Forms of cooling piggies down - kidney problems?

[poco and figgys' mummy]

Hi people
So where I live it gets so very hot in the summer. We already lost a pig in the summer. Though he was a heartpig, I think the heat may have been in some way related to his death.
For the last two summers we have had fans on the pigs, but I've been thinking about other options, as the fan air wasn't very cold or very nice.
I've heard that ceramic tiles for the pigs to lie on is good, and also that frozen water bottles wrapped in towels is good (I think that it was someone on this forum who said that) but I've also been told that these can cause kidney problems.
Is this true?
What can I do to cool down my pigs without risk?

Thank you, all information is loved.

 

[Wiebke]

You can hang damp towels or sheets on or over the piggy cage to help cool down the air (need to wet them again regularly when they dry).

 

[poco and figgys' mummy]

Okay, that sounds great. I hope it works, Thanks!

 

[Laura-CCC4]

Just wanted to add that heart pigs are more susceptible to heatstroke/dehydration, as heart and kidney function are closely connected. A heart weakened by enlargement/damage/arrythmia and the effects of having it unmanaged for however long affects the kidneys; you can't undo the damage or weakness caused by heart disease/defect, but you can stop it getting worse.

I think the main concern with cold stuff and heart pigs would be more along the lines of a sudden and severe temperature change; giving them the option of laying against a frozen water bottle is unlikely to have a negative impact on them, the temperature change is not severe or extensive (i.e. it's not chilling the whole cage like a mini-fridge!).

I agree with Wiebke's suggestion of wet towels, it is the most effective cooling method I have used. I still use fans to keep the air circulating in the pigs room, but the wet towels draped over the cage is my personal favourite tip.

 

[poco and figgys' mummy]

Just wanted to add that heart pigs are more susceptible to heatstroke/dehydration, as heart and kidney function are closely connected. A heart weakened by enlargement/damage/arrythmia and the effects of having it unmanaged for however long affects the kidneys; you can't undo the damage or weakness caused by heart disease/defect, but you can stop it getting worse.

I think the main concern with cold stuff and heart pigs would be more along the lines of a sudden and severe temperature change; giving them the option of laying against a frozen water bottle is unlikely to have a negative impact on them, the temperature change is not severe or extensive (i.e. it's not chilling the whole cage like a mini-fridge!).

I agree with Wiebke's suggestion of wet towels, it is the most effective cooling method I have used. I still use fans to keep the air circulating in the pigs room, but the wet towels draped over the cage is my personal favourite tip.

Thank you for this information, thought these pigs are from a different place, a sort of rescue place. I highly doubt that they are heartpigs.

Thanks for the tip <3

 

[missy]

I've heard that ceramic tiles for the pigs to lie on is good

I've never used them but have heard that marble tiles are good, as widely used to help keep Chinchillas cool. You can buy these from pet shops. Teracotta also has a similar effect, so you could use teracotta tiles etc or, if you can get hold of it, even teracotta tubes like those used for old fashioned drainage pipes/chimney pots etc. On really hot days you could chill these in the fridge/freezer before use, but if you're worried about chilling the piggies, then they stay relatively cool on their own, without chilling. These materials naturally stay cooler than the air temperature around them.

Nice to know you're thinking ahead already