Keeping chin cold idea

[Kristal]

Hey guys, so, I'm not sure if anyone has thought of this - but I came up with the idea of keeping my chin cold. Its quite creative, I think. But I don't know if its efficient. I live in Las Vegas, dry hot heat. Not for a chin, and I'm lucky if I get the house to 80*F. So, this summer I want to be prepared. Anyways, my idea is... are you guys aware of these things? Insulated bags? You can find them at like the grocery store. They keep food cold/hot or whatever.

Anyways, I was thinking... how about if I buy a few of these - and cut it up and tape it outside my cage for my chin? Then like... put frozen water bottles around inside. I'm not sure if this works, but how does it sound? If you have tried this or something similar, feedback would be appreciated. Thanks.

 

[Cuddlebug]

I would not use the bags for a couple of reasons. One, the chinchilla will chew on it and possibley eat it and two, it will block off the air circulation in the cage and actually cause it to heat up more. If you can't keep the room the chinchilla is in under 75 degrees, you need to find a new home for your chin.

 

[Encantadora]

You may be better off making a fleece cover for ice packs-- the hard plastic kind. Those you could switch in and out of the cage, or just good old tile that you could pop in the fridge on extra hot days.

 

[ticklechin]

I would pick a small room in the house and get a window or portable A/C unit, I had to do that when the chins spend the summer in Modesto.

 

[Newt]

You can get ceramic floor tiles, or small terracotta pots, and keep them in the freezer 'til they're needed. Chins love to lie on/in them when they're feeling a bit hot.

But yeah, here in Auckland, chins just cant do without AC in summer....it's absolutely necessary

 

[adrienneh]

You should look into a "chin-chiller" its like a slab of tile that you put in the freezer then lay it in your chin's cage. You could buy a couple and alternate them so it always has a nice cool spot however AC is a must, I keep my place around 73 though and mine has no problems!

 

[MyzarandGemma]

You can find nice, energy-efficient portable or window air conditioners for around $300. The energy bill would be about $60 for the year if you get an energy rating of 9 or better. It sounds like a lot of money, but if you have your chin for ten years, it only cost you $90 a year.

 

[Lirana]

You should look into a "chin-chiller" its like a slab of tile that you put in the freezer then lay it in your chin's cage. You could buy a couple and alternate them so it always has a nice cool spot however AC is a must, I keep my place around 73 though and mine has no problems!

An alternative would be to do like Newt says and get ceramic/marble floor tiles at Lowes or Home Depot. Much more cost effective than the chinchillers that are sold at pet stores.

 

[Cuddlebug]

Ice packs and tiles are temporary solutions for emergencies, not for the entire summer. For that you need a window or portable AC. There is no way around this. If you want to keep chins, you need to have AC.

 

[MyzarandGemma]

I agree with Cuddlebug. Look on amazon and look in your local area. Big companies sometimes get rid of theirs dirt cheap. I saw one a year ago being sold for $30 from my campus' surplus! If I knew I was going to have chins then, I would have jumped on that deal! Luckily, I live in Flagstaff and will only need an AC for July and August when it gets to be 80. I'll keep an eye out for you, though, since Vegas isn't really that far