No ac and 102 temp help!

[Brynnaviere]

Help!!!!

We live in WA state which is usually very temperate but we are having an unexpected heat wave the next couple days in which temps will reach at least 102, some saying 111!! We are absoultely freaking out because there is no way for us to get a/c, its impossible.

We dont know what to do, please help! He have kept everything really closed up and lights off, we are running box fans, one by the chin cage which it blowing over a bowl of ice and through a cold wet towel. He has a marble slab and we are going to get another tomorrow so we can put it in the fridge and swap them out. Does anyone have any ideas of what else to do? I also need to know how to tell if he has gotten too hot and if so what emergency treatment is because we also have no vets in the area (yeah we are screwed). I'm really worried we are going to lose him this week. :-(

Please help and again no we cannot get any kind of a/c and no there are no vets around. (ANd no we had no idea of any of this before we purchased the little guy, the breeder did not inform us of anything, we learned everything after already having him).

 

[Siylvat]

Get him to somewhere that has AC. A friends house maybe? When the weather is in like the low 80s you can use marble, ice, etc, but with temps that high, it is just too hot. Get him somewhere cool til the weather gets better.

 

[Laurie]

You'll need to spend the day keep him cool. Blowing a fan on him will not cool him down the way it cools us down. What you need to do is keep frozen bottles of water covered in fleece near him in his cage at all times.

If your car has A/C you need to get him in the car and keep the car running to keep him cool.

Chins do not tolerate heat well at all, which you have obviously now learned. It's essential you are keeping him cool or he will have a stroke and/or die.

Do you best to get a portable a/c unit in your home to prevent this from happening again. If you don't you could lose your chin.

 

[Stackie]

An air conditioner is imperative. Get a hotel room with a/c until you can provide a/c for your chin.

If you can't provide this necessity for your chin, it is in the best interest of the chin to give him to someone such as a rescue who can. You simply can not have a chinchilla without having an a/c if you live somewhere where the temperature gets above 75.

 

[Brynnaviere]

Oh my gosh... I'm sitting here In tears I just don't know what to do. My husband insists he can keep it cool enough in here but I don't think so. A/C is rare out here, the only friend so far that offered has kids and loud dogs and Im sure would give Butters a heart attack cuz he is very sensitive to noise. Not to mention trying to move his huge mansion across town, in the heat! Ahhhh. Our car has A/c, Im wondering about getting a carrier and just driving him around? Or if I did find a friend who could take him, would he be okay in a small carrier for a couple days?

I really dont want to get rid of him, he has become my baby and I love him so much and spoil him. Im really depressed because when we got him we did livein a nice apartment where he had his own room and AC. Well then my husband lost his job and we were forced to move into my parents basement which is all one room and no AC. This sucks and its totally heartbreaking.

 

[AZChins]

If you are going to be around all day, you could freeze some waterbottles and wrap them up in a towel and make sure that a couple of those are in the cage at all times keeping him cool.

A fan won't keep the chin cool by itself, but it will help a bit. I have done this before in a pinch. But, you can't leave the chin alone for several hours...you need to watch and be certain that the chin is staying cool. I agree with Laurie...if you can freeze some bottles it could help a lot. You can fill up a 2 liter bottle with water and freeze it or even a gallon milk jug overnight. Definitely keep a thermometer nearby so you know when you need to spring into action and maybe get the chin in the car A/C.

I wish you could find someone willing to let you borrow a window mount A/C unit. If you were closer, I'd run one over to you right now...but I'm a few states away.

 

[Laurie]

If you have a friend with A/C then yes a small carrier will work for a couple of days. The most important thing is to monitor him the entire day. You can not be gone and hope for the best. If you stay with him and keep frozen water bottles near him in the cage and perhaps a fan to circulate the cold air from the frozen bottles, this will work. But yes driving him in the car will help keep him cool as well.

 

[Stackie]

Summer is hardly over..driving him around all day every day and sitting around blowing frozen water bottles at him sounds very impractical to me..hate to be a debbie downer, but if you can't provide a/c he needs a home that can until your situation gets better and you can provide him with the necessary requirements for chinchilla care. There are many people here that I bet would volunteer to foster him until your situation gets better and you can provide a/c again.

 

[BooBoo*TheKiddo*]

Personally, I think putting him in a carrier and driving him to your friends house, who has a/c, and letting him stay there until the temp cools down a lot or you can get an a/c would be much better for him. even though your friend has dogs and kids. Simple see about putting him in a room where the dogs and kids aren't allow in or something. them being loud would be the least of worries.

