Heatwave - check your shed

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boureki

boureki

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I went into the shed at about 10.30 this morning after my trip to the doctor and despite having the door propped wide open, fully opened window with net mesh to cut down the direct sunlight since dawn this morning, the temperature in there was 36 degrees celsius, way too hot for furries. Needless to say my pigs were immediately removed and put in a nice breezy upstairs room for a pig playtime!

It's definately worth installing a thermometer as close to your pigs as possible wherever they live, it need only be a cheap one as it's often very hard to apprecate how hot or freezing cold it can be in a shed.
 
totally agree - sheds getting awfully warm and become like an oven, make sure your piggies are cool and getting plenty of water etc.

dampen a tea towl and cool it in the fridge and allow your piggies to sit on that, it works a treat.
 
in the summer I'm gonna get a thermometer to put next to the pigs cage as its in mybedroom & what the hottest they can safley be in?
 
I recommend a portable air conditioning unit inside a shed. We use heaters to keep them warm in winter, so why not air con in the summer? I bought one last year for about £50. Also, the cheap rattan type roller blinds are great to keep the hot sun from the windows, place them on the outside of the windows on simple hooks and over the doorway too, it really makes a difference, they cost about £5-10.

I drape the cages in cool wet towels and have terracota tiles for them to sit on if they choose. I rinse them under the cold tap every so often. Terracota plant pots are good for this too-wet them thoroughly and enjoy watching your piggy fllaked out in them :))
 
I bought a min / max one so I could see how hot or cold it had been but I don't know how to read it - duh!

It was seriously hot yesterday and I was glad I'd bought half price Ice-Pods for them. Also have 2 heavily pregnant sows, poor things - they're in the kitchen which is cooler but I still feel sorry for them in this weather. Hope they pop soon!
 
I have a frozen water bottle in the hutch wrapped in a towel to keep my piggies cool :))
 
We have a fan in the shed and they are all so cool in their. Even now it has gone overcast here I've got the fan on!

Oh they love it especially Radley who is on two paws at the bars having a whale of a time! rolleyes
 
My piggies are outside and unfortunately I do not have the luxury of a shed.
My piggies are in the shade under a huge tree in my garden, but I gave them all frozen water bottles this morning which will melt throughout the day (Also a non frozen bottle incase the frozen ones did not thaw very quickly!).

Poor piggies, I will put them out in the run later tonight once the sun has gone in.
 
I find they are happy enough until it goes beyond 23 degrees in their cage, and anything beyond that is uncomfortable for them.

My lot (indoors) currently have a fan blowing through a wet towel. They never seem to like tiles etc.
 
i was going to post something like this I'm really worried, it gets hot in my garage not sure how hot but ill be buying a thermometer very soon i have the window and door wide open with plenty of water and i also give them watery veg i.e. cucumber, tomatoes etc. but having the doors etc open attracts the flys in their cages and I'm paranoid about them getting maggots even though i clean there cage out every week and their litter tray out every day :(
 
Seriously, lots of towels, wet them and put on a very short spin. Lay them over half to three quarters of the cage/hutch. It helps prevent hot sun getting to them and with a fan on nearby, the air is cooled even further. They stay damp for most of the day. Mine are all under their towels and loving it!
 
Some ways to keep your pigs cool if they are too hot:

Fan (don't point it directly into their cage, allow some room or position hidey holes so they can escape it. From experience, don't point it at the hay)
Air Conditioning
Frozen water bottles (human or animal) (wrap a towel around it and place it in the cage for them to nestle against. The towel will prevent frost bite if the pig gets too lazy)
Tiles (cold enough to lie on)
Keep the pigs in a shaded area - away from the sun)
Move pigs to the coolest room (one with tiles?) during the hottest part of the day.
Dampen the fur around the pigs neck (also a way to ease heatstroke)
Keep water bottles cool (in the shade or add a little ice)
Remove pigloos - these are made of plastic and the temperature within them can often be misrepresented by the surrounding temperature, especially when a pig is inside them and there is very little ventilation. Here is a story about piggies who died from heatstroke because their pigloo got too hot: http://www.guinealynx.info/forums/viewtopic.php?t=45558
 
Our girls have a fan on today,even though they live indoors,as it is SO hot.They get more cucumber on hot days too.
 
Pigloos yeah didn't realise that! Thanks Emma!

Just been in the shed, not boiling in their but not as cool as I would like 21 degrees I think! Going to do the towels trick tomorrow luckily I've kept all my old towels for the pigs!
 
My rooms always cool in the summer so mine aren't too hot anyway. I called into B&Q today because they had mini clip on fans at £1 the other day that would clip onto the cages. I thought they would have some left because there was loads but of course had none left! Might put some damp towels over their cages later instead.
 
I have tried the frozen water bottles and mine dont seem interested is it worth giving them a quick spray with water from a spray bottle or is that bad for them?
 
I have given mine a tray with a wet towel in the bottom of it so they can jump in and out as they please to cool off. I also have fans going in the rooms
 
My room stays cool in the day, the worst humidity is at night. I've had two fans running and the windows open for the last 2 days or so. My favourite cooling trick for the pigs is the wet towels, definitely.
 
The pigs and I are sharing a fan....
I have indoor pigs and a kitchen/living room and so I make sure my water heater is off during the day.
I have a thermometer in the shade and frequently it reaches 25 degrees in my flat with the fan on and windows open.
I have about 6 bottles now to freeze for my boys. they love them and unwrap them at times...
 
Illusions144 said:
Is anyone leaving their sheds open throughout the night at the moment?
Click to expand...


I'm considering it but don't want foxes and cats sniffing around my pigs even though they are securely locked in their hutch! If it's really bad we'll leave the window open I think, but then I'll worry that a predator will get in through the window, inadvertantly shut it behind them as it's a swing-out one and then won't be able to get out!
 
I leave my "windows" open ie i keep all the plastic lifted up thru' the hot weather, only letting it down if it rains. My doors are stable doors & are meshed at the top but still locked at night :)
 
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