Guinea Pig

Summer

Weather Guide

Keeping your guinea pigs safe during the

heat of Summer.

Guinea pigs are very susceptible to changes in the weather and temperature and in particular sudden changes. A guinea pigs health can deteriorate quickly if procedures aren't put in place to help keep your guinea pig comfortable during these changes. Summer in Australia can be harsh for humans and also harsh for guinea pigs. When the temperature changes suddenly from cool to hot or when the temperature is very high or humid this is where heat management techniques to keep your guinea pigs safe and happy need to be put in place .

Their have been many cases reported to ACS whereby guinea pigs have been housed outdoors and left in their cage in part or full sun for as little as 1 hour and this has been enough to cause severe heatstroke and death in these cases.

The most comfortable temperature for a guinea pig is between 18-22 degrees.

Guinea Pigs rely on their owner for every aspect of their care and they are not able to remove themselves from their enclosure or apply what they need to, in order to survive weather extremes or changes. The easiest tip for guinea pigs owners is to treat your guinea pigs just as you would yourself. If you are cold your guinea pigs will also be cold and if you are hot and wouldn't stay outside in the sun on a summers day then your pets shouldn't be either. If methods are needed for you to keep cool or warm throughout the months of the year then methods will need to be applied for your guinea pigs as well.

In the summer months Guinea pigs can generally tolerate temperatures up to the very low 30's and/or with average humidity levels but when temperatures rise above the low 30's or when the humidity is quite high (over 55%) then this is when the summer heat management techniques need to be put in to place so that your guinea pig does not suffer harmful permanent health effects or death.

Tip! Keep cautious during sudden weather changes. Although both heat and cold can affect the health of your guinea pig an extreme change in temperature or weather between one day to the next at any time of the year can also affect your guinea pigs health. In particular the sudden change in temperature for only a couple of days from autumn to winter and a sudden change from spring to summer can be the times that your guinea pigs will be most prone to falling unwell due to trying to adapt to the new seasons.

Who is most at risk? Old guinea pigs, young guinea pigs, dark coloured guinea pigs, guinea pigs in poor health and pregnant sows are most at risk of developing heat stress although in saying this any guinea pig can still fall prey to heat stress.

Housing in Summer: Lawn/Outdoor Hutches need to be kept in complete shade on a warm to hot day. (Note that leaving a cage in the sun and covering it with something like a towel or piece of timber is not the same as having a cage in the shade of a tree or other high solid structure and that this will not ease heat stress on your guinea pigs). A cage with half to full sun over it can quickly become surprisingly hot inside  and humidity can also rise up from the ground. Metal cages or part metal cages are 'ovens' in Summer and 'chillers' in Winter and ACS strongly suggest to not house guinea pigs in metal lawn hutches.

Shaded indoor or patio housing (if cooler and more shaded than outside) is recommended either permanently or temporarily during the summer months in particular if nobody will be home during the day.

Guinea Pigs need housing that has good air circulation particularly during the summer months. A cage with three or four open wired sides will give good ventilation during the summer months. The air needs to be able to pass through the enclosure.

Be cautious if your Guinea pigs have plastic 'igloos' and other solid plastic houses inside their enclosure. Guinea Pigs do not realise that the heat and humidity will build up higher inside these little houses. If you think that this may be a risk with your guinea pigs it is best to remove their little houses during the heat of the day.

Conditions that can result from the heat include:
Dehydration, Heat Stroke, Toxemia and Pregnancy Toxemia , Heart attack and General heat stress related symptoms which include slobbering, labored breathing, weakness (guinea pig feels floppy), a reluctance to move, high body heat, convulsions and death if left untreated.

Heatstroke: If your guinea pig develops heatstroke immediate action needs to be taken in order to save your guinea pigs life and before serious internal damage occurs resulting in death.

