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Guinea Pigs and hot weather. Advice needed.

2 replies

plus2new · 02/06/2014 09:43

Hi, had a worrying day on Saturday. Our piggies went really quiet for the day. They didn't chat at all or call out for food non-stop. They seemed nervous and wouldn't come out to play.

The only difference I can think of was that it was a warmer day than usual. They are in a wooden hutch indoors but the room they are in is very large and quite cool.

They had water to drink and did eat although less than usual. I gave them cucumber (their favourite) as I thought it would help with fluids.

Thankfully yesterday all was back to normal, loads of chatter and rushing about and plenty of wheek, wheek when they heard me coming.

Do you think the heat caused this?

How to I keep them cool etc?

Also how do I know when to worry? They really did seem so unlike themselves. Is a quiet day normal every now and then?

They are about 2 months old now I think.

Thanks

OP posts:
EvansOvalPiesYumYum · 02/06/2014 09:49

You can get special things to pop in the freezer (like an ice-pack you'd use for picnics, but meant for animal use). We've got some for our rabbits for when it's hot.

Also, I set up an electric fan - they love to sit in front of it with their ears flapping in the breeze.

They spend a lot of time in the garden run, so they will also have a parasol for shade.

70isaLimitNotaTarget · 02/06/2014 21:28

They do feel the heat and can't cope with extremes of weather.

My pigs when I was a child were in Scotland, so overheating was rarely an issue Grin but we did have a couple of Himmy pink eyed so we had to provide more protection and shade.

Some things I noticed the last couple of years though with the boars (Essex -so warm )

Not too much hay. Enough for one day worth of eating and changed daily. It gets wet (pee) and you run the risk of FlyStrike.
Mine would bury themselves in hay if they felt uncovered, so lots of boxes (DH made a screen lid with layers of flymesh to go on the haybox. They have the darkness they crave , but it's airy)

Have you got any ceramic floor tiles you could put in the hutch? You'll need newspaper on top or something absorbant - maybe fleece?

Plastic bottle of water ( 2 litre soft drinks bottle) frozen and wrapped in newspaper, put in their bedding.

Out in the run, a shade (I use an old dark duvet cover)
Or you can wring out a towel in cold water and drape it over (wring out well , they won't appreciate a shower Grin )

Lots of salady veg, but always water on offer.

We have a removeable window (inside is re-inforced against foxes and flies) a fan on the way and a thermometer. They get a nice breeze through but the window is high enough not to give them a draught.

Read up on the signs of heatstroke on guineas.
Most of the time, if they are lardy-ing about, mine sit like a croissant, and if we go near, they move quickly.
A heatstroked pig is flat out, either on their side or stomach. Rapid shallow breathing. It can kill them, you need to wrap in a cold wet towel to revive them then monitor (they might need rehydrated , might need the vet )

Like many pig related illnesses , there's alot you can do to prevent heat related problems.

I always feel I can cope better with keeping my pigs warm in winter than cool in summer, yes even at 6.30am when I'm heating up the Pighouse ready for my boars to go in. Grin

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