I hear so many people talk about ways to keep their chins cool in the summer months. People are looking for tips, ideas, methods etc. But there is always one thing that seems to go unnoticed or at least unmentioned. That thing is HUMIDITY. It is not just the temperature of your chinchilla’s environment that is important but also the humidity level. In most cases that has a lot to do with where you live. Some parts of the world have "DRY" heat (hot temperatures but low humidity) while others of us have an equal balance of temperature and humidity. Last but not least, there are places like New York (where I live) that have high temperatures as well as high humidity which makes it feel even hotter then it really is.
I recommend having a thermometer in the room that records both the temperature and the humidity level. I think most of us would be surprised at how humid it really is even with air conditioning on. The ideal temperature for chinchillas to live in ranges from 60-65 degrees F (16-18 degrees C). Although most people say they can tolerate temperature up to 70 degrees F if the humidity level is low. The humidity level in a room should NEVER exceed 60%. As we all know high humidity levels can be prime breeding grounds for bacteria, molds, spores, fungus etc. This will lead you to a whole other set of chin problems.
Here on my ranch I have a general rule of thumb I use : If I add the temperature my thermometer shows with the humidity number my thermometer shows it should NEVER equal more then 145. Anything with the sum of 150 or more is fatal to your chins. I do personally use air conditioning in my chin room in the summer but even the cool temperature does not keep the humidity down. So I do have a small de- humidifier in the room to help all levels stay stable. On the hottest of days I always offer a cool ceramic tile rotated from the fridge to help my furballs stay cool since you can never be too careful.
|
