Chinchilla Community Forums
Chinchillas => Q & A => Topic started by: Jenova on November 10, 2013, 03:45:03 PM
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Just some advice please.
Everyone will be out of the house for 12+ hour days this winter getting back late at night and probably going straight to bed. We're not putting the heating on and I don't know if we will as there doesn't seem to be much point. However I need to make sure the chinchillas will be okay. There's four of them together so they can all snuggle up in the nest box and they have lots of hay. We live in a terrace house so we only have outside walls at the front and back. The room they are in has one outside wall to the front and one wall to either side is shared with another house who, presumably, will have their heating on.
I will get a thermometer so I can see what temperature it actually is, but would you think this was okay? I'm in England and it's 5 degrees centigrade outside at night at the moment. Has anyone got any tips to keep them warm without having the heating on?
Thanks. :)
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I have a feeling they will be fine since there are four of them that can huddle together. I think 5 degrees is not ideal though but still safe. Chances are they will show signs of stress at lower temperatures. You may want to verify that since I am basing my information on unknown sources.
Keeping them out of a draft, having a nest box, and keeping bedding like white pine chips in the cage is a must. Definitely measure the temperature and make sure it does not go below that.
That's the best I can come with.
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Keep in mind that 5 degress celsius is 41 farenheit.
It gets down to 59 or so overnight in the room my chins are in and they are fine.
I also live in a terrace house and they have one wall facing outside.
I am in the midlands though. I wouldnt worry about it depending where in the uk you are.
I have read that as long as their water isnt freezing they will be fine.
I dont know how accurate that is though.
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I let me chin room drop down into the upper 40's Fahrenheit with no trouble, even with newborns. However, if it is that cold I highly recommend a cage where they can get right into the shavings. Their bodies will be fine, but they need to be able to sit on their hands and feet to keep them warm and that can be hard to do on wire.
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Thanks all. I'm in Norfolk. My cage has wooden shelves, no wire, I'm not a fan of it at all. :)
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I am also wondering about this as I just moved into a condo. Their room is unusually colder than the rest of the house. Its a second bedroom. Im assuming its an outside wall. seems to be slightly colder near the windows but I don't feel much wind from it. They have wire cages. I have to keep the door to their room closed as my girlfriend has a cat...that jumps on everything imaginable. There is a heating vent in the room as we have central air and heat. Will this affect them in an adverse way? Theres no way they can be kept I nthe main area as too many doors and things they can damage if they get out.
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Best thing to do is measure the temperature and make sure it's above 50F and less than 76F.
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Thank you for the responses
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I am guessing u will use some power and tv ect. In the winter I have these 10 dollar fan heaters that I bought 3 of and place around the room and kept a thermometer in there near the cage and when the temp drops to my limit I turn them on for 30 minutes it get warm I know there safe.