Heat anxiety

[Qpigs]

Firstly, I hate the heat! I burn easily, I can't sleep and I get incredibly grumpy!

My beautiful girls have been with us for 2 months. At the start my anxiety was ridiculous, but I'm in a nice routine now, and they are seemingly thriving.

I had severe anxiety when my son was a baby, and it was hot. I spent hours willing the Gro Egg to stop being red!

I've read all the tips on here about keeping cool. I'm lucky that the pigs are in our front room, which is north-ish facing, and the temperature only got to 20 in the house yesterday.

I'm anxious about the higher heats and the times I may not be able to check on them like during work and overnight. I've asked my husband if he can work from home on the extreme heat days, but what about when it's still hot overnight?

I know the practical tips for keeping cool, I guess I'm looking for advice as to how to manage the anxiety of not being able to constantly check on them. Having never had piggies before, this is another unknown for me, so the anxiety levels are rising!

Thank you!

 

[Lorcan]

For me it's about finding a distraction and deliberately keeping myself in a different room - which is easy for me because they're in the bedroom and my computer's in the box room. Plus the door's closed so I can vape, so there's a separation there.

I also make a point of only going in once an hour at most. Like I see the time, go in to say hello, check all's well, and leaving it at that til next time. The routine helps, for me and for them.

 

[Wiebke]

Firstly, I hate the heat! I burn easily, I can't sleep and I get incredibly grumpy!

My beautiful girls have been with us for 2 months. At the start my anxiety was ridiculous, but I'm in a nice routine now, and they are seemingly thriving.

I had severe anxiety when my son was a baby, and it was hot. I spent hours willing the Gro Egg to stop being red!

I've read all the tips on here about keeping cool. I'm lucky that the pigs are in our front room, which is north-ish facing, and the temperature only got to 20 in the house yesterday.

I'm anxious about the higher heats and the times I may not be able to check on them like during work and overnight. I've asked my husband if he can work from home on the extreme heat days, but what about when it's still hot overnight?

I know the practical tips for keeping cool, I guess I'm looking for advice as to how to manage the anxiety of not being able to constantly check on them. Having never had piggies before, this is another unknown for me, so the anxiety levels are rising!

Thank you!

Hi

Please try not to worry. Your piggies are safe!

Piggies will generally adapt to higher temperatures over their comfort zone of 15-25 C if they can do so over the course of several days; it is the big quick temperature jumps of over 10 C in a hutch, uninsulated shed or lawn run (even in the shade but with a hot breeze) or a plastic hut exposed to the sun that are the real killers, especially if temperatures are climbing quickly over 30 C in a matter of hours. This week will stay warm but not hot with yesterday being the hottest day so the piggies have time to adapt to gradually warmer rooms for the coming summer months.

If you practise a combination of our tips both for the room and for the cage (like a leaving larger frozen water bottle if you are away on days over 30 C they can stick to if they feel overheated and adding some crushed ice to the drinking water bottles for the water to stay cool and drinkable while you are away), you should be able to keep temperatures down to bearable level in a north facing room during the day. You have the greatest advantage already on your side - the least exposure to direct sunlight both through sunlight and on the walls.

Have a read of this thread here which we have run last summer for our members (several with major anxiety issues) during the record heat and their various feedback from trialling tips and their experiences as the hot weather continued. You will find that the piggies have been able to cope even in a hot inner city flat: Hot weather warning for the UK - plan now to keep your piggies safe!

PS: It is currently 23 C in our south facing lounge and even my frailer oldies are not feeling hot; in fact, my 6 years old long-haired Cerian is currently snuggled up in a tight fleece tunnel she normally sleeps on top of.

 

[Qpigs]

Hi

Please try not to worry. Your piggies are safe!

Piggies will generally adapt to higher temperatures over their comfort zone of 15-25 C if they can do so over the course of several days; it is the big quick temperature jumps of over 10 C in a hutch, uninsulated shed or lawn run (even in the shade but with a hot breeze) or a plastic hut exposed to the sun that are the real killers, especially if temperatures are climbing quickly over 30 C in a matter of hours. This week will stay warm but not hot with yesterday being the hottest day so the piggies have time to adapt to gradually warmer rooms for the coming summer months.

If you practise a combination of our tips both for the room and for the cage (like a leaving larger frozen water bottle if you are away on days over 30 C they can stick to if they feel overheated and adding some crushed ice to the drinking water bottles for the water to stay cool and drinkable while you are away), you should be able to keep temperatures down to bearable level in a north facing room during the day. You have the greatest advantage already on your side - the least exposure to direct sunlight both through sunlight and on the walls.

Have a read of this thread here which we have run last summer for our members (several with major anxiety issues) during the record heat and their various feedback from trialling tips and their experiences as the hot weather continued. You will find that the piggies have been able to cope even in a hot inner city flat: Hot weather warning for the UK - plan now to keep your piggies safe!

PS: It is currently 23 C in our south facing lounge and even my frailer oldies are not feeling hot; in fact, my 6 years old long-haired Cerian is currently snuggled up in a tight fleece tunnel she normally sleeps on top of.

Thank you, this has really helped