How to Keep Your Guinea Pigs Safe and Cool - Hot Weather Warning for the UK

Wiebke

Wiebke

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The summer is finally taking off in the UK. Please be aware that your guinea pigs are not used to those warmer conditions and can easily overheat, causing heat exhaustion, gut stasis/loss of appetite, heart strain and fatal heat stroke - even in conditions that you may consider warm rather than hot.

Be aware that hutches/sheds and lawns can quickly become death traps; please bring your piggies inside during the hottest hours. Our hot weather guide has the largest collection of practical, tried and tested tips on how you can keep your living quarters as cool as possible and what measures you can additionally take for your guinea pigs, from the planned to the improvised - you will be surprised of the huge range of little things you can do. It is often the combination of a number of measures that is best. Don't think that you know it all - read up and then tweak what you are doing. ;)
The good news is that if your piggies are staying away from a source of cold, they are not overheated; if they are plastered to it, they are very much so.
Here is the complete information on how to keep cool, how to spot heat exhaustion/stroke and what to do: Hot Weather Management, Heat Strokes and Fly Strike

It is vital that you keep any water cool and refreshed. Don't massively overfeed on watery veg that your piggies are not used to; it can cause diarrhea or bloating. Guinea pigs need constant access to cool fluid (either water with ice dissolving in it and/or a larger piece of cubumber that keeps cooler for longer when you are out for the day) but they don't sweat or pant, so they are not suddenly drinking lots more. If your piggies stop drinking water, then either the water is too hot/stale or you are overfeeding watery veg - and if they do not really or drink, then they have heat exhaustion or heat stroke and need to see a vet as soon as possible. Melon makes a nice snack but please don't overdo it. Cool water does contain a lot less sugar that cannot cause dysbiosis (overgrowth of the wrong kind of bacteria in the gut, resulting in an upset tummy).
More information on what to feed in hot weather: The temptation to overfeed watery veg and fruit in hot weather!

If you need to travel with your guinea pigs in hot weather (vet visits, holiday), please read up on how you can keep your piggies safe in a sun-heated car: Travelling with guinea pigs

Please ensure that any people looking after your guinea pigs during a holiday absence are also aware of the potential of heat stroke, can spot the signs, know which vet to contact and know what to do for hot weather protection: Tips For Organising Your Holiday Absence

Stay safe and keep your piggies safe!

PS: Please post a short answer to keep this thread bumped up over the weekend. There is nothing more devastating for an owner to come to terms with than a preventable death; the more you can help to prevent them from happening, the better. You are also welcome to post the guide links on your social media accounts. It can save lives!
 
I think a digital weather station with remote sensors is a great idea, especially for piggies in Hutches. The hutch temperature isn't necessarily the same as that of the room it is in, as it is enclosed.

I have a sensor hanging in my hutch so I can monitor the hutch from my kitchen - and another sensor that can switch on or off a heater or fan.
 
I’ve got my ice packs at the ready. This pic is from one of the heatwaves last year of my rainbow piggy Ben after he’d just flopped down onto his ice pack (wrapped in the blue fleece). You can see in his face how fed up he was of the heat, poor guy.
 

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I'm on a building site working and I cannot escape the 🌞 sun .

Edit I'm now home early with a massive headache , sickness . I'm drinking loads of water and took ibuprofen. Hope this goes soon . Hate the heat , can't imagine what animals feel like. I was working in the air in a cherry picker , against boiling hot cladding . I've heard horror stories of workers getting stuck when the machine breaks down and no one around to bring them down. I couldn't get enough water down me obviously.
 
I decided not to buy an aircon unit , I don't like relying on it . One fault or a power cut and the animals are all in trouble. Going old skool , bottles and refridgerated slates
 
At what temperature would you folks recommend putting cool bag ice blocks in with piggies. Mine are indoors, blinds shut, thermometer nearby
 
Winniepeg said:
At what temperature would you folks recommend putting cool bag ice blocks in with piggies. Mine are indoors, blinds shut, thermometer nearby
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I would put them in earlier rather than later - it's easier to keep something cool than try to cool it down later. So once it gets to above 21 degrees probably?
 
Mine are never too keen to go near the frozen bottles or ice block but I do try to encourage them!
 
Yes my piggies also avoid the frozen bottle in sock intruders, in fact today I really overdid the cooling and now the piggies are trying to keep warm!
Always better to be safe though, especially if you are going out, you never know if the temperature will suddenly spike in the afternoon!
Here is Puggle keeping warm in a fleecy tunnel hiding from the cold sock monster and not sure why the cage is under a damp sheet tent :)
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Mine don’t like frozen water bottles either. I’m trying snugglesafes in the fridge but they are not sitting on them. 🤦🏻‍♀️

I’ve also hung a blanket over the door window (they are in the garage). The temperature inside the hutch says 22.
 
Winniepeg said:
At what temperature would you folks recommend putting cool bag ice blocks in with piggies. Mine are indoors, blinds shut, thermometer nearby
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About from 25 C room temperature onward. If your piggies are not going near them, they are not overheated.
Older and frailer piggies or long-haired piggies with a thick coat will generally be happy about extra cooling sooner.

For older piggies, I find that they like regularly changed fridge cooled snugglesafe pads under their favourite cosy better - they are cool but not as cold frozen cool elements or bottles but only when you are around to change them about every 2-3 hours.
 
