Cool Pad

Hot weather can be rough on caged pets, whether their pen is outside or inside an unairconditioned apartment. A manager at my nearby Petco gave me this advice: fill an empty soda bottle with water and freeze it. Once it's frozen, wrap it in a towel and place it inside your pet's cage. It will chill the surrounding air, and animals often will curl up next to the bottle to stay cool.

One caveat: I tried this and didn't wrap a towel around the bottle. When the ice melted, my rats chewed a whole in the plastic bottle, making a watery mess for me to clean up first thing in the morning.

By the way, my rats love to lick and play with ice cubes. Try it with yours; it gives them something to do and keeps them hydrated on hot days.