Suggestions for keeping chin cool if electric goes out during Hurricane

[kristine0527]

Hi,

Has anyone had to deal with a long term electrical outage with their chin?

With hurricane Irene closing in on the eastern seaboard (I'm in NYC) and the weather services projecting the storm to hit and possibly cause widespread electrical outages, I was hoping I could get some advice on how to possibly prepare ahead of time.

I am going to try and find an electric powered fan and make lots of ice/pick up a bag of ice, to have some cool air blowing... but that will last only so long.

What have you done to help keep chin cool?

I have 1 chin chiller.

thanks, Kristine

 

[Sycamore Chins]

We have a variety of sizes of "chin chillers" that we've made ourselves. These are going in the fridge or freezer. Our chins are used to the occasional temp spike, so we will only be pulling the marble slabs out if the temperature goes above 76/77 in the chin room. It doesn't look like it's going to be ridiculously hot, so hopefully the house will stay moderately cool and power will either not go out, or not go out for very long.

I think you mean a battery or gas powered fan? You might be able to find one big enough for one chinchilla, but I don't see that being terribly effective.

 

[lola]

i live in ny to and im worried about the same thing

 

[blondeangel]

I have battery operated cage fans, I keep multiple marble slabs in the freezer. Several years ago during hurricane Wilma the power went out for 10 days here. My two chins at the time were not super active, but they made it through the heat ok until the power came on.

 

[obcsed]

When Ike hit down here, I froze about a dozen bottles of water before hand. I lost power for 10 days so the water bottles didn't last long. Ice was very difficult to find. Fortunately, the temperatures stayed surprisingly low after the storm and I was able to open the windows at night and then shut the house up tight during the day. I managed to keep the temperature in the chin room at acceptable levels until the last two days. I moved them to a near by vet for those last days.

I now have a window unit I can use in case it happens again and I have access to a generator.

 

[Lynn & The Chins]

It's expensive and maybe not even possible, but you can put them in the car with AC and idle or just drive in circles.

I would check with your vet and see if he has emergency plans in place -- you might be able to take them there.

 

[Mt. Zion Chins]

The best thing is to get a generator. Probably too late now. I have 2 generators

 

[ticklechin]

I have emergency back up generators, one at work and one at home, we have to be prepared here in CA for the "big one" and to be without power for days and days.

 

[Brittany]

If you don't have a generator, do you have friends or family you can go stay with, or drop the chins off with, as a back up plan? I hope everyone on the east coast stays safe, and it doesn't get that bad.

 

[Sesame]

I hope everyone's okay! I lost power in Maryland, but luckily have been able to find a friend's apt that still has power. We were able to move Sesame, but she's quite upset about being downgraded to a travel cage.

Those in a similar boat, I hope you get power back quickly or else we will have a chinchilla mutiny on our hands!

 

[chinchillalover0927]

I'm planning on ordering a large ryerson travel cage and just get in the car with them . I don't have any choice. I never thought of asking my vet if he had a generator and if his ac will stay on to keep them there. But I'd still be so worried !!!!