Animal Care Tip: hot weather hacks and RECIPES! - Lehigh Valley Petting Zoo

Ever wonder how animals cope with extreme temperatures? How can something with fluffy hair or lots of feathers adapt from the winds of winter to the extreme heat of summer?

According to Hobby Farm Magazine in regard to chickens, “…Nature has equipped nonmigratory birds, including chickens, with a few adaptations to help them stay warm in the winter. The molting of the year’s feathers in the autumn means a fresh, fluffy down is ready by midwinter to trap air in layers that hold body heat. Huddling in the coop helps as well. Birds will bulk up as they sense changes in the air pressure, preparing to hunker down and suspend foraging activities for a while. The right surroundings, whether an insulated chicken coop or native evergreen trees, are important factors in winter survival and comfort. In the wild, microhabitats are important for sheltering birds from precipitation and wind, and the birds will seek out small spaces to avoid harsh weather.

While cold is usually more threatening than heat to chickens, the thousands of years of selective breeding has resulted in more than 50 standard breeds, with hundreds of varieties and crosses for distinct colors, dispositions and hardiness. For example, the rare Chantecler has teetered on the brink of extinction and is the only breed developed in Canada. It is specifically acclimated to the extreme cold of the Quebec winters and a good winter egg layer.

When selecting a breed that can survive a cold winter, compare these and ask for local recommendations: Ameraucanas, Ancona, Black Australorps, Black Giant, Blue Andalusian, Brahma, Buff Orpingtons, Cochins, Delaware, Dominique, Langshan, New Hampshire, Plymouth Rocks, Rhode Island Reds, Russian Orloff, Speckled Sussex and Wyandottes.”

So how do we as respectable pet owners help our animals in times of transition or genuine extreme temperature such as extreme heat? A cool place to relax and escape from the sun is the biggest factor in helping our babies. Avoid direct sun by offering an area with ample shade and air flow. NEVER leave your pets for extended or unattended periods of time in extreme temperatures. Just because you can dress for the extreme cold or sweat to cool off in the summer does not mean your pets can do the same!

• How can I help my animals who live outside permanently? Check out some of your local stores for cooling pet beds, misting systems, or battery operated fans. Offering things like electrolytes, white salt, and frozen water bottles may help cool their body temperature as well as restore necessary sugars and electrolytes lost due to lack of drinking, eating or just being hot.

• What is heat stoke? Heatstroke is a state of hyperthermia (elevated core body temperature above the normal range) resulting in heat injury to tissues. Heatstroke occurs when heat generation exceeds the body’s ability to lose heat. If your pet is showing signs of lethargy, irritation, dizziness or confusion, breathing distress or muscle tremors CONSULT A VETERINARIAN ASAP. ORGAN AND TISSUE DAMAGE IS THE RESULT OF PROLONGED DISTRESS, IF NOT DEATH.

• What are the main predisposing factors for Heatstroke?

  • A warm/hot, humid environment with inadequate ventilation
    (e.g. due to weather conditions or animals being left in an unventilated room or car)

  • Inadequate shade

  • Inadequate drinking water

  • Excessive exercise

• Can I provide my pet with extra treats to cool off? YES!! You as the owner, are the sole provider and decision maker for your pet. YOU ARE THEIR VOICE! Your intervention in their best interest rests as your complete responsibility. Besides, who doesn’t want to spoil their pets now and again? Check out some of the recipes below for coping with the heat.

Check out some of these quick little tidbits and recipes to help your fur (feather or scaled) babies at home.

1- DOG ICE CREAM

Step 1: Peel & Cut Bananas.

1. Step 2: Throw Everything In the Blender. The full recipe calls for 2 bananas, 1 quart of greek yogurt and about 1 cup of peanut butter. ...

2. Blend that bad boy up! ...

3. Pour into cups and freeze! ...

4. Step 5: Watch them go crazy for their DIY Dog Ice Cream!

2- One Cool Cat

WHAT YOU WILL NEED

• An ice cube tray
• Can of water-packed tuna (alternately, you can use canned salmon)
• Approximately ½ c water
• A mixing bowl or Magic Bullet
• A Ziploc bag

1. Start by mashing up the tuna in your bowl or stuffing it into your food mixer. Don’t drain the tuna water as it helps with the freezing. Add about half a cup of water to the tuna and mix well.

2. Fill your Ziploc bag with the mix and cut a small hole in one end. This helps save you from making a huge mess while filling up the ice cube trays. Fill your trays and place in the freezer for a couple hours. Let cats lick the bowl.

3. When the treats are nice and frozen, you can pop them out and let cats have a taste! I recommend letting them chew on these on a tile floor or a plate, because I’m pretty sure you don’t want tuna bits all over your house. You can store these in a plastic bag in your freezer for up to six months, so if you make a bunch you’ll have some on hand for hot days!

3- A “Melon” Left Overs

This is a farm favorite! Very little goes to the trash around here so lets make the best of it. This is a favorite of our pigs and chickens as well as dogs who turn them into sticky toys as they cool. Seedless Melons are highly recommended.

1. Watermelon rind (best used if the full melon has been cut in half providing you with 2 melon rind bowls).

2. Hollow out the “prime cuts” of melon for self use or to be used in this recipe.

3. Chop up a mix of fruits, veggies, meat or other misc left overs and begin filling the inside of the melon rind about 2 inches.

4. Use a few table spoon fulls of greek yogurt (3 to 4tbsp)

5. Add water until slightly floating

6. freeze for about 24hours and serve.

4- Fruit and Veggie Lovers!

Our bunnies, chickens and pigs all enjoy this treat. For individual pets a simple ice cube try works well or in the case of our pigs and large flock of chickens we use a medium sized Tupperware container.

1. using your pets favorite mix of fruits and veggies cut up and fill the container to where the food items are slightly above the container.

   *For a full flavored ice cube, puree your desired fruit and veggies and fill the container to level and freeze.

2. fill the container with water so the negative space between your fruits and veggies is occupied with water. Again make sure some food items are sticking out of the container. As this freezes, the food items will be partially frozen in place. Later this will help entice your pets to begin eating the ice to get to more food. All the while, they are hydrating and cooling.

3. Freeze the items until they are a solid block. this could take a few hours to a full day, depending how large the container is.

4. Remove the ice cube from its mold or container and serve.

   ** Be advised to be cautious of animals choking on smaller frozen cubes. Size your planned ice cube to be a safe size for your pet.

Animal care tips and hot weather hacks and recipes

Barbie Q taking a quick dip after also having her salad lunch in her pool. Yuck!

Frozen bottles are a great resource for our bunnies. We put these as well as a container with ice cubes in their cages so they have a way to cool down by laying next to the ice with out getting wet. Battery operated fans for dog kennels are also a great thing and are cheep! This keeps the air circulating which is very important on those horribly hot, still days.