Temperature Problem. Please Help

[Jay_Bunny]

I have sugar gliders. At the moment, I live in my grandparents house and because I have no way of keeping the gliders in my room because of my cats, I keep the cages in the utility room. It was fine during the summer as it stays around 75 in that room all summer. But now, the weather outside is getting colder and the utility room is very close to the garage and so the temperature has been dropping at night. Definatly below 70 which is not good for them and too low of temps will kill them.

I asked my grandmother if running an oil filled heater would be ok and she claims it will blow a fuse if I try, but I really need to get some heat into that room. It is 49 outside right now and my room (without the heater running) is at 71 and my room is regulated by our air conditioning and heating system, unlike the room with the gliders. I can't move them into my room at night due to two factors, my cats, and the cages do not have wheels. They are heavy cages and without wheels would need at least two people to move.

Any suggestions?

[dr del]

Hi,

Move the cats into the utility room and the sugar gliders into your room?

Check out the wattage of the oil filled heater and the rating of the powersupply to the utility room?

Maybe look into a freestanding gas powered heater (them propane thingys - can't think of the name ).

Is it feasable to build them a little heated hidebox within the enclosure or anything?


dr del

[Jay_Bunny]

I was thinking of maybe rigging up a heatlamp and using the infared heat bulbs like I use for my cornsnake and leopard gecko. Gas heaters are probably a no. And I don't like the idea of moving the cats into the utility room as there is not much space for them to run around, possibility of swallowing things my grandfather drops in his shop (I don't have to worry about this with the gliders because they are in cages and cannot reach the floor).

So do you think a heat bulb could work? They are somewhat inexpensive and I can clip it onto one of my grandfather's storage shelves.

[Jay_Bunny]

Well I'm attempting the oil filled heater since there is no way the temp in that room will stay above 68 without it tonight. Outside temperature will be down to 29 tonight so definatly need the heater.

Yep just checked the temperature and it was 65.4. WAY too cold for gliders so I bumped up the heater a bit. Now I don't really like cold weather as much.

[JLC]

If no other ideas come to mind...I would imagine a heat lamp (not a white light, though!) would work in a pinch. Try to rig it up so that it warms up the area where they would hang out most at night. Maybe you could look into the Radiant Heat Panels and set up one or two of those around their enclosure.