[emilymarieasb]

So, I have this detached room from my main home and it's where I keep all of my little caged creatures since I have dogs and cats.

I currently house 4 gerbils in there, and I will be getting an 8 week old dwarf rabbit this Saturday which will also be homed in this room. I plan on putting my hedgehogs in this same room.
My question is:

Will my gerbils and rabbit get too warm with the air temperature being around 73 degrees? I know this is probably a question for a different forum, but I figured I ask here since it is hedgehog related.

If so, should I instead use heat lamps for the hedgehog cages? Are these efficient?

I'll still have to use a space heater to keep the room warm for the other critters.

Oh! I was also wondering if anyone ever uses heat blankets in their hedgehog cages? I have a couple and was thinking about placing one in the bottom of each cage and then putting fleece on top of the blanket. Mine are programmable so you can control how hot you want it. I also understand that these will only heat the floor, not the air, so I'll still use another heat source along with the blankets if you all think this it's okay.

Thanks in advance for everyone who replies!
-Emily

 

[HedgeMom]

Rabbits and Gerbils need much cooler temps than a hedgehog. I'd be concerned that even using a ceramic heat emitter could raise the room temp enough to make it too warm for the other animals. Rabbits and Gerbs need to be kept at about 68* to be comfortable. Anything higher risks heat stroke in the rabbit and, not knowing what type caging you have the gerbs in, could also cause heatstroke especially if they are in a solid sided cage.

 

[emilymarieasb]

Rabbits and Gerbils need much cooler temps than a hedgehog. I'd be concerned that even using a ceramic heat emitter could raise the room temp enough to make it too warm for the other animals. Rabbits and Gerbs need to be kept at about 68* to be comfortable. Anything higher risks heat stroke in the rabbit and, not knowing what type caging you have the gerbs in, could also cause heatstroke especially if they are in a solid sided cage.

Yeah, that above was my initial thought.
One gerbil is kept in a 20 gallon set up, then my males are in a 55 gallon set up. Then my rabbit will be in a very large welded wire cage.
Although, I'm not exactly sure about the gerbils being comfortable at 68 degrees. I did have them in a room in my house that was probably around 68 or 69, and they were all shivering. I moved them into my detatched room where it is about 70-71 degrees and they are doing fine. That being said, your still right about the fact that they would be uncomfortable at any higher temperature, because they seem pretty content at what it is currently.

Hmm, this is pretty hard for me to figure out what to do. If I was to bring my gerbils into the main part of my home, as well as the rabbit, I have the chances of my dogs or cats getting to them. That goes the same with the hedgehogs. Man, I really don't know what to do.

Could there be a way to contain some of the heat in the hedgehog's cages? Like put coroplast or weave place mats up along the side walls to sort of contain it?

 

[leannem]

No, I don't think there is any way to "contain" the heat. Heat naturally rises. My suggestion would be to make sure the hedgie cage is secure and keep it on a table instead of the floor where the dogs can't get at it. Definately a tough one though...

 

[emilymarieasb]

No, I don't think there is any way to "contain" the heat. Heat naturally rises. My suggestion would be to make sure the hedgie cage is secure and keep it on a table instead of the floor where the dogs can't get at it. Definately a tough one though...

No kidding! And I'm not really for putting my house at 75 degrees. That's way too hot for me. I like it around 70.
And setting the cage up on a table still isn't the answer. I have cats. I also don't have any other room that I'm willing to let get that warm, other than the detached room. That may sound selfish but the only other rooms are the bathroom and my bedroom. My bedroom has a fish tank, and the bathroom isn't a good place at all because of the humidity and such.
I'm thinking about moving the gerbils back into my room and just using a space heater in there to try to keep it comfortable.

Can someone explain why hedgehogs have to be kept so warm? Gerbils have to stay warm because they are a desert creature, but not 73-75 degrees. Aren't they from Africa?

Well, I guess I'll have to just keep them in that room alone then move the others. And hopefully nothing happens to my other pets :?

 

[Nancy]

I have 7 cats and often have rescues and re-homes living in either my bedroom, sewing room or living room which are all areas the cats have full access to. The hedgehogs are in conventional plastic bottomed wired topped cages with plastic around the bottom few inches just to keep out paws. The first hour the cats will sit and watch the cage but as soon as they figure out they cannot reach the hedgehogs food, the thrill wears off. Same with watching the hedgehog when it's up at night. The thrill wears of really fast.

For cats, all you need to do is make sure they can't knock the cage of the table and that they can't reach into the cage far enough to actually reach the hedgehog or it's food. Screening around the bottom of the cage works well too to keep out paws.

Dogs are a different matter.

 

[emilymarieasb]

I have 7 cats and often have rescues and re-homes living in either my bedroom, sewing room or living room which are all areas the cats have full access to. The hedgehogs are in conventional plastic bottomed wired topped cages with plastic around the bottom few inches just to keep out paws. The first hour the cats will sit and watch the cage but as soon as they figure out they cannot reach the hedgehogs food, the thrill wears off. Same with watching the hedgehog when it's up at night. The thrill wears of really fast.

For cats, all you need to do is make sure they can't knock the cage of the table and that they can't reach into the cage far enough to actually reach the hedgehog or it's food. Screening around the bottom of the cage works well too to keep out paws.

Dogs are a different matter.

Well, the hedgies are getting the detached room, so I don't need to worry about that. I'm moving the gerbils and rabbit into the home. That's what I'm worried about. I'm not so sure about my cats just leaving them alone. The older one, who's 5, will leave them alone. The kittens wont, I know that for a fact. I've had the gerbils in the home before I moved them and they tried literally forever to get the gerbils. They just wouldn't stop. They may not worry too much about the bunny since I don't think they have really seen one before. At the same they'll br curious, but I don't think they'll want to get it.

 

[ILOVElily]

well thats a tough 1.... :|
maybe u have a shelf that the gerbils can stay on .....
do the cats have access to ur room at night ? i am guessing yes, but if not, that would help since cats are mostly hyper at night, i guees it rlly depends on the cat though........

good luck