1 Guinea pigs don't sweat
2 How to best keep the water supply cool
3 Watery veg and syringe feeding water
- The role of fridge cooled veg and large cucumber chunks
- Frozen veg - why not
- Diarrhea and bloating as a result of overfeeding fruit and veg
- More veg/fruit means less bottle drinking
4 Keeping the ambient temperature as cool as possible
1 Guinea pigs don't sweat
Humans regulate their body temperature by sweating. This means that they have a much higher water intake in hot weather to replace what they lose in order to not overheat.
Guinea pigs DO NOT SWEAT; they regulate their body temperature by increasing the blood flow through their ears. This means that they do not necessarily suddenly drink a lot more when it gets hot.
Their need to drink increases however with very dry air (air conditioning, desert climate, radiators) or in very humid, tropical conditions.
Guinea Pig Facts - A Short Overview
If you find a guinea pig with a wet coat, it is from condensation in a confined, overheated hut. Please use only open shelters with more than one exit and plenty of ventilation in hot weather. Children's stools are ideal as is a damp sheet pegged over a cage or to the cage side in way of air con or a fan beause the evaporating water will cool the surrounding air.
These are ground and hut temperatures taken on a sunny lawn at 25 C (77 F) courtesy of East Anglian Guinea Pig Rescue
2 How to best keep the water supply cool
Access to drinkable water in all weather (frost as well as heat) is vital.
Since guinea pigs have evolved to use temperature controlled tunnels and thick undergrowth in their territory and to use the relatively stable morning and evening hours for feeding outside, it is far more important to keep the ambient temperature as stable and cool as possible and to keep their water supply as fresh and cool as you can.
Use crushed ice in the bottles to keep them cooler for longer while you are at work and keep any filtered water in the fridge. Make sure that the bottles are full (i.e. don't heat up as quickly), don't leak and are out of direct sunlight at all times. We don't like to drink hot or green water on a hot day, and neither do guinea pigs!
3 Watery veg
Fridge cooled veg and large cucumber chunks
For the same reason, watery veg from the fridge is mostly appreciated for their cooling effect, not just for their water content. Keep in mind that ALL veg consists of mostly water.
However a large a fresh cold piece of cucumber is usually very welcome during the worst of the heat; it cools and rehydrates at the same time. Melon is also welcome but it is very sugary and should not be fed daily in large quantities. Organic melon rind is fine.
If you are out for the day or travelling with your guinea pigs, a large chunk of cucumber is the best way of providing additional access to edible water. Don't panic if it is not all eaten if your piggies are well: they simply haven't had the need.
Please do NOT overfeed watery veg massively and do NOT syringe water to unwilling healthy piggies that are not drinking - they simply do not need it. Overhydration can have fatal consequences.
Frozen veg - why not
Frozen veg can upset the digestive system but we have also had first-hand accounts from forum members whose guinea pigs sustained major injuries by getting their tongues stuck to the ice.
It is one of these things that looks very showy in a video but that is not worth the risk. Any food should not be cooler than fridge temperature.
Diarrhea and bloat as result of overfeeding fruit and veg
Too much high sugary melon, fruit and veg in the diet can cause the overgrowth of bad bacteria during the fermentation process in the gut and can lead to a higher risk of digestive problems (dysbiosis) in the longer term (diarrhoea, bloat, increased risk of GI stasis).
Hay still needs to be the mainstay of the diet. Fruit and melon should never be more than an occasional treat.
More veg means less drinking from a bottle
Guinea pigs don't get thirstier because you feed more water in edible form.
That is unfortunately a trap that many concerned owners fall into. The more water in edible form you feed, the less piggies will drink from a bottle. So please don't panic if you find your piggies' water bottles ignored because they have got all the fluid from extra veg.
All About Drinking And Bottles
Please never syringe feed water on spec to healthy piggies on a hot day just because they haven't used their bottle. Simply refill the bottle with cool water and allow them to drink on their own. Overhydration can have fatal consequences.
For spotting the signs of heat stroke: Heat stroke symptoms and what to do
4 Keeping the ambient as temperature cool as you can
Please bring your guinea pigs indoors in extreme heat, ideally into the coolest room for the day.The cooler you can keep the room, the less extra feeding and watering need there is and the less likely your piggies are to suffer heat exhaustion or a potentially fatal heat stroke.
Your aim is to avoid finding your overheated piggies plastered to a frozen water bottle or pancaked to he floor (heat stroke).
There are lots of little things that in combination can help keeping your piggy room cool. They do not need higher energy consumption and you profit as well. Don't think that just one measure is enough; you can always do more!
Our Hot Weather guide contains the largest collection of often very simple but effective tricks, as well as tips for temporary indoors housing and heat stroke care.
