If you live in a warm climate, it's important that you have a backup plan to keep your chinchillas cool in case your A/C unit fails. We keep a couple of frozen jugs of water in the freezer during the summer months. So far, doing so has come in very handy.
Remember the blackout that hit the Northeast? On that day we had nighttime temperatures in the 90's. It was also very humid. This is the kind of weather that can kill a chinchilla, and with no power, we had no A/C.
Too keep our chinchillas cool, I moved them into a small cage we have. I did this so that they couldn't run around. I then placed one of the frozen jugs of water on top of a cookie sheet, both of which I placed on top of the cage. I used a cookie sheet to catch the condensation from the bottle so that the chinchillas wouldn't get wet.
Using a thermometer I was able to determine that the temperature in the cage below that frozen jug of water was around 80 degrees. That was a whole 10 degrees lower than the rest of the house.
Although I haven't used these techniques myself, I have read that others have had success with them:
- Keep stone tiles in the freezer and put them in the cage or attach to the sides of the cage when needed
- Put ice cubes in your chinchilla's water bottle.
- Put ice cubes in a dish for your chinchilla to chew and lick.
- Drape damp (cold water), not dripping wet, towels on the cage.
- Freeze empty food tins and place in the cage. Make sure there are no sharp edges.
Entries (RSS)
July 28th, 2008 at 2:51 pm
Georgia,
There is nothing better than an AC in warm areas to keep the temperature constant.
July 28th, 2008 at 2:42 pm
I'm planning on getting a chinchilla. I live in England. I don't have A/C and it's very expensive to get it over here. Is there a better alternative that can be used at all times?
August 1st, 2007 at 12:01 pm
Lisa,
There's a lot to cover so we think the best idea is to read the home page of this site which lays out several links to articles in a logical (hopefully) order. Also, if you have a specific question, try using our search box with one or two words. We use Google for the search functionality so if the topic is covered, it'll show up in the results.
Good luck!
August 1st, 2007 at 11:57 am
I just received 2 chincillas from a friend who is having a housing crisis right now. I wanted to know some basic things I needed to know about caring for them. They appear to be very fragile and I have a Japanesse Akita that is very curious. I'm afraid that if I let the dog near the cage, they'll have a heart attack. What I needed to know is
1. How often do I change the cage? 2. What do I feed them? 3. Should I give him treats? 4. How much exercise should I give them in that plastic ball? 5. Can I purchase the dust for their bath and how often should I bathe them.
There are more questions I have but I would just like to know some of the basics to caring for them. I would hate to have something happen to them while I have them.
July 1st, 2007 at 11:36 pm
Today I cleaned my chin's cage. While I did so I put him in a plastic ball to hold him and let him roll around. It was really warm out, and a little in our home. When I was finished cleaning I went to retrieve him from the ball and found him laying on his side. I never liked that ball and since I've had it (for approx. 7 mo.) I had only put him it it once. I felt there just wasn't proper ventilation to it. Anyway he just seemed lethargic and could hardly stand up. It is now 9 pm and at least he is standing up and puts up a little resistance when I try to pick him up. But…he hasn't eaten a thing, and still is seeming to want to stay only in one place. The only reason I haven't called a vet is because it is Sunday. From what anyone out there knows, do you feel he will snap out of it? I do plan on calling a vet tomorrow. Hopefully it isn't too late. Thanks for listening I have been in tears all day. I feel like a total jerk.