 

[5melrose5]

Sorry to hear all this, your situation is a tough one. If possible you could try a portable A/C. We had our chin in a room that had no window, and we found a portable A/C used in the online classifieds, and we cut a hole in the wall and stuck the venting hose out it.It worked perfectly. We just patched and repainted the hole when we no longer needed it. Is there a SPCA? or a rescue,or even a kennel of some sort near? They are usually air conditioned and for a donation,of maybe even your time volunteering there they may let you leave him there until it cools down. A pet store may take him in too. Our pet store takes in animals while people go on vacation, for a small fee. Just do your best to get the word out and someone must have a basement and or A/C somewhere and can help.You may have to drive him out of state? Gosh I wish I could do more! Sorry. Mel.

 

[Sasha]

It may be beneficial for you and your chin to find him an alternative home. With no A/C, no vets, and it sounds like you are financially strained since your husband lost his job.. your chin really isn't going to receive the best of care you can provide. Without an A/C, and at temperatures that high, chins can get heat stroke and die. They become lethargic and sluggish, and do not last very long. And if that were to happen, there is no vet and probably no money to help the poor guy.
Accidents and unforseen issues can arise with chinchillas all the time. Not being able to provide him with vet care is very serious and something you should deeply consider. It's not fair to the chin, especially if he can be provided with that necessity elsewhere.
In the meantime, for sake of preventing this chins death, I agree about letting him stay at your friends place.

 

[Bethany]

the only friend so far that offered has kids and loud dogs and Im sure would give Butters a heart attack cuz he is very sensitive to noise.

He can stay alive with noise, he will die with temps that hot.

I'm sorry, but I have to agree with Stacie and Sasha. I understand you didn't know that they needed a/c, but you should have done your research before you got him.

Mine get too hot at 75. The main thing I watch for during playtime when they are in the house that is 73 (there room is 68) is their ears. Their ears will get red and you can see the blood vessels. If it is a dark eared chin you can still see it getting red at the base of the ear.

 

[Bethany]

I didn't get to edit it in time.

I also wanted to add that if you take him to the friends house with kids take a radio and put beside his cage. Then he will have constant noise and will not be startled as much.

Please do not gamble his life because your husband thinks he can keep it cool. Do the right thing and get him sowhere that you know he will stay cool.

 

[whiskers387]

Yes a friends house definitely but another idea is filling the bath tub with ice and putting the cage on top and using a fan to circulate the cold air but idk if that will keep it cold enough.

 

[Jenn]

I also live in Washington state, and I agree, usually an a/c isn't necessary. I have had my chin for a year now and didn't have an a/c. But this summer is incredibly hot, and has been hot for over a month now. Despite my best efforts to keep windows closed and fans on in windows, the house still got to 84 yesterday. We just got two a/c's, one yesterday and one today to go in each end of the house. One is to be installed in a wall in the chin room, the other will be window mounted in our bedroom. The two of them should cool the entire house. The type of a/c I had originally been looking at was a portable a/c unit, and the vent hose could be directed out a window or have a small vent hole cut into a wall. Have you looked into portable a/c's and could you make that work for you? It only got to 86 here yesterday and it is supposed to keep climbing and will be here for at least the next week. Very unusual for us, but definately at temps that need an a/c. Another thought is to board him at your vet's office, if they will let you. I know I have vets in my area that will board my chin and keep the air conditioning on as well...good luck!

 

[rcr]

If you're close to the Seattle area call Linda of Cascade Chinchillas. She can board your chinchilla and I think she only charges $10 a week.

 

[NOLA Chins]

We have sat 4 days in a running car with chins for the A/C.
It costs about $80 for a small window unit. Check the paper and Craig's List.
Go to a friend's house.
Board at a vet.

Just where do you live with those temps?

 

[tunes]

Does your breeder have a/c? If they do call them and tell them of your situation and ask them to hold the chin until the hot weather passes.

 

[rcr]

Also, if you are in Southern WA, I would be willing to meet you in Vancouver and would be happy to board your chin for free at my house until the heat wave passes. I have central a/c.

 

[Tiatrack]

Where are you located? I'm in Portland (ready to die with day #2 of 100+ degree temps), and I'm also willing to chin-sit for you until the heat wave passes. My chin room has A/C.

What is the reason you can't get an A/C unit? I bet if you told us the issues we could help you problem solve.