What things to do When The Hot Weather Rolls in?

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Rattus

Well-Known Member
Joined
Jan 25, 2010
Messages
670
Location
Ontario, Canada
So the summer is finally here and I live in Pembroke Ontario and its already boiling here! Getting up to almost the 30's. We don't have an air conditioner in our apartment but if it gets any worse we are going to have to, for us and my ratties! I can tell they are starting to get warm as they no longer sleep in the hammies but on the cool flat floor of the FN but they don't seem too over heated. For people who don't have air conditioners what do you do to keep your rats cool? Also I was thinking of putting a fan up in their room but then I wondered if it would give them a chill?
 
Melon slices. Ice cubes. Frozen yoghurt (just like ice cubes). Buy a fan. Wet a towel, ring it out, and freeze it overngith then pop into the cage. Buy cheep tiles, freeze them overnight and put in cage.
 
I noticed today that lately my Rats have stopped sleeping in their hammies as well(and Roy kept throwing his fleece out of his hanging rolly ball bed), and this morning Al was warm to the touch and my room felt so humid and warm. So I did a bit of googling and I found this page: http://www.dapper.com.au/articles.htm#cool

I also wrapped one of those frozen packs that you freeze and then put it in a lunch to keep it cold, etc, in a thin layer of fleece and put it in the cage. Ed spent a good fifteen minutes laying right on top of it, and now Al and Ed keep taking turns laying beside it.

I also let them have their first event of fishing for peas in some shallow water. They loved it, and figured it out right away. It only took them fifteen minutes of sitting on the edges flailing for the peas before they gave up and just started jumping right in. I had wet rats running around my room, and pea shells all over my floor, but it kept them busy for a while.

I also put couple ice cubes in a shallow bowl in the cage with them. That got kind of messy, though, because they would take the ice cubes out of the bowl...
 
Let them play with ice cubes.
Find something flat, put it in the freezer, take it out and put it in thiere cage where they can lie on it.
Let them dip their tails in cold water.
 
Rachael said:
Wet a towel, ring it out, and freeze it overngith then pop into the cage.

i do this :) it is really good. I put the towel in a plastic bag so it doesnt freeze to the freezer haha

I dont have a fan, so i open as many windows and doors as possible to get a breeze blowing through the house. Also, make sure the rats are in shade, even if they are inside the house.

fruit in ice cubes is always a win
 
ryelle said:
Rachael said:
fruit in ice cubes is always a win

I love that idea. I'm going to try it this week. We have A/C in the house, but the rats are on the upper level, which is always at least 4 degrees warmer even with the central A/C running.

You have to wonder though, how rats in the wild survive when they're living outside in the elements. They must have natural coping mechanisms. That being said, a cage cannot compare to the outdoors where they would have access to a shady forest floor or a stream of cool water.
 
Scythe said:
I also wrapped one of those frozen packs that you freeze and then put it in a lunch to keep it cold, etc, in a thin layer of fleece and put it in the cage. Ed spent a good fifteen minutes laying right on top of it, and now Al and Ed keep taking turns laying beside it.

I know this is probably basic knowledge but make sure there is nothing inside it. If the rats chew on it and it's the alcohol based stuff, it can and will kill them.

I had a dog (RIP Freckles) who ate it and it almost blinded her. She was never the same.
 
In the summer, I have a kiddy pool, I fill it with water & I add peas then they go for a swim. I also have an island in the middle for them.
 


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