Hot Weather!

[chloegabrielle_]

My two piggies live outdoors- in a shaded area they are never ever in sunlight! They have been lying down on their bellies a lot- however they do keep running about too which makes me think that they don't have heat stroke? It is ridiculously hot today- for England anyway- so I've wrapped an ice pack and some ice cubes in tea towels and they seem to like it! Is this okay? They have both got access to clean water and have been munching lots of cucumber to keep them hydrated! Is this okay?

 

[Wiebke]

My two piggies live outdoors- in a shaded area they are never ever in sunlight! They have been lying down on their bellies a lot- however they do keep running about too which makes me think that they don't have heat stroke? It is ridiculously hot today- for England anyway- so I've wrapped an ice pack and some ice cubes in tea towels and they seem to like it! Is this okay? They have both got access to clean water and have been munching lots of cucumber to keep them hydrated! Is this okay?

Here is more information about heat strokes and what you can do to keep your guinea pigs cool. Yours have likely been just feeling very hot and flattening themselves against the ground, but not lethargic as with a heat stroke.
https://www.theguineapigforum.co.uk/threads/hot-weather-management-and-heat-strokes.105317/

 

[Lady Kelly]

Bless them, mine are coping ok apart from Peter who is elderly and poorly anyway. I've put some ice block under the fleece liner and he seems to be thoroughly enjoying this. Hopefully tomorrow will be a tad cooler and it's currently forecast to rain a bit here

 

[Her Nibship]

Until last year I had been using small plastic bottles containing frozen water, then putting them in an old sock for the piggies to lie against and keep cool in hot weather. This worked OK, but as the water began to melt it inevitably leaked out and wet the bedding, resulting in lots of extra bedding changes. Then last year I found out (on this forum, I presume!) about the Scratch and Newton ice pods. I bought a load (we have 6 piggies)...and obviously that was the end of last year's hot weather! Consequently, the recent (way too!) hot weather has been the first chance for the wheekers to try them out, and I have to say they have been very popular. Yesterday some were stretched out on them, some were just relaxing next to them, but I'm sure that even if they aren't directly in contact with them, the ice pods must cool down the air in their immediate vicinity a little. Money well spent, I feel .

 

[7squeakers.]

The Ice Pods are great - if you can get the piggies to lie on them!