Hot weather warning for the UK - Member questions and heatwave feedback

Dampen your sheets before hanging them in front of your windows and if needed repeat the process, especially on the sunny side.
The evaporating water will create a very effective cool layer of air between the sheet and the window as well as preventing the sun getting to window glass. It does REALLY work! The cooler you can keep your place, the less other measures will be needed - and you profit as well.

I have managed to keep indoors temperatures on 35 C day (our current local record) ca. 10 C lower that way.
Be aware that the real killer won't be so much Monday but Tuesday because of the tropical night when the house won't cool down at all overnight.

Don't use just one measure, use them ALL - as many as you can.
 
Got excited when I found an old duvet cover at the bottom of the blanket chest, thats another window with a cover on, been up early sorting our windows out. Good luck everyone.
I am not looking forward to the next few days. No aircon at my work, feels lovely and cool at home though when I come in, in the evening.
Husband has aircon at work but is hopefully working from home and hanging out with the piggies, swapping out frozen bottles.
 
I’ve cancelled almost all my clients for the next few days and Mr A is taking a couple of days off, too.

I already have 2 piggies struggling with mysterious illnesses and I know the next couple of days are going to really test them. I’ve got plenty of those plastic ice pods that you fill with water (instead of gel filled) and I made fleece covers for them a couple of years back. I’ll be changing them every couple of hours. Hazel claims one as soon as she feels the need. I’ve also got 500ml plastic bottles filled with water in the freezer and those get put into the many odd socks that appear in this house. I’ve got thermal backed blackout curtains in the piggies room but it is South Facing and we are in the red heat warning zone.
I’ve got sheets ready to soak and hang over the top of their c &c and 2 large stand fans in their room. It’s going to be a challenge but I feel better prepared for it this time.
 
I was up at 5am and opened all the doors and windows in the whole house while it was blowing through so nicely. Cooled indoors as much as I could. Now it’s sheets on windows, damp sheets over the cages, ice packs etc etc….Ive done all I can
Rabbits are indoors now (after being on the lawn this morning before becoming too warm) and hating every single of it. I have to have them caged indoors and in less space than they are used to but they will have to deal with it!
Piggies have been indoors in the day but back in the shed at night. That’s changed now and they will be indoors full time until mid week. It doesn’t bother them to be indoors luckily! I think they quire like the fact the snacks are delivered more regularly when they are indoors!
 
I had planned on doing a load of washing today but I'm leaving it for tomorrow - jeans and towels basically. There's no real room to hang washing upstairs unless it's over the doors so having washing needing drying makes sense. Window's open in there atm and the blinds slightly ajar but it's also not hot in there, 21.6C. Yay for the north for once.
 
Everyone seems ok here at the moment. Tiles are in and I've got blackout curtains. I've got many bottles in the freezer and plenty of old towels and other fabric to dampen and put over hides and the cages. Might get another fan as ours is out of action at the moment. I've got a little desk one but I'd doubt that will do much.

Just a thought, but if anyone can, can you put out dishes of water for the wildlife as they'll struggle too. I have 4 dotted around the back garden and was going to put some out the front. Keep these out of direct sunlight and refresh regularly. Place them by bushes or trees, somewhere with cover so wildlife will be more likely to use it.
 
Stable 23 in our house at the moment, but 28+ outside. All windows and curtains have been shut since 8am after a last shot at an overnight cool down.

Freezer packs and damp sheets on top of the cage are in the arsenal for tomorrow if it starts to climb. Also going to wash the bathroom towels tomorrow so they'll be drying in the house and hopefully helping a little.

I'm working from home to care for the cat and piggies whilst hubby is going to the nice a/c office! I'll feel like a winner if I can keep the house temp with a 2 as the starting figure for the next few days 🥵 .
 
Dodged the heat here today, woke up at 6am ready to deploy emergency cooling measures and... it was 15 degrees and raining lol! Glad I could grab a bit of extra sleep, heating up now here at 2pm but luckily my house windows all face East or West and the piggies live on the East side, and I've washed my piggy fleeces which are drying outside shading the West side windows.
So escaped until tomorrow morning, when I'll be up at 6am with my damp cotton sheets and frozen bottles in socks!
Hope everyone and their pets all stay safe x
 
It is unbearable here! Made even worse because me and hubby have covid, great timing there!

I’ve just been up to take frozen packs, fridge water and watermelon to the pigs. I called out refreshment time as I walked up the stairs and they all wheeked at me! 🥰

Its 23.5 in the pig room which I’m impressed with, outside it’s currently 30 and I can’t breathe when I have to take the dogs for a quick wee out there. Back to my nap on the sofa now! 💤
 
22.6 in the goblin room atm, although they're being suspiciously quiet at present. The aftermath of squabbling and napping, I'm guessing. After spilling my e-liquid all over myself this morning I did a wash today anyway and they've currently got a pair of jeans drying over their door. Snugglesafes are in the freezer for later, they won't be needed for a bit longer. Dinnertime is when it tends to spike here.
 
