But Buddy It’s Cold Outside – 5 Top Tips For Cold Weather Care

It’s been getting colder outside and I’ve decided I want to hibernate!

Buddy disagrees and claims he would waste away if he slept all Winter and couldn’t eat the fatty

Like most animals, whee piggies do not deal well with extremes of temperature.

In hot weather whee are at risk of heat stroke so whee advise you check this page whee wrote to see how you can avoid that.

In cold weather whee are equally susceptible to suffering. You can see our full article on cold weather care here.

Here are our top 5 tips to caring for your piggy during a cold spell.

1. If it’s too cold for you outside then it is too cold for your piggies. You have the option to put a coat or jumper on to keep warm. Whee don’t!
2. Bring outdoor piggies indoors during cold spells. Not only does this protect them from the fluctuating and extreme temperatures but you will also be able to spot illness or reactions to the weather more easily. If you cannot bring them into your home they should at least be moved into a shed, garage or porch where they can avoid the worst of a frost.
3. The best tool you can have is a snugglesafe heat pad. Our hooman swears by them. For older piggies, arthritic piggies or piggies recovering from illness these are the perfect way to keep them warm. Alternatively if you don’t have one and need something to warm a piggy urgently – don’t risk using a hot water bottle – you can warm a small cold animal, by putting them on your bare warm abdomen. This transfers heat and if you put a blanket over the top of them too, should help warm them. If a piggy or any animal is seriously cold and showing signs of listlessness, weakness, or anything abnormal you should always call your vet for advice.
4. Extra hay. Though they need lots of hay all year round with it being 70% of their diet putting extra in for bedding is a great way for them to hide and keep warm. Hay nests!
5. Hutch snugs or bottle snugs. Whee have not used these but they are good for piggies kept in sheds or garages during cold weather. An extra layer of insulation to protect them! Alternatively you can put a layer sheet of radiator reflector foil (available from most DIY shops) over the hutch. This helps to insulate the hutch and reflects any heat back inside.

Most of what whee have said is transferable to other species, hamsters, cats, dog, rabbits etc.

So please remember to keep your pets warm this Winter!

What are your top tips for staying warm in cold weather?

Basil

xxxx

Can My Piggy Eat Pumpkin?

It’s the spookiest time of the year. When witches and ghosties stalk the streets and the things that go bump in the night come out to play! It’s also the time of year when whee bring those pumpkins into our homes and create fun and scary jack o’laterns!

Following on from our guide to apples for piggies whee are going to answer the question: “Can guinea pigs eat pumpkin?”

As with all things; whee know hoomans love getting the whole family involved in the festivities of Hallo-wheek. Whether this is through dressing up, telling spooky stories to one another or sharing terrifying treats; pets can get involved!

The simple answer is yes, whee can eat pumpkin! But there are a few things you should know first.

4 Things you should know before giving your piggy pumpkin:

– Whee can eat the pumpkin rind/skin or flesh and also the stringy pulp inside the pumpkin though whee would recommend you remove that too before giving it to us.

– You should avoid giving us the leaves as they are high in calcium and the seeds are a definite no-no too with high chances of them getting stuck in our teeth or throat.

– Pumpkins are high in vitamins A and C, and fibre. Both vitamins are very important to help us maintain good health. Vitamin C helps us process proteins and fight infections. Vitamin A is vital for us to have a healthy immune system. As whee cannot produce these vitamins ourselves, whee must get them from the foods that whee can eat, like pumpkin.

– Whee should only eat pumpkin once or twice a week. It’s a treat that may not be to efurrypigs taste but provide good variation to our diet.

To keep things interesting you could skewer cubes of pumpkin on a willow twig or apple stick (both of which you can find in most good pet shops) and give it to us like that. Whee will have great fun throwing it around or playing tug of war with it!

Or if you are feeling creative you could make a pumpkin garland. Mummy is planning on making us one with cubes of pumpkin and apple alternately on a piece of string and tied across our cage. If you place it a little higher than normal this will cause us to climb or stretch a bit and work for our treats which makes them not quite so naughty!

Remember, even though whee can take part in the pumpkin eating and eating the “apple-bobbing” apples whee should NEVER be fed sweets or chocolate.

Happy Hallo-Wheek efurrybody!