Symptoms of heatstroke are:
- Guinea pig will be lying flat on their tummy or side and will be unable or unwilling to move
- Guinea pig will be hot to touch (high temperature) and in the worse stages be floppy and limp.
- Rapid Pulse
- Weakness and Loss of Appetite
- Drooling / Bad Breathe (ketosis)
- Labored breathing

- Sunken eyes (dehydration)

If your guinea pig is suffering from heat stress but has not succumbed to severe heatstroke the symptoms may include:
- More general lethargy and sleeping than normal
- Wet/Snotty nose

- Less interest in food

- Discharge around the eyes/dull eyes

Your guinea pig will need to be cooled down immediately in cool (not cold) water to cool down their body temperature. Your guinea pig will then need to  have re-hydration fluids administered. Contact your local guinea pig recommended vet for further steps on how to continue with treatment from here. (Recommended Vets can be found on the ACS Website in the Contact Us section). Alternatively contact someone from the ACS Team immediately if your guinea pig has heatstroke.

For further information on how to treat heatstroke and suggested procedures to use please see our Heatstroke article link below.

HEAT STROKE ( INCLUDES TREATMENT )

Articles

TIPS TO KEEP YOUR GUINEA PIGS COOL!

- Ventilation: Guinea pigs need good airflow and ventilation all the time. It is advised to house your guinea pig in an enclosure with a minimum of two wired sides.

- Air Conditioning units can be used for indoor guinea pigs

- Fans (note that if the air is hot then fans will only circulate this hot air around so for fans to be effective items such as damp cloths should be placed on the cages so that cooler air can be produced or a cooling fan would also suffice).

- Frozen water bottles/cordial/milk bottles or ice packs all come very effective for guinea pigs to keep their bodies cooler. You will find the guinea pig will lay on the bottle or lick it or put their little feet on the frozen bottle.

- Bricks and Tiles. Guinea pigs love to rest their tummies on the coolness of these and wetting or placing frozen bottles onto the bricks will help to cool them even more.

- WATER! Make sure your guinea pig always has fresh cool water available. Guinea pigs will not drink warm or hot water so be sure that their water bottle is kept out of the sun. If you use bowls then these need to be sturdy enough so that the guinea pig will not be able to tip it over and lose there supply of water.

- Water in a Bowl Placing a bowl of water in the guinea pigs cage will allow them to dip their feet or bodies in to keep cool if they feel the need.

- Ice-Cubes. As something extra guinea pigs sometimes like to lick an ice cube.

- Moist towels can be draped over the cage with a fan blowing on them to lower the temperature inside the cage

- Bathing your guinea pig in luke warm water on a hot day will definitely help to lower their body temperature.

- Watermelon and Fresh Fruits can be a special treat to help your guinea pig to stay well hydrated on a hot day.

- Many people often ask 'can guinea pigs swim?'. The answer is '’yes'’ they can. Guinea pigs are fast and good swimmers and hold their nose in the air while paddling is done with their feet. ACS advise against 'swimming' as a form of keeping cool as in general a guinea pig will not swim by choice. It is advised that if you do let your guinea pig have a swim on a hot day. to make sure you use the following safe steps.

Only let your guinea pig swim if they want to and enjoy it. Do not force your guinea pig to swim against its will.

Monitor your guinea pig closely at all times.

Have a towel on hand to wrap your guinea pig in.

Do this only in warm temperatures so your guinea pig does not catch a chill.

Have a place where your guinea pig can swim to easily get out of the water if they need to.

Do not push your guinea pig or touch them while they are swimming unless it is to lift the them out of the water (which should be done by gently supporting the body underneath with your hands and making sure the guinea pigs head is kept high above the water as you lift the them out ). If a guinea pig gets water up  their nose or ingests water the wrong way  they could get water in their lungs and this could cause pneumonia which could lead to death.

Parental supervision must be adhered to at all times.

Do not let your guinea pig swim in chlorinated pools.

Use a shallow baby bath or similar so your guinea pig can be easily monitored and kept safe at all times.

(c) Copyright 2006, Australian Cavy Sanctuary. All rights reserved.