# Keeping Rats Cool in the Summer?



## ilovemyfatcat (Apr 14, 2012)

Hi! I am pretty sure I'm getting a couple of male rats around Christmas time and have a question. How can I keep them cool in the summer? I live in Texas (USA) and it gets REALLY hot here, and we do not have central air conditioner, which means I wont get too much cool air in my room. We do have an AC unit in the living room, but my bedroom is down the hallway. I would say I could put them in the living room, but I also own a cat and definitely would not trust him around small animals since he loves to attack anything that moves. I'm not worried about keeping them warm in the winter because it doesn't get too cold here. Like right now, it's the 16th in December and is only around 47-50 degrees Fahrenheit, warm enough to where I don't even need a jacket. But can you give me ideas on keeping them cool in the summer so I'm prepared before it comes? Like I said, it gets hot here, up into the 100's-110's, hot enough for it to be pretty unbearable for me, mind a poor animal that has fur.

I would also say I could take them to my grandma's house, since she has an air conditioner with no animals that I'd be worried about, but I'm not sure she'd accept since she hated the idea of me taking a hedgehog over there for even a week, but if it comes down to that (especially if it gets way to hot) I'm sure she'd let me, even if I'd have to give her my allowance for ratty rent.


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## Rat lover (Dec 28, 2011)

well what i do if it gets too hot is fill a shallow pan or even a shower with cool water and put frozen peas in it so your rats can fish for them. some rats dont like water though so you could also freeze a water bottle and put a towel around it and put it in a corner of their cage to lay in if they do get too hot. hope this helps


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## LightningWolf (Jun 8, 2012)

A good way to help with the heat And help with nails are tiles. Tiles stay cold for longer periods. Keep 1 or 2 in the freezer and replace them in the cage so they have a cool spot. Fishing for frozen peas (my guys actually like fishing for blueberries) also works.


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## Mrm911 (Jul 6, 2012)

I have frozen my bedding before. It will help with the heat and it gets rid of mites(main reason i did it). When i did not have a air conditioning i would put a frozen water bottle in there. And if you have different floors to your house put them on the bottom one. Mine lived in the basement for awhile but it had a leak so I moved them up a level. You could also get a fan to put in your room.


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## cagedbirdsinging (May 28, 2012)

A favorite heat-beater of mine is a bottle of frozen water. Fill it until it's not quite full and stick it in the freezer without the cap. When it freezes and expands, put the cap on and stick it in the cage.

Good on you for thinking ahead!


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## Blaze (Jul 16, 2012)

I've heard that fishing for frozen peas is a good idea, but I never tried it with mine.

In 2011, the first summer I had with rats, it was miserably hot. Two months straight of every day being over 100 degrees Fahrenheit. And we didn't have air conditioning then. The main things I did to keep the two girls I had at the time cool was putting ice cubes in their water bottle and keeping them near a fan. That worked pretty well, even though they were in an aquarium, which has basically no ventilation. (I know, wasn't a good idea, it was only temporary until I got their cage.) Something I know now that I didn't then is that ice cubes from the fridge aren't that great for rats, nor is most tap water. Bottled water or water from a filter, something like a Pur, is best, so next summer, I plan on making ice cubes from my own Pur filter.


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## jordanskillsz (Dec 11, 2012)

I would try and keep the house as cool as possible, atleast the room. MAybe try and put a small fan towards it, if you don't have a ceiling fan. They will be annoyed by the sound at first but will get used to it.


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## RainOnRahoon (Dec 17, 2012)

Keep a fan on in your room, and try some frozen treats for them. Peas have been mentioned above, but they're a good one, along with most fruits. Make sure they are getting fresh, cold water frequently. Also, you can check on craigslist for anybody selling a cheap window AC unit (I know I got mine for only around $45), which could make both you and your ratties more comfortable during the hot summers!


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## Rat Daddy (Sep 25, 2011)

As a shoulder ratter, dealing with heat is part of the gig... When your rat overheats it goes flat and squishey and stops moving.... then it dies. 

Forget fans, rats don't sweat so fan's don't help unless you wet or soak your rat first... When we go outside in summer we take along a spray bottle and if it's windy enough we keep our rats soaked and that helps with temps go over 85 degrees... But indoors you either keep your rats in a cool basement or you get an AC unit... that's the deal.

85 degrees is about the absolute maximum temp a fancy rat can stand.... An adult rat in great condition can tollerate temps over 90 for short periods of time... but were talking minutes not hours or days.

If you can't manage the temperature, you would be better off with an animal that can survive in your climate. 

Remember, 85 degrees is not negotiable, too hot means dead rat!


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## JBlas (Oct 21, 2012)

Hi! I also live in Texas (N.E. TX) and can vouch for the heat! (I so hate heat!) Could you invest in a small window unit? That would certainly help. I personally cannot imagine living in TX without air Too many tripple digit summers and hardly any winter to speak of. 75 here tomorrow Good luck! Maybe you could put your allowance toward an air conditioner unit?


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## Gannyaan (Dec 7, 2012)

Put bowls of ice water with frozen peas in there so theyll go in... Freeze some water bottles and throw em in... And get a fan... Don't use fleece or warm stuff, but use terra cotta pots for their hiding areas ( I heard those or clay vases keep very cool!) and get a cold spray bottle. It seems like a lot but it will become routine. Easy: freeze bottles, keep fan at them, spray em with water, keep them away from sunlight.......

How hot do you think it will get? My friend was able to have her degu at temperatures slightly above what they are used to because she used the ice bottles/ ice bath method .......


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## RomyRose (Dec 1, 2012)

I live in Queensland, Australia where it is hot ALL the time. I have one late sized concrete tile in each of my cages which I wet everyday and they stay cool all day. I also have terra cotta pot bases (the plates) and put an ice pack under then. My ratties starfish on those all day long to keep cool. I also have water play time three times a week where I put peas or corn in some shallow water and they jump in to eat the treats. 


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## RomyRose (Dec 1, 2012)

Late = large sorry!


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## Flashygrrl (Feb 8, 2012)

I'm probably beating a dead horse with this but between this and the cigarette smoke post, I'm REALLY sure now that you are not ready/capable of having rats. You're wanting to save for vet bills with your allowance in one sentence and planning to pay for ratty rent to a grandma that apparently does NOT want them there with same allowance in another.


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## Gannyaan (Dec 7, 2012)

romyrose has some awesome suggestions .. I like the one about the terracotta pot bottoms! 


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## Ratty859 (Dec 15, 2012)

Wait until its your house, and do whatever. Until them it sounds like pets aren't the best choice. Perhaps a fishtank, there are some pretty interesting fish you know.


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## RomyRose (Dec 1, 2012)

Thanks Ganyann! They love it! It is super cute when they splay themselves on them 


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## RomyRose (Dec 1, 2012)

Gaanyann * sorry!


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## Gannyaan (Dec 7, 2012)

Loolll it's ok, it's really my two nick names mashed together. The temperature in my place in good now, around 72 degrees because the heat is on.... But I do not have AC during the summer! I think I will just get it. I don't want to risk the ratties getting sick! Although I toughed it out during 30 degree and humid weather, or hotter, and if I took good care they'd be ok.... But I'd be too paranoid  


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