Nacho, Noah, Buddy & Basil

xxxx

Tweet Tweet Tuesday

Well whee said Mummy hadn’t managed to get any pigtures of Robby Robin but this morning she managed it and whee just had to share them with you! Whee know he’s not the same level of adorable as us but he’s furry cute in his own way.

He likes to sit at the top of the tallest tree in our garden and sing first thing in the morning and last thing at night. He’s got a furry good singing voice! Whee have tried to copy him but Mummy laughs at our efforts! The local birds make such a strange range of noises from clicks, to tweets, to caws, to whistles! Sometimes when whee are playing in the garden and Robby Robin starts sings whee squeak to him and he sometimes responds! Mummy will try to film this so you can see for yourselves.

Robins are Mummy’s favourite bird because they remind her of Autumn and Winter which are her favourite seasons. What’s your favourite bird?

Have a great Tuesday whatever you are up to and whee will squeak to you soon!

Nacho, Noah, Buddy & Basil

xxxx

A Chill In The Air, And Mummy Won’t Be Fair!

Me before I realised the terribleness of my situation and just how furry cold it was!

Today has been horrific. There is no other way of putting it. As Autumn has come, so has cooler weather. Mummy believes whee need exercise so insists all of us go on the garden as often as possible. Including today. Of course, I protested, but there’s no telling some hoomans when they get an idea into their head. She plonked us in our runs with only a fleece blanket and a pile of grass each.

Of course, while I was recovering from the shock, I devoured the grass. But when I had finished I pleaded with Mummy to take us in. Squeaking pitifully and calling to her. She kept pointing to the fleece blanket which was strangely warm and contained a sort of pet safe heat pad. Rather nice on an elderly lad’s chilly tootsies!

However, on principal, I glared and complained until whee were brought in. Now I am snuggled up in my lovely hay in my lovely heated house. The way it should be!

Do you mind cold weather? What do you do to stay warm? And how on Earth can I make Mummy listen to me next time (trust me, with her behaviour, there is sure to be a next time!)?!

Nibbles
xxxx

PS. Don’t forget our Pigoween themed pet photo contest, skip back a post to read all about it!

The Leaves Of Change . . .

Autumn leaves are changing. Oranges, reds, even some browns already! I like looking at them change to more ‘nutty’ colours. They look bootiful but they also make me sad.

The colours of the leaves changing means that the weather is changing, and if the weather is changing then it won’t be long before whee cannot go out in the garden for run time. (Not that I don’t enjoy my indoor runs but I like the fresh air and munching on my green spaghetti grass!)

Mummy had to put out cuddly fleece blankets for us to keep warm in while whee were in the garden (see me in the blue blanket below!). Look at how many leaves were everywhere! (Of course that isn’t photoshopped! What are you insinuating?! That Mummy wouldn’t let me play on the soggy leaves?! Nope, Mummy lets me do whatever I want!)

This slideshow requires JavaScript.

Although I love this time of year and the excitment is already building for the coming events and special holidays, I still feel a little . . . wistful.

I do love Autumn but sometimes I wish it wouldn’t come so soon and it wouldn’t make things change.

Maybe change is good though. Mummy says whee can start having warm bran mushy noms and other warm foods to keep us happy as it gets colder.

Actually, thinking of that delicious bran-mushy, maybe change isn’t so bad.

What are you going to do to stay warm as the weather gets colder? Do you like Autumn and Winter or do they leave you cold? And how do you deal with change?

Nutty
xxxx

Autumn’s Arrival & An Air Of Adventure!

Have you hidden my story in here Mummy?!

So Autumn is really arriving. There was a chill in the air today and Mummy had to wear a cardigan. The grass was covered with dew and even when the sun finally put in an appearance it was still a little on the cool side.

Autumn, or ‘Fall’ as some of you know it is exciting. It heralds the arrival of Bonfire Night, Pigmass, Halloween and New Year all at once. This is Mummy’s favourite time of year. She likes it when it is just cold enough that her breath mists on the air or when it snows. I’ve never seen snow or Autumn before and neither has Buddy so this will be quite an adventure.

Squeaking of adventure . . . Mummy got quite excited a couple of hours ago and told me proudly that she had finished my story. My first adventure in Cavyaira. How I met the others and a bit about my life and family before my great adventure. I’m pretty sure there will be more to come but for now – Basil’s Autumn Adventure Story

Basil
xxxx