Lowest Temperature You Feel is Fine for a Newborn Kit

[MegFarris]

What is the lowest temperature you feel safe keeping your kits at? I keep my home quite cold which is fine for the adults but I always up the temp for the babies. Maybe I'm overreacting but I like to keep them at a slightly warmer temp until their fur comes in a little more. What do you think? How warm is your barn set in the winter?

 

[TillyChinchilla]

My home stays between 63-65. It is comfortable for me and the chins, and I don't feel like I HAVE to wear a tank top and shorts in my home in the winter and feel comfortable. It is also pretty sunny, which helps with the illusion of a warmer environment (for me)

As far as babies go, I think the 63-65 range is fine. It has been over a year since I've had kits - but they've always been birthed in runs (which are more closed in, and they can stay close to mom)- the one time they weren't, I had fleece over the top and sides of the wire cage.

I will let it get above 65 (a couple degrees) in the summer, but I never let it get above 70. 68 seems to be the norm for the chin room, they have their own A/C.

 

[Terbear24]

In the winter my basement stays between 50-65 but normally around 55. But I've never had a problem (knock on wood) of a kit freezing.

 

[Alecia]

I'd say it depends on whether you're using wire bottomed cages or solid. Wire bottomed and I'd keep it at least 5 degrees warmer than my minimum for solid bottomed, as wire bottoms can get drafty. I have solid bottomed cages for all babies, and I keep the chin room about 60 degrees. In the winter, it's between 55-60 and in the summer, between 60-65 max.

 

[Godins Chinchillas]

My room is at a constant temperature of 58 degrees year round. I freeze in there but the chins seem very comfortable.

 

[Angel]

During the summer I run 2 small ac's (because of the window shape I have to use 2 instead of 1) and during the winter I have a portable heater for my chins. The summer I try and keep it around 65-68 but if it gets a bit above that I'm not overly concerned, as the next day its always back to the 65-68 range. During the winter I keep the heater on 60, which normally means the room is around 65-68. I did however get really lucky a few days ago. I checked the heater when I went to work, it was set at 64 as it was a bit colder that day, the room was still at 68. Well when I came home.... The room was at 54 degrees. I've honestly never had it that cold with the heater on before. I did have two kits born that day too.... Both are still up and moving like any other kit! I think what also helped was that they were in a cage closest to the heater, so I know it was prob much warmer there.

 

[MegFarris]

I'd say it depends on whether you're using wire bottomed cages or solid.

Good point. We do have all solid bottom cages. I'm glad to see a lot of numbers in the upper 50's. We have the house set at 58 but it can be a few degrees lower, even down to the low 50's depending on where you are in the house. I set the babies upstairs where it's warmer and set it to 62 for the first few weeks. I wasn't sure if this was necessary or even a good precaution.

 

[TillyChinchilla]

I use wire bottoms for adults, but every close to due mom is put on solid bottom, I am not a fan of births on wire bottoms, but that is personal preference.

I've never had an issue with the temps in the low 60's here, so I keep it at that - seems to be a good balance for chins and humans. My cages do have a lot of airflow, I'd think with melamine cages you'd have to keep the temp a little lower.

 

[Diamond Bar Chins]

I keep my chin room at around 65 degrees in summer I let it get no warmer than 67 in there unless we are working in there and then our body heat sometimes it creeps to 70 and then I am usually kicking someone out LOL... during winter it usually drops to about 58 in there and I really dont like to let it go below 55 but since we are in Texas and we get summer time in the winter HAHA it varies LOL... So 65 is a pretty constant temp for us..

 

[Chinniechantel]

Our chin room is at 65 at all times. Kits and moms all have solid bottom cages, the rest have wire bottoms. That is with 1-2 portable ac's (depending on the heat) and a dehumidifier.

 

[Kingdom Chinchillas]

We keep our chins as low as possible if it goes abouve 6o the heat our coolers kick in ,we have heat pads to put under our females who have young kits so they dont get chilled.

we also have flaps on our shed that we can open up to keep the temp down in shed and also to let the air through the sheds which the chins all love