How do you cool a pig in the summer?

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KrazyKavy

Post   » Mon Jul 01, 2002 4:24 pm


Hello, it´s been awhile since I´ve been around, but i had a quick question. It´s been pretty warm in New York the past couple of days. I´ve noticed my pigs are very sluggish from the heat. I´ve been giving them extended floor time because i figured it would be alot cooler out of the pine bedded cage and onto the cooler floor. I heard drafts are bad for pigs so i can´t have a fan rotating near them right? And what about air conditoners on a low setting, if i keep the cage away from it. Is there any other tips you all can give me for keeping my pigs cool? I would appreciate it.

brian . . . .

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Lynx
Celebrate!!!

Post   » Mon Jul 01, 2002 4:30 pm


Yes, airconditioners will help. Some people freeze a 2/3 full of water large soda bottle and place it in their cage -- they can lie next to it if they want and lick the condensation.

Make sure they are out of direct sunlight and choose as cool a place as you can. You might change the water more frequently (nice cold water) and make sure there are lots of vegetables with a decent water content (romaine -- rinse and leave some water on the leaves).

I´m sure other people will have ideas. Heat can indeed be deadly.

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KarasKavies
For the love of my girls!

Post   » Mon Jul 01, 2002 4:34 pm


AC is fine. Like you said, just make sure it is not blowing directly on them. My spoiled girls live in AC. "Draft" usually refers to a cool breeze in a heated space. Like in the winter when a door is opened and you feel the cool breeze. Harder to get a draft in the summer. Fans are ok too. Make sure they are UP where the pigs can´t get close. Again, not blowing directly on them. If it were oscillating and passed by them on a low setting, I would think that would be OK.

I gave my girls some cold watermelon rinds last eve. They really liked them and they stayed cool for awhile. Carrots too. Any dense food that was cold would be a cool treat for them.

I think if you are comfortable in a room, they will be too. Usually when I am hot, they look it too!

gpperson
Carpe Cavies

Post   » Mon Jul 01, 2002 5:00 pm


I use the refreezable ice you put in a lunch box. First wrap in saran and then in a wash cloth. Place in the cage and watch the fun. The ladies like to roll almost upside down.

I put a small bit of crushed ice in the water bottle. Just enough to feel cool but not cold. As a treat I freeze a grape for each of my three ladies.

Also they are kept in an air conditioned room.

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leebee

Post   » Mon Jul 01, 2002 7:03 pm


If your pig is a long-haired breed, you can do this:

http://imageevent.com/leebee/haircut

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Lynx
Celebrate!!!

Post   » Mon Jul 01, 2002 7:27 pm


She is such a doll! And so stylish, too!

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leebee

Post   » Mon Jul 01, 2002 7:47 pm


Thanks!

She´s the best lap pig I´ve ever had. I´ve had her for two days now, and I´m smitten with her!

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Teresa

Post   » Mon Jul 01, 2002 8:55 pm


I´ll be adding this to the Options page on Cavy Cages. Here is an example of bricks in use. If anyone has photos of the frozen water bottles, I´d like to include them. Thanks.

http://imageevent.com/cavyspirit/cavycagescoolideas

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Lynx
Celebrate!!!

Post   » Mon Jul 01, 2002 9:02 pm


I don´t mean to be too discouraging, but bricks soak up pee -- I used to have a brick stairs to get to the sleeping shelf and found I had to scrub them off regularly. One might be lucky to have pigs who don´t pee on them, but odds are they will get wet.

I finally gave up on the bricks and cool stones (the temperatures don´t get high where they live -- perhaps 80 max -- cooler because they are on the floor).

That reminds me -- putting cages on the floor may help -- there may be several degrees difference between the low and high points of a room.

parbish

Post   » Mon Jul 01, 2002 9:24 pm


I live in Chicago and it has been hot!. I can´t live without an air conditioner. Just to ensure that the A/C isn´t blowing directly on Talisker (my cavy) I put a dish towel on the top of the cage. This way, he is not in the direct blow, but is still comfortable at 68 to 70 degrees.

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Sunny

Post   » Tue Jul 02, 2002 4:40 pm


parbish - just be sure not to cover too much of the cage because good air circulation is important too.

Teresa - love the patio!

To stay cool at our house, the pigs get moved to the dungeon, er basement. It stays a comfortable 70 degrees even when it´s 100 upstairs.

Dion

Post   » Thu Jul 04, 2002 12:11 pm


*wonders if you can teach pigs to go to the bathroom in a corner* :P

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