Any hot weather advice?

[everygalaxy]

Getting a bit worried about the hot weather any tips? We give them frozen water in bottles in old socks and cooling food usually s bit of melon and cucumber. We will put them on the grass as soon as we get home from work but most of the day will be in the hutch for gp1 and his isolation house for poorly gp2

[70isaLimitNotaTarget]

Oooh, hot weather isn't good for FurBabies

Things I've tried over the past couple of years:
My pigs still like somewhere to hide so even if it was boiling , if I lifted the lid of their haybox, they buried themselves in hay (and cooked) . DH made a screen with layers of black fly mesh to lay on the top, giving ventilation but enough dark

Old ceramic floor tiles or lino on the floor to keep cool.

Hay in a rack or in toilet roll tubes so they have enough to eat but don't sleep in it. Layers of newspaper to sit on

(I use shredded paper bedding in hot weather instead of hay to sleep in)

Juicy cucumber, watermelon, cut grass if they can;t go out, salad mixed leaves

A shade over the top of the run (old dark sheet)

Mine like to be out late (durty stop outs )

We have two removeable windows (frame re-inforced to make it fly and fox proof) to let a breeze through and a small fan if they need it

And accept they'll be grumpy (especially my GP5 , ruby eyes don't like sun)

Check their bums twice a day (Flystrike)

Read up on heatstroke in guineas (urgent first aid needed) They go pancake flat, not just like larding on their side.

While the humans enjoy the summer, the pigs are meh

[70isaLimitNotaTarget]

Oh, and fresh daily water, but mine never drink it

[everygalaxy]

Thanks GP2 is at the vets having his bladder stones out so lovely and cool at least. GP1 who is fat and has black fur is being a massive stroppy diva. DH is working from home to check on him so today he has salad, fresh water every few hours and run time when it cools a bit. Thursday and Friday he will have all manner of ice bottles - then run when get home.

Yesterday he dug a hole in his bedding, rolled his ice bottle into it and flopped down whilst giving me the evil eye as if I controlled the weather!

[70isaLimitNotaTarget]

I blame my guinea-pigs for wearing real fur (I'm a vegetarian, they know I'm judgey )

Good Luck GP2 with the operation. All 12 70 hog paws crossed for you .

Mine are in the Pighouse but will go out this evening.

[70isaLimitNotaTarget]

Ooh just remembered - I have some of those big flat chiller packs in the freezer that I can wrap in newspaper or a towel and pop it in the Pighouse for them to sit on

Or ignore

They have the big old fan wafting at them right now (stirs the Pig scented Air about ) on top of their sleeping area (cables out of reach of tiny teeth)

[PHANTOMnamechanger]

my GPs are miserable in this heat, they are not eating much and we have had them a whole year and never ever seen either of them drink, though we do give fresh water daily. one has eaten some cucumber and celery the other doesn't liek them, they cant go in their run as it is just too hot and the hutch is in the shadiest part of the garden but it is still stifling hot, no breeze. it is miserable down here in the south of kent.

me no like.

[everygalaxy]

Mr Bingley didn't make it through his surgery - turns out he had kidney failure and they hadn't diagnosed it in time. He came round but was very ill and passed away in his sleep at the vets this afternoon.

We expected to pick him up tonight - and in shock and heartbroken

[PHANTOMnamechanger]

oh no galaxy sorry to hear that

[PHANTOMnamechanger]

just been out to check on my boys again, the front of the hutch is now in the sun, so i have soaked a large towel and draped it over the front to try to cool the air a bit for them

[everygalaxy]

Now GP2 is hot and lonely poor boy - might bring him into the house.

[70isaLimitNotaTarget]

Oh poor piggie.
Surgery is a huge dilemma for an owner, pigs are quite fragile and as you say, things going on with him that didn't come to light . The heat isn't good for piggies , but they struggle more when they're elderly or unwell.

Such a shock when he's been through it all.

Extra cuddles for your Resident Pig.
YY to bring him in, let him have some household noise and chatter about him and see how he fares.
How old is your boar?

