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The Perils Of Overheating
Heat stroke and exhaustion:
Be Prepared Check you country/area for weather Temperature in advance 
Chinchillas as what is known as exotics. As with other exotics ie snakes etc: you must provide an environment that suit's them and not expect them to adapt to your temperatures. That would be cruel.
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If you buy a snake you buy a heated tank! So why not also buy what your chinchilla needs.
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A cool dry environment is what they need. They hate warm humid weather and many die through overheating.
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If you are not going to be able to buy the proper equipment to keep your pet in a safe cool environment and/or pay the cost of vet fees when they fall ill? I would suggest you think well before buying a chinchilla
Indeed a chinchilla should not fall ill with heastroke!
that is neglect on the owners part,
it simply should not happen if you have done your homework before
Be Prepared Check you country/area for weather Temperature in advance
Symtoms of Heatstroke.
Heat exhaustion is a big killer of chinchillas. The natural habitat is in the Andes where temperatures are low. try not to have if much more than 15c. _(59f) (never below freezing or the water in your bottles will freeze) 20c (71f)and over is far too hot.
The dangerpoint is when it gets to 20c (71f)or more, with very high humid conditions.
It will clearly show if your chinchilla is suffering from heat. They will possibly be laying on their side, panting with mouth open, difficulty breathing. Obviously distressed and
looking unwell.
When approached they will be slow to move and will continue laying there.
Their temperature will also be raised. Ears will look bright pink. A chinchilla does not sweat as we do. They lose heat through their ears. The blood supply to ears increases as temp rises to allow the ears to lose heat. thus showing the characteristic reddish/pink look. (note some mutations do have a slight pink tinge to ears, this should not be confused with heatstroke. A very marked change can be seen when heatstroke is diagnosed. They will have a much more pronounced red/pink colouring.
It should also be noted. I hear so many say "Ohhh it's okay I put a fan on for my chinchilla"
Fans may feel cooler to us because cooling is an evaporative process for us. Perspiration evaporates, and we cool off.
However chins don't perspire as we do, so a fan just blows room temperature air at them. Chinchillas cool off by a radiant proccess, their ears turn pink when they get overheated. Many animals that have large ears in relation to their body size, (elephants for instance cool off this way. Better by far you buy an AC unit. This way they are in a controlled environment.
Be Prepared Check you country/area for weather Temperature in advance
Symtoms of Heatstroke.
Heat exhaustion is a big killer of chinchillas. The natural habitat is in the Andes where temperatures are low. try not to have if much more than 15c. _(59f) (never below freezing or the water in your bottles will freeze) 20c (71f)and over is far too hot.
The dangerpoint is when it gets to 20c (71f)or more, with very high humid conditions.
It will clearly show if your chinchilla is suffering from heat. They will possibly be laying on their side, panting with mouth open, difficulty breathing. Obviously distressed and
looking unwell.
When approached they will be slow to move and will continue laying there.
Their temperature will also be raised. Ears will look bright pink. A chinchilla does not sweat as we do. They lose heat through their ears. The blood supply to ears increases as temp rises to allow the ears to lose heat. thus showing the characteristic reddish/pink look. (note some mutations do have a slight pink tinge to ears, this should not be confused with heatstroke. A very marked change can be seen when heatstroke is diagnosed. They will have a much more pronounced red/pink colouring.
It should also be noted. I hear so many say "Ohhh it's okay I put a fan on for my chinchilla"
Fans may feel cooler to us because cooling is an evaporative process for us. Perspiration evaporates, and we cool off.
However chins don't perspire as we do, so a fan just blows room temperature air at them. Chinchillas cool off by a radiant proccess, their ears turn pink when they get overheated. Many animals that have large ears in relation to their body size, (elephants for instance cool off this way. Better by far you buy an AC unit. This way they are in a controlled environment.
Exercise Balls & Wheels dont use in hot weather
Emergency treatment.
I now have air conditioning de-humidifiers in my sheds. I don't recommend the air coolers which you add ice/water to etc. They add to much humidity due to condensation.