Thank you for this Post! Very helpful! Went out today after Reading this and brought 7 guinea pig sized iceblocks! First time I've used anything like this as didn't get my First two until late August when it was surprisingly cold for August! impatiently waiting for them to freeze so I can put a fleece blanket over them for the pigs! How often would you guys recommend changing the iceblocks? The current temperature in the room is 22.7 and the room doesn't feel too hot for a change as have started putting the blinds all the way down. Although some of them are laying on bellies. :S
 
weepweeps said:
Mine don’t like frozen water bottles either. I’m trying snugglesafes in the fridge but they are not sitting on them. 🤦🏻‍♀️

I’ve also hung a blanket over the door window (they are in the garage). The temperature inside the hutch says 22.
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That is a very comfortable temperature for guinea pigs. ;)
 
Tara95 said:
Thank you for this Post! Very helpful! Went out today after Reading this and brought 7 guinea pig sized iceblocks! First time I've used anything like this as didn't get my First two until late August when it was surprisingly cold for August! impatiently waiting for them to freeze so I can put a fleece blanket over them for the pigs! How often would you guys recommend changing the iceblocks? The current temperature in the room is 22.7 and the room doesn't feel too hot for a change as have started putting the blinds all the way down. Although some of them are laying on bellies. :S
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Those are still very comfortable temperatures for guinea pigs.

25 C plus (77 F plus) is when the frailer piggies start struggling but there is quite an individual variance. Like us humans, piggies will feel heat more at the start of a heatwave or during a strong heat spike but they will gradually adapt to warmer temperatures with every passing day.

However, in my own experience, the extra pressure from the heat can push the delicate balance in an already beleaguered/fragile immune system to the wrong side, so the babies, pregnant and new mothers, the ill and the old are the ones that are most at risk of underlying health issues coming to the fore, opportunistic skin parasites or respiratory/urinary tract illnesses making a potentially rather dramatic appearance when the immune system can no longer fend them off.

I have got a constantly refilled filter jug of water in the fridge to top up the piggy bottles throughout the day and provide fresh cool water at all times. If you are not at home, then ice cubes for lidded bottled or crushed ice or traditional bottles will help to keep the water cooler for longer. A bigger chunk of cucumber from the fridge will keep the moist bit in the middle cooler for longer too - it is a good offering to leave behind in the morning for working people. Otherwise a fesh small slice of cucumber from the fridge when it is really hot and oppressive makes a great treat when it is really hot and oppressive and you are at home.

Put your piggies outside if you have the option once it gets nicer and fresher than indoors in the evening. That is the best lawn time during hot weather, but even a patio run or a balcony will do if they can provide heat relief.
 
Wiebke said:
Those are still very comfortable temperatures for guinea pigs.

25 C plus (77 F plus) is when the frailer piggies start struggling but there is quite an individual variance. Like us humans, piggies will feel heat more at the start of a heatwave or during a strong heat spike but they will gradually adapt to warmer temperatures with every passing day.

However, in my own experience, the extra pressure from the heat can push the delicate balance in an already beleaguered/fragile immune system to the wrong side, so the babies, pregnant and new mothers, the ill and the old are the ones that are most at risk of underlying health issues coming to the fore, opportunistic skin parasites or respiratory/urinary tract illnesses making a potentially rather dramatic appearance when the immune system can no longer fend them off.
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Thank you very much. Have just double checked the temperature and it's 24 degrees. Have two Teddy's and a pig with an eye ulcer (on eye drops and antibiotics and painkillers who seems very sleepy although eye looked like it had completely recovered from just 2 days of treatment) who seem to feel the heat more. May put a few iceblocks in with fleece just incase. Many thanks for all your help and advice. Hope your pigs are in good health ☺️
 
Oh my gosh I don't believe it, my Little piggy with the eye ulcer has just started sitting on the ice block as soon as I put it in! It's not frozen yet as it's only been in the freezer for an hour but it's quite cold. thank you 😍MVIMG_20210717_150040.jpgMVIMG_20210717_151016.jpg
and my other baby has Just started sitting on the other iceblock. Didn't expect this reaction. They must be really warm it does feel quite humid may put some more in for the others. X
 
Tara95 said:
Oh my gosh I don't believe it, my Little piggy with the eye ulcer has just started sitting on the ice block as soon as I put it in! It's not frozen yet as it's only been in the freezer for an hour but it's quite cold. thank you 😍View attachment 180836View attachment 180837
and my other baby has Just started sitting on the other iceblock. Didn't expect this reaction. They must be really warm it does feel quite humid may put some more in for the others. X
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Wonder if you might also consider a summer haircut for your fluffier piggies?
If you look at some of the other recent forum threads, many of us are getting out the scissors and cordless clippers this week to get a bit of excess fur off our floofy pigs! The results may be hilarious but it does help them stay cool :)
 
PigglePuggle said:
Wonder if you might also consider a summer haircut for your fluffier piggies?
If you look at some of the other recent forum threads, many of us are getting out the scissors and cordless clippers this week to get a bit of excess fur off our floofy pigs! The results may be hilarious but it does help them stay cool :)
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I've never thought of that! Tbh Cinder the ginger pig has all of a sudden got really fluffy! The girls in the pictures are all Abyssinians (I think?) But Cinder is particularly fluffy!I also have 2 Teddies with fairly thick hair. Would you suggest using scissors for those 5? The other two are short hair but they may benefit from a trim as they're always laying down! X
 
A guinea pig groomers told me they don't cut Abyssinians fur as it's not long enough. Should I be cutting their fur? It's not massively long but it's longer than short haired pigs.

It's useful to know that they will sit on the cool things if they are hot. They haven't done so yet as I was concerned they just weren't rather than they aren't hot.
 
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