Sophie and Casper's arthritis.

[a reader of books]

A snuggle safe sounds nice. Can you put it under her bed or under a couple layers of blanket? You sre right that a hot water bottle may not be good if water is too hot, or it they chew it.
During the day, my home is around the same temp as yours, though it does get colder overnight.
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I've tried putting it under things before, but she just avoids it. The size and shape is just awkward to lie on comfortably, I guess, even under a couple of blankets? Casper's the same, he doesn't like it, either. I do think they'd try to chew a hot water bottle... I could try it out sometime, though, since j&b says it's only the really old ones that can burst. They do seem a bit more comfortable than something made of hard plastic like the SnuggleSafe.
Hm, I think it stays the same temperature here overnight since it's still around 21C when I get up in the morning. I'll check, though, because maybe it's too cold for her at night...

 

[a reader of books]

Just in from work & thermostat reads 17.5. It is a really cold house, its handy for heat waves but otherwise brrrrr. But I have huge problems overheating at night
I left Boo with a hot water bottle this morning. Its brand new & in a cover. Eddys only chewing vice is wood though & Boo has only been naughty in the chewing department once in her life. I think they can burst if they are really old & the rubber degrades. Sophie has her memory foam mattress doesn't she? Does she use it more when its cooler?

If it wasn't so draughty downstairs I'd leave Boo in the lounge as she does like to warm her bones by the log burner

I'm wondering what I could insert inside the padded bits of a hugger bed to have a heated one.Maybe you can buy really slim thermos flasks:lol:

Ooh, that is pretty chilly already. Your house must get really cold when it's winter. That's very annoying that despite that you stil overheat during the night, though.
Is Boo liking the hot water bottle? Warming herself by the log burner must be really nice. Sophie hasn't used her memory foam bed since spring, but I'm hoping she'll start using it again when it gets colder.

I don't know if it'd work or be practical, but they sell these microwavable heat pads filled with rice; that seems like something you could easily make yourself in whatever shape and size you need to put it in the bed? I don't know how long the rice stays warm for, though, and you do need to make it waterproof since it wouldn't be washable if they'd pee on it. I think they make them with wheat as well. Sophie and Casper would likely chew them, but it sounds like Boo and Eddy would be good with it? Or you could look for a really slim thermos flask. :lol:

 

[joey&boo]

Ooh, that is pretty chilly already. Your house must get really cold when it's winter. That's very annoying that despite that you stil overheat during the night, though.
Is Boo liking the hot water bottle? Warming herself by the log burner must be really nice. Sophie hasn't used her memory foam bed since spring, but I'm hoping she'll start using it again when it gets colder.

I don't know if it'd work or be practical, but they sell these microwavable heat pads filled with rice; that seems like something you could easily make yourself in whatever shape and size you need to put it in the bed? I don't know how long the rice stays warm for, though, and you do need to make it waterproof since it wouldn't be washable if they'd pee on it. I think they make them with wheat as well. Sophie and Casper would likely chew them, but it sounds like Boo and Eddy would be good with it? Or you could look for a really slim thermos flask. :lol:

I've thought of making those bags & i am tempted but I am a little worried about the risk...even though they aren't chewers if they did chew it feels like it'd be fatal. Maybe they'd be motivated because they'd want the food within? I really, really don't think mine would ..because so far they are too lazy or dim to chew a treat out of a paper bag :lol: I do think it could be really cosy. Since my bunnies just mess up the centre strip I could use press studs or something to attach / remove the microwaveable panels

 

[joey&boo]

it just occurred to me a thermos prob wouldn't work as all heat contained:lol: :lol:glad I realised before buying as Google shows me lots of very slim thermos flasks

 

[a reader of books]

I've thought of making those bags & i am tempted but I am a little worried about the risk...even though they aren't chewers if they did chew it feels like it'd be fatal. Maybe they'd be motivated because they'd want the food within? I really, really don't think mine would ..because so far they are too lazy or dim to chew a treat out of a paper bag :lol: I do think it could be really cosy. Since my bunnies just mess up the centre strip I could use press studs or something to attach / remove the microwaveable panels

Ah, I get that. Since you said Eddy only chews wood and Boo isn't a chewer, I thought it could be okay for them, but I do understand why you'd be worried about the risk. I wonder if dry rice is appealing to bunnies as food? It would be nice if there was a fabric they couldn't chew through so you could be sure it was safe.

Also, yes, I was a little confused about why you wanted a thermos flask, but I thought I was just misunderstanding something. :lol: I'm glad you realised before you ordered something.

 

[joey&boo]

Ah, I get that. Since you said Eddy only chews wood and Boo isn't a chewer, I thought it could be okay for them, but I do understand why you'd be worried about the risk. I wonder if dry rice is appealing to bunnies as food? It would be nice if there was a fabric they couldn't chew through so you could be sure it was safe.

Also, yes, I was a little confused about why you wanted a thermos flask, but I thought I was just misunderstanding something. :lol: I'm glad you realised before you ordered something.

Yeah I still think its a good idea though (wheat bags, not the thermos :lol

 

[a reader of books]

Sophie was overgrooming again this morning, even after she had her Metacam, but her next laser therapy appointment isn't until Friday, and unfortunately neither my mum nor my dad was able to bring her to a vet today or tomorrow instead. So, I turned on the heating to hopefully make her more comfortable, and that helped, thankfully. She stopped overgrooming and looks much more comfy now. I do worry a bit about the energy bill, as I think this past winter I couldn't turn off the heating for her until February/March, something like that? So, that could be 6 months of heating the house day and night, yikes. But it's not an option to leave her in pain obviously, so we'll deal with it somehow. I'm just glad she's more comfortable. She's had some good naps today.