If you see your chinchilla with above symptoms and you suspect heat-stroke. Place chinchilla in a small carrier cage. Place in fridge WITH FRIDGE DOOR OPEN for an immediate quick cool down treatment. Ice packs as used in cool boxes are excellent too.
As a quick cool down if you do not have an ice-pack is ( This tip was given to me 10 years ago by the breeder I bought my first pedigree chinnies from, and it still works) Wet a towel with ice cold water wring out really well and lay the towel folded on the shelf under the chinchilla. This will rapidly bring the temp down. A few ice cubes placed in the cage is also beneficial.
Even when not suffering from heat-stroke, if temperature is rising, I place a bowl of ice cubes in the cages. My chinchillas love this when the weather is hot.
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A metal biscuit tin with ice packs (as used in cool box/bags to keep food fresh on a picnic etc) add this to cage. If you add four ice packs(these keep cold longer than ice)then lay on floor of cage lid side down, the chinchilla may then lay on top of or near it to cool down.
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Keeping a dry towel in a poly bag in the freezer during hot spells is a quick treatment also.
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A house brick,ceramic tile or clay terracotta garden pot kept in freezer and placed on floor of cage for chin to sit on helps. change it frequently. Remember to wipe off the frost it gathers in freezer before adding to cage.
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A piece of marble kept in freezer is also beneficial. They love to lay on or in anything cold.
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Sandbath wrapped in polythene bag and kept in fridge, keeps really cold for warm chinnies to cool down quickly.
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Remember cold air sinks warm air rises. A cold source ie: ice in plastic boxes may be placed on top of cage. Make sure they are not above a chelf where they can be nibbled on. Keep changing the ice to keep temp down! Even cans of soup, beans etc labels removed can be put in freezer for emergency use if temp suddenly soars. again wipe of frost before adding the cans to the cage floor.
Think ahead of summer. Prepare in advance then you will not be taken unawares. Prevention is 100% preferable to treatment. If you can imagine yourself laying on a sun drenched tropical island, lots of thick wool sweaters on and furry boots? This is what heatstroke is like when your chinchilla overheats.
check the weather forecast in advance for your area!
Chinchillas should NOT fall victim to heastroke, be prepared!!!!!! rather than caught out.
If your chinchilla has suspected heat stroke dont delay. quick treatment is essential
these massages copied from our msn group message board which will close Feb 09
Hi everyone! I was just wondering if anyone had any new and innovative ways to keeps chinnies cool. My mom will only turn up the air conditioning so much and my chins always looks a little warm and bothered now that summer's hot. Any ideas would be appreciated. Also, does anyone know the perfect temperature for a chin? Thanks! Arlene
Hello Arlene
15c -20c is an idea temp for them. Of course never let it get below freezing point. They love the cold weather. So keep them as cold as possible.
If your home gets up to 20c your chinnies will suffer with the heat that would be like you out in the garden sunbathing with lots of layers of wooly sweaters.
You can keep them cooler by getting some of those terracotta garden pots, put them in freezer and then put in cage for them to lay in. As a quick remedy any newspapers, towels,etc may be stored in freezer for a quick cool down for them. A big glass jar (not plastic), filled with ice cubes is always a good idea. A wonderful cool spot for a chinnie is a block of marble which has been in the freezer it will stay cold for a while too.
If at all worried about putting things in cage. Remember your science lessons as school. Heat rises cold air sinks. So anything cold put on top of the cage will be cooler for them. They also love to play with ice cubes.
If room is very sunny? best keep blinds or curtains closed.
I have air conditioning in both my sheds now. They also remove humid air. A fan is never really effective as it only blows warm air about, it does not really cool it much.
I am in a bit of a rush right now. I may yet come back and add more.
Members may also give you a few tips on what they do. Ideas are numerous I find. I am never surprised at how ingenious chinnie owners can be when it comes to the welfare of the pets.
So far I have put some lunchpack coolers in pillowcase so they can lay on them. I like the terra cotta pot idea.
I'm trying to figure out a way to put an additional air conditioner in my window.. it's not looking good. 
lol Thanks for the ideas, keep them coming everyone. my chins appear to be feeling better already!
