safe temps?

[DanitheTulip]

I have a five month old chinnie and he keeps getting sick/dehydrated, despite my efforts to make sure his water bottle is working. I think he might be over heating.... what is to warm a temp, and what temp is to cool for these little guys?

 

[Pikaia]

I would say not to let the temperature go above 72. Even that is too hot sometimes. I try to keep my chin room about 65-68 degrees in the summer. You need to invest in an AC unit if you don't already have one. These little guys can overheat rather quickly if the temperature gets to 75 and above. Also, get a "chinchiller" or marble slab that he can lay on if he gets too hot. You can either buy these at petsmart or Lowes/Home depot.

As far as how cold chinnies can be, I'm not exactly sure. I don't think you would want the temperature going below 50, but I know there have been forum members that had their chins colder than that due to heat going out. They were fine for a little while.

 

[Spoof]

I see you are in Coeur D'Alene - it shouldn't be very warm up there this time of year.

My guess is your furnace is still running? Why do you think he is getting dehydrated? Overheated? What is he doing? You'd have to have it cranked mid-high 70's to get him to overheat/dehydrate, and they do acclimate.

There is a show in Hermiston, OR on the 17th, you are welcome to come and bring him. There might be something else going on that one of the attending ranchers can help you with. )

 

[DanitheTulip]

update... but still worried... this keeps happening!

Well, i keep the room between 68-72 degrees. He is showing the same symptoms as when i took him to the vet the first time this happened, and they told me he was dehydrated. He just gets really sleepy and wobbles a little. But the first sign he always gives me is a loud cry. He is normally quiet, besides his low happy peeps. His breeder said the temp he is at is ok, and the same as the home where he was born. I dont have my heat on but live on the top floor of an apartment building, so it gets warm anyways. I like a fan on 24/7 also. I moved him closer to the window, where is seems a bit cooler. Currently as of yesterday the temp is 64-68. He seems better, but made a whinney noise again. I just dont know what else it could be... :hair:


:cry3:
I'm still very worried. He is so spoiled and i thought i was taking good care of him, i just don't know where i am going wrong. Maybe he has a condition or something??? I was hand feeding and giving him water with a med dropper every hour or so while he was feeling bad, it worked, and has the other times this has happened. But like i said, it keeps happening even though i am not changing his food or anything like that...

 

[GorillaJTA]

If this is a recurring thing and you know the temperature is ok, then it could be a neurological condition. The cry, then lack in muscle tone sound like a seizure to me- which could be from low blood sugar, overheating, or just a neurological defect.

Do you have a thermometer next to the cage or are you judging by your skin temperature?

Fans circulate air which we perceive as cooler because it evaporates warm sweat from our skin. Chinchillas do not sweat, so a fan is just noise to them unless it is actually pulling cooler air from one room to another.

they do acclimate.

Chins probably can acclimate to a degree to slightly higher temperatures, but like any cool weather animal they still will not be as active, have as thick and luxurious a coat (they would prime it out for less insulation), and would store less body fat, so you would have a leaner, thin-coated, lazy chin instead of an active, luxurious-coated, chubby chin. The process would take months and he could die along the way. Would that be worth it?

 

[StevieP]

Do you ever notice his ears red or floppy? Touch an ear; are they cool? What kind of water bottle do you have?

 

[ItsyBitsy]

That totally sounds like a seizure to me but I am no vet. Poor baby

 

[Spoof]

Quote:
Originally Posted by Spoof
they do acclimate.
Chins probably can acclimate to a degree to slightly higher temperatures, but like any cool weather animal they still will not be as active, have as thick ... and would store less body fat, so you would have a leaner, thin-coated, lazy chin instead of an active, luxurious-coated, chubby chin. The process would take months and he could die along the way. Would that be worth it?

I meant that the chin in question would be used to whatever they had the furnace temp set at over the winter. They literally acclimate to their environment.

