Keeping the proper temperature in the summer...

Chinchilla & Hedgehog Pet Forum

Help Support Chinchilla & Hedgehog Pet Forum:

This site may earn a commission from merchant affiliate links, including eBay, Amazon, and others.

LovingChins&Hedgies

Well-known member
Joined
Feb 9, 2009
Messages
77
Location
South Central WI
While its still February and I know its a bit off, in a couple of months, we'll probably be turning on the a/c as crazy as that sounds right now in WI, since we have barely kept it above zero around here lately and 30 degrees feels like a heat wave, but I have been wondering all winter about temps for summer for the hedgies. Right now they are in my son's room, which works the best for winter because his room stays the warmest (its upstairs and all our heat seem to go to his room, so its often warm enough w/o the heater, but we do have a heater in there too). But maybe for the same reason it stays the warmest in the winter, it also stays the coolest in the summer, I'm guessing because the vent works the best in there. So what do you do for summer?? How do you keep their room warm enough w/ central air in the house w/o shutting off the vent and then it getting too warm?? Just thought I'd ask now, so we have a plan before it gets to it and I'm trying to figure it out as its needed. One thought was to switch rooms w/ the boys because our room stays warmer in the summer, to the point we've considered getting a window a/c too. Any thoughts???
 
I would put a thermometer by the cage and monitor the temp. Where I am we run ac pretty much all year round, except maybe 5 days a year, and my house, including the room they're in, stays a fairly constant 74-75. You may just need to divert the air flow to prevent drafts.
 
Bethany, actually that is a good point. The room probably would remain about that temp, since we set our A/C at about 74 and w/ his room being upstairs it probably stays a bit warmer. (Now before anyone asks, no this is not the chin room temp, theirs is cooler and has a dehumidifier in their room too) I'll definitely keep a thermostat in his room and make sure they aren't getting a draft from the vent, which isn't too hard, since the only vent is up high and in one corner of his room.

Hedgemom, I'm not opposed to shutting the vent, but I'd actually fear it'd get to warm since there are several windows sun comes in (I do make sure they aren't in the direct sunlight of course) but it still heats the room in the summer even w/ the shades down as well as it being upstairs. What is the max temp for them?? (Not that I worry his room would get too warm, since we do have the central air, but just wondering)
 
Remember that air conditioned air feels much cooler than heated air of the same temperature so with air conditioning you may need to keep it a few degrees warmer than you would with heating. You also need to be very careful about where the cage is in relation to the A/C ducts and you don't want them in a draft.

We have central a/c but it does not cool the second level so it is always very warm especially our hedgie room which is west facing. We have to use a window a/C in their room and I keep it set at 78F.

Remember too that with window shades down in the room you will need to keep a light on.
 
Nancy, good point about a/c air feeling cooler. I will definitely keep an eye on the temp and make sure its a few degrees warmer. The shades are down, but they aren't black out ones and one window (not by their cages at all) doesn't have a shade due to a destructive child during a time-out!! (He broke several of the shade "bars" so we took the shade down because it looked horrible) You don't want direct sunlight on them at all do you?? Or in part of the cage is it okay, as long as they can get away from it?? (Where they are now, they don't get any because they are on an inside wall for less draft, but could be moved for summer) So anyhow, they are getting plenty of natural light (well will in the summer, we do have a light on timer now). Speaking of the light on a timer though, I noticed that it must be staying light later, because now the timer turns the light on about an hr or so before it gets dark in there. (Ya, I know, I need to change the timer, but haven't yet)
 
Just wondering but would a reptile heat lamp keep a hedgie cage warm? If not that what else besides a small heater?
 
I keep my hedgehogs in my bedroom and it seems to be pretty versatile in the changing seasons. In the winter, it stays the warmest and in the summer, it's marginally cooler than any other area of the house. All I really do if it's stuffy is open my window and stagger the panes of glass so the breeze comes through on the opposite end of the room. It keeps my room at a good temperature for the hogs, allows fresh air through, but prevents the hogs from getting a draft directly on them.

It's it's really, really hot, I turn a fan on low and face it away from the cages. It circulates the air without blowing directly on the hogs.

Using these methods, I can manage to keep my room about 25*C on even the hottest days.
 
Just wondering but would a reptile heat lamp keep a hedgie cage warm? If not that what else besides a small heater?

You can use a ceramic heat emitter but not heat lamps. The emitter produces heat with no light. Many hedgehogs will not be active under red light. The emitter must be used with a thermostat to control the heat output.
 
For some odd reason we have found that 75* keeps us warm in the winter and cool in the summer so it very rarely is an issue around here. I always have the gang un against the wall with the vent. That way the air blows right over them and not on them. I also point it up to where it blows almost straight out.

For light.. the vents here are almost always opposite a window which works out GREAT because they are on the vent wall and I keep the blinds open for them so they get the natural light and its never directly ON them but shines from across the room.

On the rare occasion that its a gloomy day I turn on the light for them and just leave it on for the day.
 
Back
Top