Plastic tubs?

[Alicia]

I've just got back from getting the guinea-pigs hay and vegetables and I went to check on them, and Marmalade and Amber have shut themselves back in the hutch (its attatched to the run) but I know hutches can get very hot in the Summer and they're on vetbed too which doesn't keep them very cool and I put my hand in the hutch and it was quite warm. Marmalade was laying down on the vetbed so I picked her up and took her into the kitchen and sat her on the cold tile floor. I got an old washing up bowl and put some water in it (not any higher than the top of Marmalade's feet) and then put her in it. She seemed to like it because she stood in it and didn't try to get out. I put my hand in the water then stroked her to cool her down and then after about 10 minutes she was quite wet so I put her back in the run. I've got some old plastic bowls with lower sides, could I put a bit of water in these and put them in the runs for the guinea-pigs to paddle their feet in? I was a bit worried about them being plastic would it be bad if they chewed it?

Marmalade in the big bowl:

 

[piggy person]

i do it too! you could try using plastic tubs

 

[Wiebke]

It depends how solid the plastic is.

You can cool down your hutches a bit by hanging damp sheets or beach towels in front - the evaporating water will help cool down the hutch a bit.

Frozen water bottles wrapped in fabric do also help.

 

[Alicia]

Ok thank you. I might just use a large dog bowl I've got because its not made of plastic. My guinea-pigs have some frozen bottles, and I'm going to go and put a wet towel over their hutches and runs now.