Keeping the house warm without putting the heating on?

mandco

The temps are dropping and while it’s easy enough to keep ourselves warm without putting the heating on yet but we have pets and it’s obvious they are starting to feel the cold particularly overnight where the house temp has been registering at 10-12 the last couple of nights. We have a Slightly arthritic dog, house rabbit & a cat 
we have an older house that costs a fortune to heat over winter so try to keep it off at least until the day time house temp drops below 18 consistently. any tips/suggestions on how to keep the house or the pets a bit warmer without putting the heating on yet?
I have put the winter curtain back up over the front door already & the dog/cat do have fleece bedding.

gwynlas

Are they allowed the run of the house or do you keep them confined to one room overnight?

You could insulate the rabbits cage by draping a blanket or duvet over it.

With the dog and cat you might need to use a low voltage heater.

I would be surprised if the cat at least had not sought refuge in some confined warm space

MyRealNameToo

Given rabbits are social creatures you presumably have more than one in which case a combination of straw and body warmth they will generally be fine. 12C is still above what a rabbit borough would get to overnight though accept pet rabbits arent as tough as wild rabbits.  You can put something over the top of the cage like a blacket or duvet but we only did that with our garden rabbits when there was to be snow etc and they were always warm cuddled up in the nest box with their sisters. 

Enclosed shelters will be warmer than a flat bed for both dog and cat. Similarly having some blankets inside they can burrow themselves into them. Keep their beds in one of the warmer rooms helps naturally. 

sheenas

I think it's a case of insulation, Firstly identify the cold spot, maybe you can find someone with a heat camera that you can borrow and take it from there.  

mandco

gwynlas said:

Are they allowed the run of the house or do you keep them confined to one room overnight?

You could insulate the rabbits cage by draping a blanket or duvet over it.

With the dog and cat you might need to use a low voltage heater.

I would be surprised if the cat at least had not sought refuge in some confined warm space

.

The rabbits are penned overnight so I’ll try adding a blanket - obvious now you suggested it but I hadn’t thought of it 

the dog & cat have the run of the house other than my bedroom  - the dog will try and sleep on ds bed if 1 ds will let him- he’s not keen but insists on leaving the door open so has been waking up to a dog on him & 2 he can actually get on the bed he’s getting stiff so struggles with jumping up there now. The cat has taken to meowing loudly outside my door in the middle of the night and promptly tries to get in my bed when I open the door but that’s not happening. She’s finicky at the best of times and prefers to sleep on the window sill over anywhere else - might try shutting her in 1 room overnight with additional heating though no doubt she’ll just end up meowing all night to be let out as she’s happily stay anywhere all day unless you shut the door then she promptly wants out.

catz4m8z

I think covered beds are they way to go for most pets. Give them a small den covered in fleecey blankets and when they are in there it should retain the heat nicely.
This also works brilliantly for people! My bed has posts and I tie a sheet over the top at night so you create a lovely little pocket of warm air. Its amazing how warm it stays under there!

mandco

MyRealNameToo said:

Given rabbits are social creatures you presumably have more than one in which case a combination of straw and body warmth they will generally be fine. 12C is still above what a rabbit borough would get to overnight though accept pet rabbits arent as tough as wild rabbits.  You can put something over the top of the cage like a blacket or duvet but we only did that with our garden rabbits when there was to be snow etc and they were always warm cuddled up in the nest box with their sisters. 

Enclosed shelters will be warmer than a flat bed for both dog and cat. Similarly having some blankets inside they can burrow themselves into them. Keep their beds in one of the warmer rooms helps naturally. 

We do have 2 but they are in separate side by side pens as they fight if in together - we have to let them out separately - they have vastly different personalities and the vet thinks they just aren’t compatible and has suggested rehoming one of them.

elsien

Doggy jumper. People often heat the person rather than the house and the same could apply to pets.
Mine is very appreciative of his equafleece. Of cheaper brands are available. As are doggy pyjamas, although I haven’t quite gone that far yet. 

maryb

get two cardboard boxes and stand one up inside the other so it makes a sort of crib.  Pad with a blanket and put a Dreamie in.  A cardboard box especially if it is a bit small is much more attractive to the average cat than an expensive bed.  It would help if you pick her up out of it a few times just to increase the lure of the forbidden!

born_again

Our dogs sleep on a old quilt & cover on settee, when it colder we just put a fleecy duvet cover on quilt.

Exodi

mandco said:

the house temp has been registering at 10-12 the last couple of nights. 

I must say 10-12 degrees inside the housing during the night is exceptionally cold, especially as we're not even close to the cold months yet.

I appreciate it's an older house and you mention it costs a fortune to heat over the winter - really I think you need to take a holistic view on how to address this - as burning all the North Sea's gas every winter to keep your house warm isn't ideal (and I'm sure your wallet agrees).

Could you look at insulation? Draught excluders on the doors? What about your doors and windows? Etc. Anything that can reduce heat loss will pay dividends over the long term.