Temperature reminder

[Nancy]

This is a reminder to everyone that with the cooler temperatures and shorter days it is very important to ensure your hedgehogs environment is warm enough.

Each morning check your hedgehogs tummy to see if it is nice and warm. Often hibernation attempts happen overnight. Night is when our hedgehogs are active and it is especially important that their cage is warm enough overnight. Hedgehogs have different heating requirements. What is comfortable for one, may be too cool for another.

Snuggle safe discs and heating pads are a spot heating only and will not warm the whole cage. The whole cage environment needs to be at a suitable temperature.

Lighting is also important and insufficient light can cause hibernation attempts in some hedgehogs. Hedgehogs need 12-14 hours of light per day. This is as easy as turning a light on beside their cage 7ish am to 9ish pm. A full spectrum light is ideal.

[FiaSpice]

Thank you Nancy, you just made me remind myself I need to change my thermometer's battery. Since I'll be moving soon in a semi basement, I might look for that full spectrum light. Does it fit in normal lampshades?

[sweethotashes]

What is a full spectrum light? Is it ok if I just turn the light on in the room? Halo has her own room...

[Nancy]

They don't need to have a full spectrum bulb. I use normal curly florescent bulbs. The full spectrum is ideal but not a necessity.

[charlie]

Some full spectrums burn a little hotter. For this reason I usually use a lamp shape that has been coded for that type of light bulb. I have found that in a normal lamp shade, they burn out quicker. Don't know that is just a coincidence or not though...

[Chrissy & Puff]

Does anyone have an opinion on which device to "trust" (on-wall digital thermostat for central air, or a non-digital plain thermometer- the round type with a needle like a clock- that could be used outside a window)?

Puff and I are currently living in a hotel, and there is a digital thermostat to control the heating/cooling unit. So I currently have it set to 74 degrees. But I also brought along her normal thermometer, which I always have on her cage. Now, THAT seems to fluctuate and has dipped to about 70 degrees (NOT constantly! But for example, when I woke up this morning, it said 70. I turned off the air unit completely and the room quickly warmed up)...but the thermostat said 74 the whole time. I imagine the "real" temp. does fluctuate because that's simply how a thermostat works (when the temp is above/below the set temp, it cools/warms the air). So I realize it can't possibly be a totally constant temp, but I'm just wondering if I should trust the digital thermostat over the (admittedly cheap-o) plastic thermometer. As in, can I set the thermostat at 74 and that's fine if it fluctuates a few degrees up/down, or should I pay more attention to the thermometer (I suppose I am mostly concerned at night while I am sleeping)? Last night I wrapped a fleece blanket around one side of her cage, in case of a draft/cooler temps (and I do have her heating pad here, but haven't been using it)...just in case. :) But I'd like your thoughts on the matter. Thanks!!! :D

[sweethotashes]

I am confused :confused:

Do you have to use a lamp? Or can I just turn the light switch on for her (her own room) its a regular light bulb with a cover on it on the ceiling...

Thanks

[Chrissy & Puff]

I am confused :confused:

Do you have to use a lamp? Or can I just turn the light switch on for her (her own room) its a regular light bulb with a cover on it on the ceiling...

Thanks

The ceiling light is perfectly fine. :) The discussion about lamps was just regarding if you wanted to switch your bulb to a full-spectrum one, then to just check that the bulb is ok for that particular lamp/lighting fixture.

...At my prior apartment, Puff had her own "room" of sorts (it was a short hallway, but no foot traffic there so it was like it's own room) and it had a ceiling light that I left on for her everyday- that's just fine! :D

[FiaSpice]

Chrissy, i don't trust the wall thermometer. That's why I use one that's made for lizard/aquarium with a probe I stick in Litchi's home. There can be one to three degree difference wrom the wall reading. Of course, it's better when I have batteries in it ;)

Maybe I won't buy the full spectrum bulb (I always use the energy save type) but add another lamp close to her cage with a timer set on it. I'll see when I get in my place. I just hope I won't have trouble keeping the temperature cause the thermostat isn't set in C or F but as 1 to 8, the only downside of the appartment.

[Rick Zimmerman]

Although I don't have hedgies, I'd think a lamp, plugged into a appliance timer, would safeguard the lighting requirements!
Thermostats will only turn on/off whatever they're set on, air cond./heat! If it's set on air conditioning, and the temp drops below the setting, it won't heat the room unless switched to the heat setting!