Hot Weather Management And Heat Strokes
Guinea Pig Facts - A Short Overview
2 How to best keep the water supply cool
3 Watery veg and syringe feeding water
- The role of fridge cooled veg and large cucumber chunks
- Frozen veg - why not
- Diarrhea and bloating as a result of overfeeding fruit and veg
- More veg/fruit means less bottle drinking
4 Keeping the ambient temperature as cool as possible
1 Guinea pigs don't sweat
Humans regulate their body temperature by sweating. This means that they have a much higher water intake in hot weather to replace what they lose in order to not overheat.
Guinea pigs DO NOT SWEAT; they regulate their body temperature by increasing the blood flow through their ears. This means that they do not necessarily suddenly drink a lot more when it gets hot.
Their need to drink increases however with very dry air (air conditioning, desert climate, radiators) or in very humid, tropical conditions.
Guinea Pig Facts - A Short Overview
If you find a guinea pig with a wet coat, it is from condensation in a confined, overheated hut. Please use only open shelters with more than one exit and plenty of ventilation in hot weather. Children's stools are ideal as is a damp sheet pegged over a cage or to the cage side in way of air con or a fan beause the evaporating water will cool the surrounding air.
These are ground and hut temperatures taken on a sunny lawn at 25 C (77 F) courtesy of East Anglian Guinea Pig Rescue
2 How to best keep the water supply cool
Access to drinkable water in all weather (frost as well as heat) is vital.
Since guinea pigs have evolved to use temperature controlled tunnels and thick undergrowth in their territory and to use the relatively stable morning and evening hours for feeding outside, it is far more important to keep the ambient temperature as stable and cool as possible and to keep their water supply as fresh and cool as you can.
Use crushed ice in the bottles to keep them cooler for longer while you are at work and keep any filtered water in the fridge. Make sure that the bottles are full (i.e. don't heat up as quickly), don't leak and are out of direct sunlight at all times. We don't like to drink hot or green water on a hot day, and neither do guinea pigs!
3 Watery veg
Fridge cooled veg and large cucumber chunks
For the same reason, watery veg from the fridge is mostly appreciated for their cooling effect, not just for their water content. Keep in mind that ALL veg consists of mostly water.
However a large a fresh cold piece of cucumber is usually very welcome during the worst of the heat; it cools and rehydrates at the same time. Melon is also welcome but it is very sugary and should not be fed daily in large quantities. Organic melon rind is fine.
If you are out for the day or travelling with your guinea pigs, a large chunk of cucumber is the best way of providing additional access to edible water. Don't panic if it is not all eaten if your piggies are well: they simply haven't had the need.
Please do NOT overfeed watery veg massively and do NOT syringe water to unwilling healthy piggies that are not drinking - they simply do not need it. Overhydration can have fatal consequences.
Frozen veg - why not
Frozen veg can upset the digestive system but we have also had first-hand accounts from forum members whose guinea pigs sustained major injuries by getting their tongues stuck to the ice.
It is one of these things that looks very showy in a video but that is not worth the risk. Any food should not be cooler than fridge temperature.
Diarrhea and bloat as result of overfeeding fruit and veg
Too much high sugary melon, fruit and veg in the diet can cause the overgrowth of bad bacteria during the fermentation process in the gut and can lead to a higher risk of digestive problems (dysbiosis) in the longer term (diarrhoea, bloat, increased risk of GI stasis).
Hay still needs to be the mainstay of the diet. Fruit and melon should never be more than an occasional treat.
More veg means less drinking from a bottle
Guinea pigs don't get thirstier because you feed more water in edible form.
That is unfortunately a trap that many concerned owners fall into. The more water in edible form you feed, the less piggies will drink from a bottle. So please don't panic if you find your piggies' water bottles ignored because they have got all the fluid from extra veg.
All About Drinking And Bottles
Please never syringe feed water on spec to healthy piggies on a hot day just because they haven't used their bottle. Simply refill the bottle with cool water and allow them to drink on their own. Overhydration can have fatal consequences.
For spotting the signs of heat stroke: Heat stroke symptoms and what to do
4 Keeping the ambient as temperature cool as you can
Please bring your guinea pigs indoors in extreme heat, ideally into the coolest room for the day.The cooler you can keep the room, the less extra feeding and watering need there is and the less likely your piggies are to suffer heat exhaustion or a potentially fatal heat stroke.
Your aim is to avoid finding your overheated piggies plastered to a frozen water bottle or pancaked to he floor (heat stroke).
There are lots of little things that in combination can help keeping your piggy room cool. They do not need higher energy consumption and you profit as well. Don't think that just one measure is enough; you can always do more!
Our Hot Weather guide contains the largest collection of often very simple but effective tricks, as well as tips for temporary indoors housing and heat stroke care.
Hot Weather Management And Heat Strokes
Guinea Pig Facts - A Short Overview