Wiebke said:
Dampen your sheets before hanging them in front of your windows and if needed repeat the process, especially on the sunny side.
The evaporating water will create a very effective cool layer of air between the sheet and the window as well as preventing the sun getting to window glass. It does REALLY work! The cooler you can keep your place, the less other measures will be needed - and you profit as well.

I have managed to keep indoors temperatures on 35 C day (our current local record) ca. 10 C lower that way.
Be aware that the real killer won't be so much Monday but Tuesday because of the tropical night when the house won't cool down at all overnight.

Don't use just one measure, use them ALL - as many as you can.
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Wiebke, does this only work if the sheets are on the outside of the window or will it work on the inside too? I don't have anywhere to attach a sheet on the one side of the window for the room the pigs are in, so was just wondering.
 
I'm at 25C in the piggies room. (31 outside). Going to add a damp towel across the cage with the fan across the towel as we'll be out of the house tomorrow. They have a large tile in there, and a cool pack that they aren't too bothered about.
 
Thermometer in the living room where the pigs are is currently reading 26.9 despite all the measures I've put in place 😥 I've given them tiles and frozen water bottles which they're both ignoring, but seem to be acting reasonably normal. Gloria is a bit slower than usual but still happily comes out for food so I'm hoping that means they're both coping okay. It's still worrying, given how much warmer it's still going to get tomorrow and Tuesday! Even the coolest room in my house is hovering around 26 but I'm not sure what more I can do besides open all of the windows as soon as it's cold enough tonight.
 
Hi for some reason it won't let me post to ask a question (I've tried a few times) whats the minimum cage size for 7 guinea pigs with C&C grids? Is it 6 x 3? As I'm moving the guinea pigs downstairs because of the heat and humidity and it is SO much cooler downstairs. Thanks in advance x
 
I’ve put some foil facing outwards on the windows of the pig room, to reject heat back outside, and also am keeping the curtains closed.
I’ve also made some frozen bottle holders out of fleece- just a simple rectangle, folded in half, turned inside out- bottle goes in, and there’s a flap on the top to tuck under.
Ive got a 2 cooling bricks that I’m going to put under their fleece lining in their cage also.
My long haired boy Theo has also had his first haircut (he hated it! But now he’s running around excited so yay I think? 😂)
They are free roaming in my room so hopefully if they are too cold they will just go somewhere warmer as there are lots of hideys for them.
Fingers crossed o
 
Tara95 said:
Hi for some reason it won't let me post to ask a question (I've tried a few times) whats the minimum cage size for 7 guinea pigs with C&C grids? Is it 6 x 3? As I'm moving the guinea pigs downstairs because of the heat and humidity and it is SO much cooler downstairs. Thanks in advance x
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Yes in terms of square feet, that sounds about right.

So 7 pigs would need a 9x2 (5x2 for three piggies, a further 2x1 for each additional piggy).
That roughly comes to 25 sq ft. A 6x3 also comes to roughly 25 sq ft
 
Piggies&buns said:
Yes in terms of square feet, that sounds about right.

So 7 pigs would need a 9x2 (5x2 for three piggies, a further 2x1 for each additional piggy).
That roughly comes to 25 sq ft. A 6x3 also comes to roughly 25 sq ft
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OK thank you brilliant. They've moved downstairs and seem quite happy. Amazingly no arguments atall just were popcorning (haven't had fleece in a while) and are resting x
 
Engel said:
Wiebke, does this only work if the sheets are on the outside of the window or will it work on the inside too? I don't have anywhere to attach a sheet on the one side of the window for the room the pigs are in, so was just wondering.
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Outside is a lot more efficient but does work inside, if not quite as well the windows in the full sun still heat up. But the evaporating cooler air will help to cool the room down a little bit.

It also works if you peg a wet towet to the cage side and train a fan on it. This is one of the measures listed in my hot weather guide, by the way - have a read again and see how many of them you can implement over the coming days. This is really the time to throw the kitchen sink AND your bathroom suite at it. Hot Weather Management, Heat Strokes and Fly Strike
 
We managed to keep the temperature rise over the course of today to just 1 C between 10 am and 7 pm by soaking all sheets in front of all windows repeatedly. Outdoors temperatures have risen over 10 C during that time.

PS: I am currently having a rough ride with Covid and am very weak and off food as it is running its due course, so please accept that I have to concentrate what little spare strength I have strictly towards Edward's medication (he is starting to look better in himself and is able to chew a little more quickly again), towards keeping my own piggies safe (I have still 5 frailer oldies on my hands, apart from Edward) and towards telling/showing my hub exactly what he has to do at which time and to look after myself as much as possible since the added pressure from the exceptional heat is not going to make my Covid symptoms any better, either.
 
Wiebke, hope you get better soon.
Thank you for all your help. We have succeded in keeping downstairs at around 22C today, its shot up a bit this evening as the suns moved around to 23C. Upstairs in our loft room is not nice 30.8C.
The neighbours must think I am mad, my front windows have fabric from the fabric stash on them….. cactus and a map print!
We have enjoyed our cool house today, I will miss it at work tomorrow.
 
Wiebke said:
We managed to keep the temperature rise over the course of today to just 1 C between 10 am and 7 pm by soaking all sheets in front of all windows repeatedly. Outdoors temperatures have risen over 10 C during that time.