Another little piggie heads across The Rainbow Bridge

[WyrdByrd]

Sorry Mr Bingley didn't make it Galaxy, hope your remaining GP is bearing up OK.

Does anyone know if different breeds react differently to the weather?

Bella, our Peruvian has a two inch thick, 50% black/grey coat and is pottering around the run quite happily. Luna who is over 50% white Abby, so much less fur is just flaked out in a corner refusing to move.

I'm certain she's fine - just grumpy but seems a weird way round for it to be affecting them. They've got a couple of fleeces pegged over and around the run to make a large shaded area, ice blocks wrapped in tea towels, water bowl and melon wedges.

[70isaLimitNotaTarget]

Our Teddy Boar (GP6) is okay-diddly-okie in the heat but he's only a year old.

GP4 (lardy sow) is sprawling aroung, 'resting'

GP5 (Himmy) is very judgey in sunlight. (ruby eyes), lies there like a camel with one leg sticking out .

Our Abby boar used to sprawl out (he was jetblack) in full sun

GP1 was a big smooth GP3 was a big rex. They got stuck into grass and didn't bat an eyelid .

[WyrdByrd]

Well shortly after I posted DD discovered how Bella is keeping her cool.

She was lying on the ice block with her front paws in the water bowl .

[PHANTOMnamechanger]

my boys have finally been out in the run for a bit and I was pleased to see them both much happier and active/talkative than they have been all day (33 degrees here)

also discovered that one of them really likes melon, he devoured a small slice as if he had not been fed for a month!

[everygalaxy]

Thanks everyone. Mr Darcy is doing ok he is very dominant and independent but I'm worried about him getting down. He is four and a half really not sure about another pig still in shock today - got sent home from work early the shame

[WyrdByrd]

There's nothing to embarrassed about - you've lost a member of your family. They may be small and furry but we still love them and feel their loss .

Glad Mr Darcy is ok - I suppose he's too old to be neutered and introduced to an Elizabeth Bennett ?

[everygalaxy]

I don't think he would be much of a gentleman!

[fortifiedwithtea]

I'm sorry for the loss of Mr Bingley everygalaxy. I lost Fatimus after major surgery, its not the end you'd wish for them

Looks like Mr Darcy will be looking for young piggy boar Mr Collins and hope he doesn't turn out to be a Mr Wickham < whispers, its one of my favourite books >

[everygalaxy]

Thanks for all the kind words in RL people don't understand, one friend laughed at DH for crying at the vets

Really not sure about Mr d I love him so much but he is a bit of a bully is it cruel to inflict that on a younger boar? Also we want actual babies soon not sure I can cope with ttc and piggy drama!

[fortifiedwithtea]

As stress is the last thing you need I'd leave Mr D to settle. If he becomes depressed there is another option.

When my too old to neuter boar needed company, we got 2 sows and had across the living hutches. In view, smelling and talking distance. Old Boy did have chaperoned times with them and times when they snuck in together and we had the odd pregnancy scare They give him a new lease of life and he went on to live past 6 years old

[FernieB]

Galaxy - sorry to hear about Mr Bingley. What a shock for you. It takes a while - took me ages to get over Smoothpigs death earlier this year. We did adopt baby Gingerpig to keep Scruffypig company (he's also four and a half) and that has gone well so far. BTW Mr Darcy is not a bully, he's just proud and reserved and that can be misunderstood . You could get a baby boy, but hopefully not a Mr Collins - he'd be far too daft and stupid and would drive you nuts.

[FernieB]

How about a Colonel Fitzwilliam? I quite like him even though he's not in it much. Perhaps Mr Darcy will be more like Mr Bennet and be happy to spend time alone with his books!

My Scruffy is a black Abby and he slumps in the heat and spend most of the time dozing. Gingerpig still charges round like a mad young thing. He has just discovered the joy of lying down eating and has taken to running round madly then bellyflopping onto the grass and just munching what he can reach whilst he lies with his legs stretched out like a star, before repeating the process. He's completely mad!