A few q's regarding temp

[Kara315]

This was the first summer I had to be Tigger in the basement because I was working full time, usually he was in constant AC upstairs because I was always home, so I have been nervous all summer even though he's been in the basement.

I got a dehumidifier and it works well, but it seems to make the room feel more warm, is this normal? He always seemed comfortable, but I turned it off for a couple days and it seemed a little cooler for some reason, just wondering if this happened with anyone else using a dh. Not sure if I should continue to use it everyday or not.
I wanted to get a portable ac, but can't really put it in the window where he is, so it was pretty useless, I may be able to put it in the other room the ventilation goes outside which I'm checking tomorrow. Anyway, the room would only get between 68-70 degrees with the dehumidifier on all the time, I know that's nearing too warm for a chin, not there yet, but 70 is getting too close imo or at least that's when I always started to get worried.

Also, I noticed some of his fur gets loose, so I guess sheds, not a lot that you can tell where he sheds and it's not all around shedding, is this normal and contributed specifically with temperature or is it normal, is hasn't been happening for awhile just recently.
So I know that's a lot of rambling but I always worry every summer, even though he always does fine, for the first maybe three years him and Eeyore were always in the basement with no dehumidifier and never had an issue. But I still always worry since it can become a big issue quick with the heat.

 

[Amethyst]

A dehumidifier will heat up the room a some because the compressor generates heat (just like having a fridge or freezer in a small room heats up the room) and it has no exhaust hose moving the heat outside like an ac does. A dehumidifier makes the room drier not cool, so unless it's really humid, like above 50% in the room, the dehumidifier is probably not helping since it's heating up the place more. You could try just run the dehumidifier at night to pull moisture out of the air when it's cooler and shut it off during the day. 70 is still fine for chinchillas, you want it to be under 75. I'm unclear as to why he can't be upstairs in the ac when you aren't home though.

Chins do shed, unless it's clumps of fur coming out (like a fur slip) then he is probably just shedding. Most chins shed a couple times a year.

 

[Kara315]

A dehumidifier will heat up the room a some because the compressor generates heat (just like having a fridge or freezer in a small room heats up the room) and it has no exhaust hose moving the heat outside like an ac does. A dehumidifier makes the room drier not cool, so unless it's really humid, like above 50% in the room, the dehumidifier is probably not helping since it's heating up the place more. You could try just run the dehumidifier at night to pull moisture out of the air when it's cooler and shut it off during the day. 70 is still fine for chinchillas, you want it to be under 75. I'm unclear as to why he can't be upstairs in the ac when you aren't home though.

Chins do shed, unless it's clumps of fur coming out (like a fur slip) then he is probably just shedding. Most chins shed a couple times a year.

I don't have him upstairs when i'm gone all day during the summer because we have lost power before on hot days, and I wouldn't know it until I got home, which then would most likely be too late, and i'm not going to chance it, even if it happens once or twice. As much as I stress now with him being in the basement, when he seems to be perfectly fine and I just worry too much, I can't imagine how much I would worry about losing power on hot days, it's not a common occurrence, but it's happened and I wouldn't want him in 80+ degrees with no ac. I know the chances are slim, but I just wouldn't want to risk it, as we have no generator or anything.

It's definitely not clumps of fur, just a few pieces here and there.

I think I will do the DH at night and just turn it off during the day from now on and see how that goes. Will be checking tomorrow to see if I can have the portable ac hook up to a vent going outside. but if it can't, I will probably just do the dh at night and keep and eye on things.