and when it really heats up, I'm going to be putting an ice cube in their bottle so as the water stays cooler for longer.
 

Laurandmegan

Member
Cavy Slave
Joined
Oct 18, 2013
Posts
19
Joined
Oct 18, 2013
Messages
19
Ahh, isn't British weather brilliant? haha!
Okie doke, thanks guys! I usually have a fan on in my room, so Ill make sure that it's not direct on them.
Lots of frozen bottles and cooler things it is then!
 

EmPiggieFan

Well-known Member
Cavy Slave
Joined
Jun 5, 2013
Posts
74
Joined
Jun 5, 2013
Messages
74
Last year when we had that week of nearly 30C temps I had a fan set up with a bottle close to it as a make shift air con with a cooling mat from Pets at Home and a load of 500ml frozen drinks bottles which I refroze everynight wrapped in fleece or a tea towel so they didn't get frosted from them. I have a tri colour piggy and she is mainly black and she would spend the day next to one of the bottles. I also kept the curtains closed at all times as I can't have the windows open as me and my other half both work and the girls are on the ground floor.
 
Last edited:
Status
This thread has been closed due to inactivity. You can create a new thread to discuss this topic.

Similar threads

Top