wheel/playtime/overheating questions

[Jaye]

So my new chin and I had our first playtime the other night and our second one tonight. We had our playtime in the bathroom. I turn the AC down extra low when we have playtime and his ears are fine the entire time and I check them and feel them anyway and they arent warm nor do they look red. After playtime though when he is back in his cage I notice that his ears are pink and they are warm. I put a piece of ice next to the cage and he seemed to love it and chewed it for a while. I held it there until he lost interest and he is fine now but i was wondering if there was anything wrong with giving him the ice and also wondering why he seems fine during playtime then after seems too heated? The room the cage is in may be a couple degrees warmer than the bathroom but the air stays extra low after playtime. Should I wait in the bathroom after playtime and keep him in his carrier so he can calm down some and stay still for a while before taking him back to his cage?

Also, he has no interest in any treats or toys during playtime. Is this normal? As far as I know this is the first time he has been out of a cage in at least 2 years. I posted before of the bad life he had before I got him (small cage, no exercise, minimum chew toys, living in filth...) He seems to LOVE playtime. He has a wheel I put in his cage and it has been in there for a couple weeks but he has not learned to use it...any ideas on how to get him to use his wheel??

thanks !
jaye & chingy

 

[Dusty Foot Prints]

How long are you having playtime? If he's not used to it, you probably only should allow 30 minutes, maybe even less. They can get overheated very easily.
As far as the wheel goes, most chins love a wheel or saucer, but there a few that don't care for them.

 

[Ash]

Why are you turning the ac down during playtime? That would mean the room is warmer by the end of playtime...

 

[Laurie]

by turning down the a/c low do you mean you set it to be colder? That's what I believe you meant.

Believe it or not playtime takes a lot out of a chin. They are often very tired and warm after a playtime activity. How often are you allowing playtime? They don't need this daily at all.

If he has never been out for playtime before then this is a new experience for him and he is probably over exciting himself. How long do you have him out for? Perhaps you can scale it back and do 10 or 15 minutes for a few times and then gradually work up to more time. I believe 30 minutes is plenty.

It takes awhile sometimes for chins to get the hang of their wheels. Eventually he will check it out and hopefully use it!

 

[Jaye]

I meant by turing the air down that I made it cooler. Playtime was about 30 minutes. I will scale it down to 10 or 15 until he gets used to it. Thanks !