PS: I am currently having a rough ride with Covid and am very weak and off food as it is running its due course, so please accept that I have to concentrate what little spare strength I have strictly towards Edward's medication (he is starting to look better in himself and is able to chew a little more quickly again), towards keeping my own piggies safe (I have still 5 frailer oldies on my hands, apart from Edward) and towards telling/showing my hub exactly what he has to do at which time and to look after myself as much as possible since the added pressure from the exceptional heat is not going to make my Covid symptoms any better, either.
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Sending love. Me and my hubs have covid too and I’ve been very poorly and off my food too. Hope you feel better fast.
 
Wiebke said:
We managed to keep the temperature rise over the course of today to just 1 C between 10 am and 7 pm by soaking all sheets in front of all windows repeatedly. Outdoors temperatures have risen over 10 C during that time.

PS: I am currently having a rough ride with Covid and am very weak and off food as it is running its due course, so please accept that I have to concentrate what little spare strength I have strictly towards Edward's medication (he is starting to look better in himself and is able to chew a little more quickly again), towards keeping my own piggies safe (I have still 5 frailer oldies on my hands, apart from Edward) and towards telling/showing my hub exactly what he has to do at which time and to look after myself as much as possible since the added pressure from the exceptional heat is not going to make my Covid symptoms any better, either.
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So sorry you’re having such a rough time with Covid.
Take care of yourself and I hope you feel better soon.
 
Wiebke said:
We managed to keep the temperature rise over the course of today to just 1 C between 10 am and 7 pm by soaking all sheets in front of all windows repeatedly. Outdoors temperatures have risen over 10 C during that time.

PS: I am currently having a rough ride with Covid and am very weak and off food as it is running its due course, so please accept that I have to concentrate what little spare strength I have strictly towards Edward's medication (he is starting to look better in himself and is able to chew a little more quickly again), towards keeping my own piggies safe (I have still 5 frailer oldies on my hands, apart from Edward) and towards telling/showing my hub exactly what he has to do at which time and to look after myself as much as possible since the added pressure from the exceptional heat is not going to make my Covid symptoms any better, either.
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I am very sorry that you have come down with Covid and I'm sorry that you're having to medicate Edward while you're so poorly :( But I am ever so glad that he is feeling better and is chewing more quickly again.

Take good care of yourself and rest up. I hope you feel better soon
 
Lavinia said:
Sending love. Me and my hubs have covid too and I’ve been very poorly and off my food too. Hope you feel better fast.
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I am very sorry that you are ill, too. My fingers are crossed for both of you!

I expect my respiratory symptoms to get noticeably worse with the heat and am thinking about spending tomorrow night plastered to our tiled kitchen floor with the occasional lukewarm (NOT cold) shower - a cold one will trigger the internal heating to come on. Plus keeping the window sheets dampened around the clock (they are actually very effective). The rest is just endure and hoping for the best.

PS: What works to keep your piggies cool, actually also works for us humans, too!
 
Engel said:
Everyone seems ok here at the moment. Tiles are in and I've got blackout curtains. I've got many bottles in the freezer and plenty of old towels and other fabric to dampen and put over hides and the cages. Might get another fan as ours is out of action at the moment. I've got a little desk one but I'd doubt that will do much.

Just a thought, but if anyone can, can you put out dishes of water for the wildlife as they'll struggle too. I have 4 dotted around the back garden and was going to put some out the front. Keep these out of direct sunlight and refresh regularly. Place them by bushes or trees, somewhere with cover so wildlife will be more likely to use it.
Click to expand...

I am doing shallow watering places that all year round for the wildlife; especially the little ones... My garden may look somewhat unkempt but I am seeing a lot more wildlife in it. :)
 
Feel better soon Wiebke!

Today was a success, the temperature in the piggy room stayed a good 6 degrees below what was going on outside with just the cardboard up on the windows. They were introduced to their granite chopping boards and seem to have decided they're safe, being a bit perplexed at first 😅 water bottles are all frozen ready to go tomorrow, and a new batch ready to go in the freezer as soon as those are out to serve their purpose.

From what I can see, I only have about 6 hours to worry about both days, with the rest of the day only being as warm as today. I may break my rule of not leaving windows open over night on Monday, as I doubt I'll be sleeping much anyway and 22c overnight is asking a bit much of the pigs after such a warm day.
 
I hope you feel better soon @Wiebke and @Lavinia
I hope everyone 2 and 4 legged stays safe in the coming days.
We've been lucky here so far, we've not had the very hot temperatures that have been forecast. It's been normal dry sunny mixed overcast summer weather so far! Water bottles are in the freezer and towels on standby to wet just in case. Hopefully they won't be needed and we get the promised rain on Tuesday to fill the much depleted water butts.
 
I hope you feel better soon @Wiebke - and thank you for all your knowledge and advice.

I feel quite pleased that I've managed to keep the piggies room to under 26 today despite it being 32 outside, and they seem quite happy with that. Tomorrow will be a different story of course, but although I'm still worried, I've got plans in place and I feel slightly more confident that I can keep them safe and comfortable.
 
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