Inability to Regulate Temperature?

[DarkLies212]

So Dot's still having problems regulating her temperature. She's definitely acting and looking like a normal squirrel, though her fur is still kitteny. She LOVES her HHBs and eats her veggies now and drinks from a bowl and a water bottle. She loves running and climbing to the very top of the cat tower and playing and...but she gets cold very easily. When playing her feets get freezing cold to the touch CM920 and if she's running around her cage for too long her feet get cold. She still sleeps on heat, so she's still in a very small cage that can sit ontop of the heating pad. I tried taking her off of heat, but her feet were constantly cold.

Any ideas as to why? CL believes she may by on the very high functioning slightly dwarf side due to her kitten fur and inability to really regulate her temperature (I think that's what you said, right CL?) :thinking :embar

I NEED to put her in a bigger cage, so does anyone have any ideas as how to do that and keep her on heat?

[ALittleNutty]

Does she sleep in a nest box or bag?

[Nancy in New York]

Can you post another picture of her?
You can get a heating pad with a chew proof cord.
The first one stays a constant 100 degrees, the second 102 degrees.

Both have steel wrapped cords

http://www.amazon.com/Manufacturing-Animal-Heated-9-Inch-12-Inch/dp/B000NVC7DO/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1459046406&sr=8-2&keywords=pet+heating+pad+chew+proof+cord

http://www.amazon.com/Manufacturing-Lectro-Soft-Outdoor-Heated-Small/dp/B000ICGJZK/ref=pd_sim_199_5?ie=UTF8&dpID=41vkFhYGlVL&dpSrc=sims&preST=_AC_UL160_SR160%2C160_&refRID=07XH3RV4Q916JPR9EE3B

[DarkLies212]

ALN, she prefers to sleep in a pile of fleece on the bottom of the cage directly on top of the heating pad.

I didn't know they made steel wrapped cords, thank you! What about chewing the pad itself? That's where I'm a bit worried with her if I put it inside a bigger cage.

I'm thinking of maybe incorporating a heating pad in a cube or maybe asking Auntie MM (if she has time) to see if she can incorporate one in a slipper for the bottom of the cage and another in a hanging cube or a double teired hammock or something, since her skills are MUCH better than mine.

Here's a picture of her eating formula last night. She's between 12-14 weeks old now if she was 8-10 a month ago when I got her. See, she looks normal, not at all dwarfy, but she's still got odd fur. NOT at all dehydrated btw

271106

[Mel1959]

Joey who is a dwarf is in a large cage. Because he's not a very good climber we divided his cage into 3 levels the bottom level is just covered with an old throw rug that can be removed and washed. He doesn't go down to the bottom level much, sometimes to go to the bathroom. The middle level of the cage is Joeys play area and has his stuffies. It's not a very big area. The top level is where he spends most of his time. He has a nest box that was originally suppose to be mounted at the top of his cage with a ramp for access. When we realized he couldn't climb well enough we took it down and it just sets on the floor of the top level section. The box has a door that opens down and forms a ramp. I have his box lined with blankets and it sits on top of a heating pad. He crawls in and out of it at will and also has a cube that hangs from the ceiling of his cage for sleeping. Because he doesn't have a fixation about chewing he has never messed with the cord, but I'm sure it could be rigged so there was no access to the cord. The levels are connected by a tree limb that runs from the top of the cage to the bottom. Joey climbs the tree limb to get to each level. I believe there is a picture on his thread in The Nursery. If not or you can't see it clearly, I'd be happy to send you a picture. This design works very well for him as I had the same concerns about wanting him on a heating pad. I hope this helps.

[DarkLies212]

Thanks Mel! Is it in this thread? http://thesquirrelboard.com/forums/showthread.php?53167-Joey-a-dwarf-squirrel

I looked, but didn't see a cage picture :thinking - but then again, I probably missed it!!

I'd love to see your setup! Good to know he doesn't chew on the heating pad! Dottie likes to chew a bit, so she might be more of a challenge, but I wonder if just the steel cord would be good for her? Do you have his heating pad wrapped up in blankets completely or just with blankets on top of it?

[Gardentoes11]

Could you maybe create an envelope out of hardware cloth (the 1/4" kind is more flexible & easier to manipulate than the 1/2" that we usually use for sqs) to insert the heating pad into? Then you could still put it in the cage bottom with her blankies on top of it, but you'd have no worries about chewing......

[ALittleNutty]

Could you maybe create an envelope out of hardware cloth (the 1/4" kind is more flexible & easier to manipulate than the 1/2" that we usually use for sqs) to insert the heating pad into? Then you could still put it in the cage bottom with her blankies on top of it, but you'd have no worries about chewing......

Great idea!

[DarkLies212]

Could you maybe create an envelope out of hardware cloth (the 1/4" kind is more flexible & easier to manipulate than the 1/2" that we usually use for sqs) to insert the heating pad into? Then you could still put it in the cage bottom with her blankies on top of it, but you'd have no worries about chewing......

This was actually my first thought! But most of my ideas sound good in theory, but not so great during execution. I'm glad you suggested that, too, because I forgot about it :embar

[Mel1959]

I am so sorry DarkLies for not responding to your questions about Joeys cage and heating pad set up. I forget which threads I have responded to and then don't check them to answer any questions. I am attaching some pics of his cage and the heating pad under his house. As I said, he's a dwarf and I don't really have an issue with him chewing on things. The cord hangs underneath the top level and he never messes with it. You can pm me if you have any other questions, that way I will definitely see it. Joey even got into the picture. :grin2

[DarkLies212]

Thank you for the pictures!

I attached a heating pad to the fleece surrounding the cage behind a hanging pouch and another behind a mound of fleece :grin2

She's getting better regulating her temperature and doesn't use the heated area that often.