Oops!
I forgot to ask, I think that the ice cubes would be cute but isn't there a risk of the chinnies getting wet?? What if their skin sticks to the cube? ( This might sound a little dumb but it could happen!!) Arlene
Hello Arlene,When I purchased my Girls..sweets and Sassy, I was told that perfect temp for the chins were between 60 and 80 degrees.... My Girls love ice...so I put fresh ice in a tray and they nibble it, they really enjoy it, they then drink the water after the ice melts.My girls don't like or have any use for water bottles. I don't know why, but they like to chew holes in it, instead of using it drink from, I was also told, that if you put a ceramic tile down in the cage, it will stay cool and they will sleep on it.... but I have not tried it yet.I was also told that chins were supposed to like yogurt and this
keeps them cool..however, when I tried to give them some...I put some on
one's nose..and she went burserk trying to get it off.... needless to
say...yogurt's out. Sherri
So far I have put some lunchpack coolers in pillowcase so they can lay on them. I like the terra cotta pot idea.
I'm trying to figure out a way to put an additional air conditioner in my window.. it's not looking good. lol Thanks for the ideas, keep them coming everyone. my chins appear to be feeling better already!
Oops!
I forgot to ask, I think that the ice cubes would be cute but isn't there a risk of the chinnies getting wet?? What if their skin sticks to the cube? ( This might sound a little dumb but it could happen!!) Arlene
Hello Arlene,When I purchased my Girls..sweets and Sassy, I was told that perfect temp for the chins were between 60 and 80 degrees.... My Girls love ice...so I put fresh ice in a tray and they nibble it, they really enjoy it, they then drink the water after the ice melts.My girls don't like or have any use for water bottles. I don't know why, but they like to chew holes in it, instead of using it drink from, I was also told, that if you put a ceramic tile down in the cage, it will stay cool and they will sleep on it.... but I have not tried it yet.I was also told that chins were supposed to like yogurt and this
keeps them cool..however, when I tried to give them some...I put some on
one's nose..and she went burserk trying to get it off.... needless to
say...yogurt's out. Sherri
Hi Arlene, As i said before the cooler the room is for the chins the better.Chins are a lot happier the cooler it is as they have thick coats on them.If the temperture goes abouve 70 degrees it will start to affect your chin and you can lose your chin.On hot days i start to worry if the temp for the chins goes to 65 as all the chins tend to do is lie about and they are not happy chins.
In the hot weather it is best not to give your chins any sand baths or clean the chins out till later on in the day when it is cooler.With you being the age you are I took it for granted you would be using the celsius temp convertion.
Will add degF here as regards my post giving degC
15c = 59f ..................20c = 68f
over that I would be showing concern for my chinchillas as they are pretty active in daytime too and their temps can climb quickly if they are running around. I used to hate to see them lain out on their shelves obviously over heating and me running about with things like ice and so on to quickly cool them down. That's why I got ac for my sheds. Their health is paramount to me. I keep the thermostats set at a steady 15c for them whenever possible. At the opposite end of scale the only time I would worry about them being cold is if their water bottles froze (that tip came from a well know longtimer old breeder, it worked for him all those years) Of course for my females with kits or about to have kits I have heatpads under their cages.
I would love a trip to the Andes to see for myself and feel for myself what the air it like there. I am not a heat person myself, I like it on the cool side too just like my chinnies lol Hope that rascal of yours is feeling better with no bad effects from the adventure exploration on the quick way down to the basement. By the way, talking basements. Thats where Sonya keeps Kirby and he had a marvelous summer I believe with no worries about over heating. he is one spoiled chinnie............. Did you see his pic and his playpen?
Thanks everyone for your advice!!! My chinnies are feeling much better (Pepper is making a miraculous recovery!) The ice packs in pillow cases have been working well and I have been using spare ceramic tiles, they are cooler than the room temperature. My chins also love the ice cube idea, I put a few in the bowl for them. When I move out I think I will make a special room for them!!!
Thanks again!
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