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[cuculet]

Hello,

I have read many times about this before and after i got my chin (1 year ago) and i have that more than 24C is critical for a chin. I tend to disagree.
My chin Pufica has been living in about 28C for the whole summer sometimes the temp went to 30C or 31C. 99% of the time my air conditioning was set to 28C.

I must say he is very happy even at 31C jumping and pop-corning like hell. At first i was afraid after reading all about this on the internet but now I know for sure he is ok over 24C. I did not have 31C for more than 3 hr till i realized and turned on the AC. It did not seem to bother him

Do they adapt to the local weather?

Thank you
Cuculet

[mb30]

You're playing a dangerous game with your chins life.

[cuculet]

but he was happy. and he still is. all the summer he did not have the temperature below 25C because the AC cannot handle the heat outside (reaching 40C mid summer). i guess i would have seen some signs of overheating, don't you think?

He is very active and never saw him lying down on the ceramic tile in his cage.

[mb30]

Obviously there are signs to watch out for but just remember they have the most dense fur of any land animal and cannot take off their coat. Overheating can cause internal damage as well and not just death. I wouldnt push it too much. The years of studies and breeders probably outweigh the year you have had yours.

[cuculet]

Im not saying i know better. That's why i started this conversation. In the pet store they are also kept at room temperature and the guy there told me they adapt. I did not believe him at first, but i don't know what to think any more.
As i said Pufi is very happy and his poop is ok. He eats ok and plays alot.
I did not intentionally kept him at high temp. Just few times when i was not keeping a eye on the temp, the AC was running but was not able to lower temp, and as soon as i have seen that i switched the AC to max power.

[mb30]

Just be careful, thats all 

[cuculet]

I am. Trust me. He is like a child to me. Everybody is laughing at me and my wife. They say we have a child (because i am overprotective)

[gasaraki03]

Also depends on Humidity of where you live the higher it is the cooler it suggests your house to be. One chinchilla book i read said just keep it under 80F but few years old now mostly see the 75F everywhere now. Guess just hope he stays that way =).

[GrayRodent]

For my chin I wouldn't be too comfortable getting it above 75F(24C) in the room. He's fine with it when he is sitting still or sleeping but if he's actively running around in the room he acts like he's hot even at 73F(22C). I don't intentionally let him run like that but he's good at escaping when I interact with him through the cage door. And mine was kept in a very warm room during the first part of its life.

As far as humidity goes I know there has been some things written about it. I don't understand what effect it has. Chins don't sweat or cool themselves by evaporation on their tongue like dogs. The most critical metric is going to be the room temperature where it is most active.

[cuculet]

I always kept an eye on his behavior and on his ears (i read they get red if he is hot) but he is happy and jumping around. He never sat in one place on his belly or gave any sign that suggests he is hot.
More strange is that last winter i had about 21 C (70 F) in the room and after playing he was resting on the radiator, and believe me, that is very hot (alot more than 50 c (122 F). He sat there comfortably for more than 5 min or until i saw him and got him down (the radiator is behind the curtain). That moment i realized he loves heat and hates cold.
Is there something wrong with my crazy chin?

[GrayRodent]

Wow I wish I had one like that! I have tried to read the ears on mine but I can't make heads or tails out of them cause they don't look red when he acts overheated. I'm starting to wonder if maybe he's just out of shape and tired from activity instead. I've been exercising him in shorter and shorter durations but he'll stretch out on the shelf and pant for a minute or two. I think I will have to stop letting him out of his cage until I can try lower room temps.

I am very amused your chin will sit on a radiator. That can't be good for him! I think mine would have died in seconds. Maybe he was raised by iguanas.

[Judo Troy]

We are keeping it at 73 degrees at the warmest.