more GP questions

[phantomnamechanger]

Hay boxes - is this just literally any old cardboard box stuffed with hay, with holes cut in for access (ie no open sides?) How often you need to change the hay (daily or not?) and what about the box (all that lovely GP pee & poo!) how long do you leave it before replacing?

Hot weather - is there anything I can do to make sure they are OK - we have had them about 4 weeks now and I have yet to see either of them drink a single drop of water! they don't like cucumber or grapes or other juicy wet stuff except romaine/gem lettuce & peppers. They have towels over the top of the run to keep them shaded. I did wonder about using wet towels so its even cooler, but not sure if that's a bad idea?

Parasites - are the spot treatments meant to be prevention or cure - ie should I be using these regularly as a matter of course or only if we suspect parasites?

I'm sure I read somewhere that they can eat roses? I may have dreamed it does anyone know (and is it petals or leaves?)

Hay boxes - yes any box (with no staples or tape/plastic) fill with hay. If they are rectangular cut out a door each end to keep the shape of the box.
You can stuff toilet roll tubes with hay (I did this when GP3 was castrated so he could still eat hay but not sleep in it)
Or paper bags full of hay that they can wreck.

I change daily (mine are messy blighters )

Many guineas don't drink, but still offer daily clean fresh water in a clean bottle/bowl. It's also something to be aware of if your pig either stops drinking or suddenly drinks more (make sure you haven't got a leaky bottle before you think oh, they've drunk a pint, that's weird . Of course in hot weather they might drink more.
The pee output is a good indicator.

No idea about roses but there are pigs on here that eat lavender .
Towels - yes you can put a well wrung out wet towel over their run to cool it (we use a black sheet, especially for our red-eyes )

I use Xeno 450 drops. Some people don't like it - there are cases of GPs having reactions/fits. But the rescue we got GP3 uses it before they are homed, I've had no trouble. Just make sure they don't groom each other and ingest it.

Hot Weather : today, I opened their window (it's re-inforced inside the frame) put the fan on. Gave them chill packs. I've been to check them , GP3 is larding between his hay box and the sows cage (a space about 18" wide)
I put his chill pack in there (chillpack sounds good, it's a 4 pint frozen empty milk bottle of water ) he's now larding beside it.
So he can chat and be cool.

Try watermelon - nice and juicy.
Wash the leaves before you feed them, to give extra water.
Grass
Dandelion leaves, rinsed as above.

Thank you once again for all your tips! I will try the frozen bottle of water. (and one for me too! LOL)
I had my veg delivered in a large paper bag today so will try them with that full of hay.
Yes, I have been washing leaves before they eat them, so I guess they are getting some water from that. Just seems odd that they don't drink much.
They almost gave me heart failure last week when the hutch blew right over in the wind one night! That was great to come down to at 6.30 and start having to clear up - they seemed fine, soon scampering about and eating, no sign of limps or any pain. Phew! The hutch is in a very sheltered spot too between the house and the fence!

I put the humans house fan in their Pighouse ( our temp is 30c today, inside the Pighouse the thermometer was up to 35c but that;s not at pig floor level)
Need to get DH to customise another window for them.

They are out in their respective sow/boar runs now, life is tough with a full fur coat (Real Fur at that )

at the hutch blowing over - hopefully your piggies were in the haybox so well cushioned.
They've lost one of their nine lives and taken 10 years off yours

They've lost one of their nine lives and taken 10 years off yours
they sure did - I have more grey hairs now too!

yes I hoped they were in the bedroom - they have a fat cardboard tube in there and lots of hay around it, so I hope they were ok - neither of them were trapped anywhere.
I did imagine finding 2 dead piggies when I saw it

Phantom - piggies are such contrary creatures they may not have even noticed their hutch blowing over.