Guinea pigs are even more sensitive to heat than most people. They will be a lot slower than normal and will often eat less well. Fortunately, there are a number of things you can do to make the heat more bearable. For example, you can use cooling elements and ensure that your guinea pig is in the coolest place in the house.
Observations
When it is warm outside, guinea pigs also get warm very quickly. There are a number of things you can observe about your guinea pig when it is hot. For example, you will notice that your guinea pig becomes a lot slower and calmer than usual. When he is normally constantly squeaking in the front of the cage, he will now often lie down. There are also guinea pigs that do not eat as well as normal, often they will only eat their hay and kibble in the evening or at night when it has cooled slightly. Some guinea pigs will obviously get wet and sticky when they are hot, they lie in the same spot all the time making it sweltering under the belly.
What can I do?
There are a number of things you can do to make the heat more bearable for your guinea pig.
Cooling elements
Special ‘icepods’ are available in the store to ensure that rodents do not get super hot when it is hot outside. You buy these icepods together with a fleece fabric cover so that the thing is comfortable for your guinea pig. Before use, put it in the freezer for a few hours.
When you have too many guinea pigs to buy all the icepods or when you simply do not have the money, it is also an option to freeze small bottles of water. Always remove the label because some guinea pigs will want to chew on this. In any case, it remains to be seen whether your guinea pig does not break the drinking bottle, luckily about 90 percent of the guinea pigs will not do this! Never put those store-bought blue ice packs in your guinea pig’s cage! These elements contain a very toxic substance, if your guinea pig bites the cooling element and ingests this substance, it will in most cases die very quickly.
Small layer of water
This is only an option if you notice that your guinea pig is really absurdly hot. Some guinea pigs will appreciate it and other guinea pigs will not like it ten times. You put a small layer of water in a plastic container. This layer should really only reach the bottom of the guinea pig’s belly, which is about two inches. As a plastic container you can use the bottom of your cage or, for example, a Curver crate. To allow the guinea pigs to choose whether or not to stand in the water, you can place a small elevation under one side of the tray, so one side of the tray will contain a layer of water and the other side will be dry.
Never put so much water in the bowl that your guinea pig has to go for a swim! There are enough videos of swimming guinea pigs on Facebook and YouTube that make people think that these critters like it. Swimming guinea pigs is only one way of survival 99 percent of the time, they will hardly ever go swimming voluntarily.
Cut short
Many people think it is a shame or sad, but in most cases this is the most effective way to ensure that your guinea pig gets less hot. Grab the scissors and cut your guinea pig’s hair as short as you can. Be very careful not to cut the skin of your guinea pig. Some guinea pigs will be fine with you cutting them, other guinea pigs will start sounding like they are about to be killed. As long as you think you won’t hurt the guinea pig, this will be the case in most cases, guinea pigs are often good posers!
Cool place in the house
When it is very hot, it is wise to place your guinea pig’s cage in one of the coolest places in the house. This can be, for example, in the hall, the basement or in the garage. It makes no difference that the bugs see less people than normal, they are happy that they are less warm.
When your guinea pig cage is normally outside, it is very wise to bring the critters inside for a certain period of time during the heat. When this is really not an option due to an allergy of one of the family members, you must ensure that the cage is constantly in a place with natural shade, the shade of a shrub or tree is much cooler than that of a parasol. Make sure the cage is never exposed to the sun, your guinea pigs can die from heat stroke within hours.