Wading pool and haircuts for summer?

Mikatelyn

Mikatelyn

Junior Guinea Pig
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Hi! Here in Arizona temps have already hit 90F.
I have read through the guides to keep piggies cool in the summer, and have some cooling elements in their pen. They are indoor piggies and are well away from any direct sunlight.
I thought that perhaps they would like a big shallow dish with some water in it, and they could walk through it to wet their feet/fur to cool down if they like. What do people think about this? Helpful? Useless? Dangerous?
Also, they are abysinnians with some long hair on their butts that make them look slightly like peacocks. Do people generally feel that this breed needs a summer haircut? And if so, I would love so see pictures of hairdos for inspiration!
They were born in the summer in AZ, and so far they actually appear quite comfortable and aren't using their cooling elements, but I want to be prepared.
Thanks!
 
They don’t generally use water apart from drinking so I wouldn’t bother putting the fish in. They’ll likely poo in it anyway 😁 Keep giving them frozen bottles wrapped in a towel and keeping the room as cool as possible. Another thing that was suggested on here is putting in kitchen tiles for them to sit on as well.

If piggy’s bum hair is long then there’s no harm in giving a trim.
 
Hmmm, they were hanging out on the tile and next to the frozen bottle for a while (not sure if they were there for the chill or not), and now they are hanging out in the cozy/fleece tunnel. My thermostat reads 80F in the house. Low humidity here, which makes 80F very comfortable for us humans.
I don't think the temperature is affecting the piggies much. I wouldn't think they would be in the cozy if they were too warm, right?
Or maybe they are doing that piggy equivalent of when you get superheated in a hot tub then jump into icy water? (for some reason we thought this was fun as teenagers)
 
80F is equivalent to about 26 which is just over their ‘threshold’. I’d perhaps take out fleece hides/tunnels and give them cardboard and/or wooden hides for now. If they move away from the tiles and frozen bottles then they feel cool enough.
 
I agree - I would not add a dish of water for anything other than drinking purposes.

Humidity obviously plays a part in how comfortable a temperature feels. I’d always ensure there is something shaded and cool, a cool tile or frozen bottles works well, but if they are choosing to not sit by a cool area then they are probably fine and not feeling too warm
 
Follow up question: do you guys put hideys over the tiles? In other words, will they use the tiles if it's in the open, or will their hiding instincts overcome the need to cool down until it's really extreme?
I have hideys on the tiles, so I'm not really sure of they just like the hideys or if they like the tile. But they are peeing on the tile, and putting down pee pads would defeat the purpose.
 
I have 2 hideys with tile, 2 without (for 2 piggies). They seem to be using them all about equally.
Since they are peeing in their hideys though, won't they get foot problems since I can't put pee pads on the tile?
 
The hides should wick the urine away so their feet should be just fine.
 
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