@ Chinchlub
Thanks for your input. I know degus and chinchillas cannot sweat, so they are untolerant of heat.
In the "Can I use lighting in the cage ?" section I wrote "* If you do decide to use a small heat lamp, it is imperitive that you closely monitor the temperature.
Ideally, the cage temperature should not surpass 20 C."
Installing a thermometer is a great idea ! I keep my room temperature at 17-18 C (with the help of an A/C during summer
)
I use a few small heat lamps since the degus love to nap under heat sources like this. The heat lamps only provide a small amount of heat, all they do is warm of the one the cage levels, while the rest of the cage is quite cool.
The cage tops are open with grill or wire mesh for air circulations.
Under the subheading "where should the cage be located ?" I make a few points about air circulation..."Keeping in mind that degus cannot sweat, and are not tolerant of heat and humidity, the cage should be located in a cool, well ventilated area of the house. The ideal temperature to house degus is between 17 C and 20 C. The room temperature should never reach 25 C.
Since a wooden cage is a "closed system" compared to a wire/metal cage, you want to keep the cage in a well ventilated area of the house. Even a ceiling fan running on the lowest setting will help ensure adequate air circulation inside the cage."
Also keep in mind with a cage like this, you need to open the doors several times a day, to get to the food, to the water, to give treats or to pet them.
I used to get away with petting my chinchilla and degus through the cage bars, but after I built my first cage, I found myself opening it every few minutes
I will take your advice and place more stress on these matters for those wanting to build such a cage for their chinchillas.
Thanks again !
