With the promise of warmer weather comes the annual dilemma of keeping The Super Furry Animals cool s c

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Little porkey fur covered animals who insist on wearing real fur coats and hiding in dark secluded spaces are a challenge in Summer.

Yes they like being out in their run to eat grass and let the breeze waft through their whiskers. But they need to be protected against the elements and the predators.

In past years we've cut their bedding right back to equine cardboard shreddings to sleep on ( absorbant, pig safe but not insulating like straw), hay in loo roll tubes to pull at, re-inforced mesh lined removed windows (the spaces the window leaves has the re-inforced bit) a fan, and flat chill packs wrapped in newspaper.

Lots of nice fresh salady bits like cucumber, watermelon, crunchy salad bag .

Checking their rumps regularly to guard against flystrike.

Their menopausal Pig Slave can wander about in a vest top being hot'n'bothered but the piggies don't have such options open to them.
They are shedding their winter coats but my suggestions they lose a bit of winter fat was met with [hmm[] looks all round ............

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No blinking clue wjere the s c came from after cool (no that's not Pets at Home)

[FernieB]

Inside mine are fine - cage in the utility (coolest and shadiest room) and lots of cool veg straight from the fridge. In their run, it's a different matter. I put it in the shade and cover the sunny side with towels to protect them but they always find a tiny hot corner in full sun to stretch out in. I think they do it on purpose so they can insist on 'medicinal watermelon' to cure heatstroke. I've tried suggesting that when they get up in the morning, they dress in shorts and t-shirts but they insist on the full fur coat every day.

Luckily, we have an area of raised lawn which can be quite breezy, so I put them there on the warmest days in the shade of next doors tree!

[FernieB]

Oh and if the tiny hot sunny spot they lie in can be close to the bars of the run and therefore the beaks of curious magpies, then that's even better

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yes the tiny sunny corner and the grilled effect of the heated cage bars "Oooh stripey "

My Himmy does a really evil face in sunlight, like a closed eyed camel.
GP6 has suggested he wear a mankini type outfit (Pigkini , it'll be all the rage this summer) being an Essex pig he can wear in over one leg a la TOWIE (administers brain bleach)

Weirdy little things won't even entertain water in the heat but YY to Medicinal Watermelon and Medicinal Cucumber.

Serious Note though to all the Super Furries , heatstroke can kill and it's quick.
Furcoats can't regulate themselves easily temperature wise.

Rung out cold water towels over the run provides a cool atmosphere. If they get overheated , they lie flat out not larding but stretched out flat. They need immediate first aid , cooling down (cool damp towels) syringe fed drinks (I have given dilute Ribena to one of my pigs that was ill in hot weather . He wasn't heat struck but he was 'on his way out' )

They may need rehydrating at the vet.

So though we poke fun at their funny little ways and tut at the fur wearing, it is a potentially serious condition, but there are things to minimise , hopefully prevent.
This weekend everyone is excited about 24c in Essex. The pigs are less thrilled.

Yes cavies in Peru live in hot temperatures but the closest mine come to Peru is watching TV.

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I tried the pigs out with their new (and not inexpensive I have to say) wire hay basket............it's a laundry basket thingey that I removed the fabric liner from to leave the wire 'cage'
Deep enough to hold lots of hay.
Tall enough to stop them climbing in which they did with the cuboid box
Substantial enough that they can't tip it over.

Should work , yes?

DD went to the Pighouse and found her lardy sow had climbed into the basket (Heaven knows how, she must have folding hips) and was happily sitting on the hay chomping away.



Back to the drawing board

But I can redirect the basket to DD room for her laundry, I 'spose.

[EastMidsGPs]

😁😁😁😁😁😁😁😁
Don't you just love em?
And of course if you'd wanted her to go in it ..........😏