PLAY: Cool Summer

Out of the archives, Igor's PLAY research report on how to enjoy a cool summer. We did update the link list because most links in the old post were gone or outdated

Igor, studying hard

(Igor) This wheek I want to explain to you how you can get the most out of the cold object that your slave has placed in your cage because the weather is too hot. I actually don't have any experience with these since my current home has been very agreeable thus far. But I wouldn't be a professor if I couldn't supply you with useful information. So, I have interviewed Suus and Yaya and I've also conducted an in-dept analysis of the photo archives. And last but not least, my lovely assistant Lonneke has reviewed the extensive literature study concerning cavies and summer that is already online. We've included a literature list at the end of this report for your convenience.

What is it?:

Concept: a cold object in your cage, preferably when it's warmer then 30 degrees (Celsius = 86 degrees Fahrenheit). You can lie against this object in different kinds of ways to make your life a bit more comfurtable.

Material: in our home we use plastic soda bottles filled with water. These come from the freezer and to make sure our paws and tongues do not stick to it, there is a towel wrapped around them. Instead of the freezer, you can also use the fridge. This is less dangerous, but it stays cold for a shorter period of time.

Variations: besides the bottles there are also other options available (see the literature list for more information). Some slaves put bricks or clay tiles in the fridge, others use ice substitutes with cooling fluid, other use beerbottles or beer/soda cans (from the fridge!! Do not put beerbottles or cans in the freezer).

Dangerous?: Keep in mind that guinea pigs always test for ediblility. Especially ice packs with a cooling gel can be dangerous. If you use a soda bottle filled with water, make sure it not too full because water expands slightly when it's frozen, and this can damage the bottle (and you won't notice until the ice has melted). The use of a sleeve or towel is recommended. It’s comfortable and keeps us from contracting frostnip. If you do not want to use a towel or sleeve, wait a little while to make sure the bottle is no longer sticky due to the cold.

Application: During the interviews and going through the photos archives I was able to abstract the following positions:

1. Going the Distance. You don’t have to lie on or against the cold object. Just the presence of a cold object in a cage will lower the temperature by a few degrees. Suus suggested that it would be a good idea if I'd wave some cool air in her direction with a fan. Tsssskk.. little princess..
2. The Cool Cashew. Wonderfully demonstrated on the pigture by Robbie. Yes, fellow guinea pigs, you have to admit, the cashew position is the best position if you want to get comfy, right? Robbie shows how you can combine this optimally with a cold object.
   
   
   
3. The Belly Flop. Auntie Guiny demonstrates how to stand against the bottle with her belly. Suus assured me that according to auntie Guiny this was very comfortable and refreshing. Whatever it was, it was also very effective against auntie Guiny’s sloshing armpits.. 
4. The Standard Pose. In other words, just lying next to the object. In the pigture you can see Jan the boar doing an attempt to drape his chin flaps over the bottle as sexy as piggidly possible. Yaya on the other paw, is positioned full-lenght next to the object. According to Yaya, this is the optimal position for enjoying your cold object, it takes very little effort (in comparison to the belly flop) and the body-bottle contact zone is maximized. 
5.  The Pancake. Ideal when you get a (hot) water bag filled with ice cubes or a tile from the freezer. You just climb on and spread out.. 

DIY-factor?: Almost every slave has an empty bottle somewhere. And I don’t think they have a shortage in towels (at least not when I have to take a bath :-S). So this should be easy to make. If you're going with the tiles, just drop by a hardware store and buy a few. It shouldn't be very expensive and the advantage of the tiles is that you can fit more of them into a fridge of freezer. The bottles keep cold longer.

Target audience?
For every cavy that lives in a space that can heat up to over 30 degrees Celsius or 86 degrees Fahrenheit. Overheating is very dangerous for us, so I'd really recommend that your staff looks into this.

Literature list
Keep guinea pigs cool and comfortable in summer heat - Guinea Pig Today (June 8, 2012)
Heate-Stroke in Guinea Pigs - Peter Gurney
How to keep your guinea pigs cool in the summer - Happy Cavy Blog
In the heat of the moment - Guinea Pig Welfare