Hot Weather Management And Heat Strokes

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Thank you! Its affected us all specially our 3 year old boy. Remaining piggy is doing well just a bit subdued we are looking in to getting her a new companion x
 
amywh85 said:
Thank you! Its affected us all specially our 3 year old boy. Remaining piggy is doing well just a bit subdued we are looking in to getting her a new companion x
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Just answered on your other thread.
 
Other than the usual precautions, one of the things I do on a very hot day is gently water the grass with my tiny watering can, so the grass is abit wet, I find it lowers the temperature abit, archie drinks the water, and it gets him a little damp without distressing him and seems to help keep him cool. I only do this in very hot conditions.
 
This thread has been brilliant, thanks for all the hot weather tips. We have only had our babies since Saturday and so having to cope with new piggies in a heatwave has panicked me a little! Their run is in a shady part of the garden, under a parasol and I will try the cool blocks and damp towels for tomorrow when we should reach 30 degrees here. At the moment they both look bright and alert and are not showing any signs of distress. There is a lovely breeze blowing today which I think is helping.
 
It's been around 25 degrees here today and is still hot this evening. My piggies are in doors with the French doors at the back open but there is hardly any breeze coming in. We have a fan and it's on at the moment but not pointing directly on the piggies. The fan is on the breakfast bar and the piggies are on the floor. Would it be ok to put the fan on the floor for the piggies or would this be too drafty for them? My small thermometer beside their cage is saying 25 degrees but I'm not sure how accurate this is as i wouldn't say the room feels roasting and there is no direct sunlight coming in. Any advice appreciated.
 
aimzer said:
It's been around 25 degrees here today and is still hot this evening. My piggies are in doors with the French doors at the back open but there is hardly any breeze coming in. We have a fan and it's on at the moment but not pointing directly on the piggies. The fan is on the breakfast bar and the piggies are on the floor. Would it be ok to put the fan on the floor for the piggies or would this be too drafty for them? My small thermometer beside their cage is saying 25 degrees but I'm not sure how accurate this is as i wouldn't say the room feels roasting and there is no direct sunlight coming in. Any advice appreciated.
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the most effective place for a fan is in front of a window so any cooler air is sucked into the room and not just the hot air moved around.
 
I've managed to keep the living room where the pigs live around 22 degrees, until yesterday when it shot up to 25! I'd already put ice packs in the freezer so I put one wrapped in a thin blanket in the house bit of their cage & left it over night (then I just worried that they would sleep against it and become too cold). It's cool in a morning for them as the sun is round the other side of the house & I've been getting up early to get the window open. Its evening time it gets worse, when the sun is fully round this side & there is a hot air breeze only. The girls are fine so far, eating & drinking as normal, running round as normal etc. I do keep trying to put the themometer in the pen/cage to see what the tempeature is there but Biscuit usually comes to it sit on it so have to leave it at the side/on top. Think they're both getting fed up of me going to feel their ears and sides to see how warm they are!

I would never have thought to use a ceramic tile, we have a couple of spare ones so will wash one and put in the pen to see if they use it.
 
I think I'm doing ok with our pets, I hope I am!

The boars are in a cooler a room, we put the mice in there when it gets too hot in my son's room. The living room is a tad warmer, so I've been worrying, we've given them iced bottle (with covers on them), made sure they have cold water, all the doors and windows have been opened. Getting two fans today as well. (No don't worry we don't point it directly at the piggies lol).
 
We're all melting in this heat! Me, the Dog, the Pigs :(

They're in the office in Charlie's pen at the moment; fan is on, blinds closed, ice pods in, cucumber provided. They still seem a bit bothered. I'm sweating because I'm back and forth trying to ensure everyone is cool enough. The pigs' set up isn't ideal - the office is a bit full of stuff from my uni accommodation that we've been unable to sort out because it's too hot! So the pen isn't that pig, but I think it's too warm to be doing much exercise anyway.
 
Liane said:
We're all melting in this heat! Me, the Dog, the Pigs :(

They're in the office in Charlie's pen at the moment; fan is on, blinds closed, ice pods in, cucumber provided. They still seem a bit bothered. I'm sweating because I'm back and forth trying to ensure everyone is cool enough. The pigs' set up isn't ideal - the office is a bit full of stuff from my uni accommodation that we've been unable to sort out because it's too hot! So the pen isn't that pig, but I think it's too warm to be doing much exercise anyway.
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You can cool some water in the fridge can keep the water bottles changed. The water should not be icy, just nice and fresh. The piggies are not into running around right now anyway!

My piggies are currently doing the same, with the exception of wheeking for fresh grass to be served to them as soon as a human stirs... :mal:

As for you - hold your hands and wrists as well as your feet into a basin with cold water for 5 minutes and splash your face as well; that will bring relief if you don't want to have a cool shower all the time! Take things as easy as you can during the hottest hours. ;)
 
I hope you don't mind @Wiebke, but I've shared your tips to the RSPCA Facebook page that I manage. I had someone message me just this morning to ask if I could do more small animal posts warning people about heatstroke (I'd done one yesterday afternoon but she hadn't seen it) as her guinea pig had died of heatstroke yesterday.

My five have got tiles in their cages and a fan on, I really feel for them in this heat. It is quite unbearable for us so they must feel awful.
 
DisneyPig said:
I hope you don't mind @Wiebke, but I've shared your tips to the RSPCA Facebook page that I manage. I had someone message me just this morning to ask if I could do more small animal posts warning people about heatstroke (I'd done one yesterday afternoon but she hadn't seen it) as her guinea pig had died of heatstroke yesterday.

My five have got tiles in their cages and a fan on, I really feel for them in this heat. It is quite unbearable for us so they must feel awful.
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I have linked the heat stroke and measures thread into my own Wiebke's Tribe piggy facebook page and have had well over 30 shares within less than 24 hours - including the odd vet practice! It is important to get the message out and save lifes!

Poor woman! :(

Just please mention where you have sourced any information from if posting on any public space, as I am doing on my own page and in this forum.

I have just distributed the first lot of cooling bag elements wrapped in snuggle safe covers in the various cages; the fan is on, and the water bottles are being refreshed regularly with cool water, as well as serving fresh grass indoors.
 
Well the weather is definitely taking it's toll on the piggies, they managed to empty their water bottles today before I got home. Thank goodness the husband was home before me to fill them up...
 
Mother Hubbard said:
Well the weather is definitely taking it's toll on the piggies, they managed to empty their water bottles today before I got home. Thank goodness the husband was home before me to fill them up...
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Well done for hub! I had to keep them refilled with cooled water during the day.
 
I haven't been on here for ages because ive been too busy, but today I really had to login and get some advice for my pigs because I was worried about the heat. This advice thread really helped and there much cooler now thanks!
 
Just bumping this, I have heard of at least 4 pigs who died in the last couple of days due to heatstroke and being left in runs in the sun even with shady areas. The sun moves in the day so even if they are in shade when you first put them out they won't be when the sun moves.
 
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