Enviroment

Providing your chinchilla with the correct environment is paramount to his survival. Due to their thick fur Chinchillas find it very difficult to regulate their body temperature and therefore are prone to overheating, especially when out playing or in the increasingly hot summers. Humidity Heat is not the only problem that chinchillas face, humidity, both in the summer and winter can cause major problems for chinchillas. Humidity needs to be kept between 40 and 60% to ensure a happy, healthy chinchilla. If the humidity rises above this level chinchillas become more susceptible to fur fungus and skin conditions. In the summer there is the added complication that increased humidity makes it even more difficult for chinchillas to cope with higher temperatures. Heat Just as humidity can cause discomfort for your chinchilla, so heat can be fatal. Far to many chinchillas die each summer as a result of their owners not knowing how to keep them cool and what action to take if they get to hot. Chinchillas need to be kept at temperatures between 1 and 20 degrees Celsius. Understandably given the changes in climate recently it is becoming increasingly difficult to maintain the temperatures needed to ensure your chinchilla’s health and wellbeing. The most effective, and in the opinion of many essential method of keeping chinchillas cool is an Air conditioning system, either wall mounted or a portable unit. It is important if you use a portable unit to ensure that the air hose has a direct route to the outside and that any hose that is inside is insulated to stop it acting as a radiator. Dehumidifiers are also considered and essential piece of kit for keeping healthy chinchillas, you can get some Air conditioners with them built in but it is expensive to run an air conditioner for 80% of the year (day and night) and in extremely hot weather an air conditioners may work better used in conjunction with a separate dehumidifier. Getting the most from your portable Air conditioner There are several steps you can make to get the most out of your air conditioner. - Place the air conditioner unit as high as possible in the room (obviously you need to reach the controls) this will cool the hot air that collects in the room. - Point the vents downwards, this will help to circulate the air, in a large room the use of a fan will also help circulate the cool air (but it has to be cooled first - see the section on fans) - Use a hose, either draining to the outside or to a chinchilla proof container to drain the water out of the air conditioner instead of usingthe water tank, this prevents hot water from collecting with the unit. It may be necessary to fool your air conditioner into thinking that the water tank is still in the unit as most units won't cool if the tank is not installed. Doing this can make up to a 5 degree Celsius change in the temperature that your air conditioner functions at, it also has the added benefit that you don't have to worry about emptying the tank. You can also drain your dehumidifier in the same way although the only benefit is that you don't have to empty the tank. - If using a tank make sure it is regularly emptied, this may mean emptying it 2 or 3 times a day in the hottest part of summer. If a tank is full the cooling system in air conditioner WILL stop functioning. - Regularly clean the filters and vents on your unit. - Biannual removal of all plastic casing and hovering out the internal mechanism of the unit will help reduce the build-up or fur and dust that will affect the ability of the air conditioner to work to its maximum potential. Fans Unlike humans chinchillas don't perspire, hence a fan won't cool a chinchilla down. The only thing it will do is to move the air in the room, so if the air is hot it will just move hot air. The only way a fan can assist cooling a chinchilla is when it is used in conjunction with and air conditioning unit or to improve air circulation . Air coolers I have to give air coolers a mention for one reason, to warn people that they are totally unsuitable for cooling chinchillas. Air coolers blow air over either cold water or frozen ice packs. While this is a fantastic method for cooling humans it increases the humidity to a level that is totally unsuitable for chinchillas. Other cooling methods There are several measures that can be used if your air conditioner breaks down, these should not be relied upon to keep your chin cool and a new air conditioner should be obtained at the earliest opportunity. Some of these methods can also be used in conjunction with air conditioning. Marble or slate slabs Putting the slabs in the freezer before placing them in your chinchillas cage gives your friend a cool place to sit, if he chooses. Terracotta pots Again these can be put in the freezer to give a cool hidey hole for your chinchilla. Frozen tins or bottles of water Frozen tins of food, with the labels removed can be put on a try on top of the cage or in a biscuit tin (or similar) inside the cage. It is important not to put the frozen items directly in the cage as when they thaw the water that gathers on the outside of the items will make the chinchilla all wet. Travelling with your chin in the summer If you have to travel with your chinchilla in the summer it is advised to use one or more of the above methods to keep your chinchilla cool during it's journey. It is not advisable to travel with a chinchilla in the summer if you don't have air conditioning in your car and your chinchilla should NEVER be left alone in a car (even on a moderately warm day). Even leaving the car in the shade and opening the windows will not prevent the car from becoming to hot for your chin, which can result in death within minutes. Emergency treatment for over heating The most important thing if you find a chinchilla with heatstroke is to reduce it's temperature as quickly as possible. Placing the chinchilla in AN OPEN fridge or freezer will help his temperature drop. Once he comes round he should be offered fluids and taken to the vets for a check up - you obviously need to keep him cool on they way to the vets and if you don't have air conditioning in your car this should not be attempted in the heat of the day and you should make sure that the car has cooled before putting your chinchilla in it.