As far as "slightly higher" - I am appalled at how many rescues I get that have been living outside, in sheds and barns here, in the south, for years. That's years of 115+ 100% humidity, and we do drop into the 20's during the winter on occasion. I have no idea how they survive. Mine wouldn't. They are just as active, but always skinny, not from lack of storing body fat, but the amount of calories they burn to stay cool.

That all said, I think there is something else going on with this chin. It does not sound like a simple issue of dehydration. There are other things that cause water loss or lack of absorption.

 

[Twilight Chinchillas]

I'm stumped too. I have had vocal chins, so thought at first maybe he is one of those, but now reading this post, it does make me wonder. His parents are doing great, as is his sister born at the same time. I just got an update about her today from her new chin parents.
I have nieces, cousins, and uncles to this animal, and all are doing just fine.
What type of water bottle are you using now? I k now that was the likely or suspected culprit the first time he had issues. Is he kept in a small room, where the temp might be warmer than the rest of the house?
Tara, could you share more about what other issues might be at hand, other than dehydration?

 

[DanitheTulip]

hmmm...

He is back to his normal bouncy, popping, happy self. I really wish i could get to that convention with him this month. The vets here dont seem to know a lot about Chinchillas. Im worried that the next time this happens i wont be able to nurse him back. Of course i will take him in if he gets lethargic, but they will just push fluids. He hasnt shown any more symptoms that this, and i havent seen him shaking, but i dont know what a chinchilla lookes like while having a seizure. Any additional advise would be great, its only a matter of time before this happens to him again.

I have a very nice temp gauge ontop of his cage, and im not sure about the brand of water bottle, its older, glass, with a blue nozzle.

 

[DanitheTulip]

soo....

After doing some looking around its sounding like hes having blood sugar issues. Could be epilepsy, or hypoglycemia. Idk... I need to do more research, and possibly call every freakin vet in town. Thanks for all the help everyone.

Im still in need of detailed info on drop in blood sugar, symptoms and signs... The very first time this happens to Miguel and he was very lethargic, i gave him light corn syrup and it did perk him up long enough for me to get him to the vet. I just didnt think about it again cuz of the vet telling me he was just dehydrated. :banghead:

 

[Spoof]

but i dont know what a chinchilla lookes like while having a seizure.

Here's a photo of one. If your chin had one you'd know it, they are excruciatingly unpleasant to watch.

Since your temps are fairly low, you have a young chin, and just described him as "his bouncy self" I'm actually inclined to believe he may be overexerting himself, not feeling good, then not drinking and getting dehydrated. He is very young. Like I said in the PM, try giving him an additional bottle of peadilite/water and flavor it with 1/8 cranberry or apple juice. Something that has simple sugars that will attract him to drink regardless, but not overdo it.

 

[DanitheTulip]

Thanks for the advice. I have pretty much come to that conclusion as well. It looked nothing like the pics and videos i have found of seizing chins. I have instructed my boyfriend to not let him play for more than 20 min and to give him a cheerio after play time, and to make sure he drinks water. These fits he has had seem to happen when im at work or when i just get home. I work the graveyard shift, so i wasnt there to make sure my boyfriend didnt let him play to much. I had to explain to him twice now that Miguel is not a puppy or kitten, and that he cant just let him play all he wants or give him too many treats.:impatient: He thought he was doing a good thing, but it ended up hurting my little guy. I really hope he listens this time. I would hate to have to kick his butt or break up with him because he cant listen to my instructions, and keep getting my baby sick! GRRR! LOL! Im hoping this new play and treating schedule works. :crossfingers:

 

[addictedtochins]

I am a diabetic and live near Miguel's Mom. I bet I can find an extra blood glucose meter, lancet and test strips. Can a chins blood sugar be checked? Would you just lance the paw pad? What is a normal reading?
Perhaps the boyfriend is feeding him treats?
Dani, (is that your name?) I will be happy to come over and look at him. PM me