 

[joey&boo]

Awww bless her i am please she is more settled now the heatings on, and that she is enjoying some nice snoozes. I have similar concerns about the heating but as you say, its not fair to leave them in pain
Oldies always seem to feel the cold whatever the species

 

[a reader of books]

Awww bless her i am please she is more settled now the heatings on, and that she is enjoying some nice snoozes. I have similar concerns about the heating but as you say, its not fair to leave them in pain
Oldies always seem to feel the cold whatever the species

Yeah, she's much more comfortable. I definitely understand your similar concerns. I'm trying to keep the costs down by only heating the rooms Sophie uses and leaving the rest of my flat unheated (with the doors closed, which Casper doesn't like because it keeps him from exploring, poor boy), so hopefully that helps a bit...
Yeah, they do seem to.

 

[a reader of books]

I keep overheating with the heating on. Sophie's needs and my needs aren't very compatible. :lol:

She keeps having trouble with her balance while washing herself lately. My mum asked about it today during Sophie and Casper's laser therapy and they said it's because of her arthritis. It doesn't seem like I can help her with it... She'll have to learn to lean against something, I think, so she doesn't fall over, poor girl.

 

[joey&boo]

I keep overheating with the heating on. Sophie's needs and my needs aren't very compatible. :lol:

She keeps having trouble with her balance while washing herself lately. My mum asked about it today during Sophie and Casper's laser therapy and they said it's because of her arthritis. It doesn't seem like I can help her with it... She'll have to learn to lean against something, I think, so she doesn't fall over, poor girl.

oh no - that's a bit rubbish for you. It'd not cope at all if I had CH on at night but in the day I like it.

Boo also has some balance issues . She randomly falls over from time to time (I think one foot is a bit slower to catch up). So far she has been really quick to get herself upright again.

I hope Sophie finds a suitable prop for her grooming sessions. Thank goodness she has you to provide her with a life of luxury

 

[a reader of books]

oh no - that's a bit rubbish for you. It'd not cope at all if I had CH on at night but in the day I like it.

Boo also has some balance issues . She randomly falls over from time to time (I think one foot is a bit slower to catch up). So far she has been really quick to get herself upright again.

I hope Sophie finds a suitable prop for her grooming sessions. Thank goodness she has you to provide her with a life of luxury

Yeah, I don't cope well with heat. Sophie comes first, though. My bedroom isn't heated, so at least I'm nice and relatively cool during the night!

Aw, I'm sorry Boo has some balance issues as well and falls over sometimes, too. I'm glad she's been really quick to get herself up again when that happens. Sophie gets up right away, too, and she doesn't seem hurt or anything, but I still feel bad for her when it happens.

Aw, that's kind of you to say.

 

[Zoobec]

Bless them, they do seem to learn to adapt to their balance issues.

Could you use some sort of electric heat pad for Sophie, I can’t remember if someone else got an electric heated pad of some sort before? You could put something over it so she couldn’t chew it, maybe ?

 

[a reader of books]

Bless them, they do seem to learn to adapt to their balance issues.

Could you use some sort of electric heat pad for Sophie, I can’t remember if someone else got an electric heated pad of some sort before? You could put something over it so she couldn’t chew it, maybe ?

I've really thought long and hard about getting her an electric heat pad, but in the end I just wouldn't feel safe since Sophie can be such a chewer. Even if I'd put something over it, she'd likely just chew that, too, and get access to the heat pad anyway. It would be nice if she had a heat pad, though. It seems very comfy and cosy.

 

[Zoobec]

I've really thought long and hard about getting her an electric heat pad, but in the end I just wouldn't feel safe since Sophie can be such a chewer. Even if I'd put something over it, she'd likely just chew that, too, and get access to the heat pad anyway. It would be nice if she had a heat pad, though. It seems very comfy and cosy.

I wonder if you could put it under something like an extra large tile, so it was like a mini piece of underfloor heating. It might need some framework making for it to sit on. Or would an infra red heat lamp help, I had one for Charlie and Lola when they were born to keep them warm in their shed. Theirs was for chickens etc I think!

 

[joey&boo]

There is a definite gap in the market here.I wish someone would invent a heated pod that was indestructible and bunny safe. Perhaps the size of a childs play tent.
Does Sophie lie next to the radiators? Boo always gravitates to them once the ch is on

 

[Zoobec]

There is a definite gap in the market here.I wish someone would invent a heated pod that was indestructible and bunny safe. Perhaps the size of a childs play tent.
Does Sophie lie next to the radiators? Boo always gravitates to them once the ch is on

We did have chicks in a big dog crate with the heat lamp on top, that might work?

 

[joey&boo]

We did have chicks in a big dog crate with the heat lamp on top, that might work?

that does sound cosy

 

[a reader of books]

I wonder if you could put it under something like an extra large tile, so it was like a mini piece of underfloor heating. It might need some framework making for it to sit on. Or would an infra red heat lamp help, I had one for Charlie and Lola when they were born to keep them warm in their shed. Theirs was for chickens etc I think!

Ooh, would the warmth from the heat pad go through the tile? I wouldn't have expected them to get warm enough for that... That's a clever idea, though. I'll give that some thought. I did look into infra red heat lamps once, but I read they can cause fires, so I'd be too scared to use those. They do seem nice, though.

 

[a reader of books]

There is a definite gap in the market here.I wish someone would invent a heated pod that was indestructible and bunny safe. Perhaps the size of a childs play tent.
Does Sophie lie next to the radiators? Boo always gravitates to them once the ch is on

That would be great. Someone should make that.
She doesn't actually, which makes me wonder if she'd even appreciate a heat source... That's good that Boo likes them; they must keep her nice and warm.