Taking care of an exotic or unusual pet is no easy task. You need to get a special habitat for them, and buy special food. You also need to keep their environment comfortable. What are the ideal temperatures for exotic pets? How do you set your thermostat to keep them comfortable? Here’s a brief guide.
- Reptiles. Being cold blooded, reptiles and amphibians have very specific temperature needs. They thrive in heat, around 90 to 100 degrees. You can’t be expected to keep your entire home that temperature, so make sure they have their own heat lamp or UV lamp near their cage. On cold days, keep the light directly on the cage, for up to 10 to 12 hours, and make sure they get plenty of water. There should also be a shady area nearby, kept around 70 degrees or so, where your pet can go to get out of the heat when they need to.
- Birds. Birds are warm-blooded, but most birds kept as pets come from tropical climates. Therefore, keep the thermostat above 65 degrees, and keep them away from windows, vents, and other places where they might experience drafts.
- Guinea pigs. Guinea pig fur provides poor insulation, so when it comes to temperatures for exotic pets, they need something cooler. Keep them in a clean, dry cage, and keep the temperature in that room between 59 and 68 degrees. If it gets cold at night, you might want to have a heating pad on hand.
- Rabbits. Similar to guinea pigs, they’re sensitive to warmer temperatures, and prefer things cooler. If you keep them outside, and the temperature gets up to 80 degrees, you should move them indoors, to avoid overheating. They also don’t care for humidity, so keep their habitat dry.
Before buying any new pet, talk to the pet store and make sure you know how to take care of them and are able to provide them with the environment they need.
To learn more about the ideal temperatures for exotic pets, contact us at Hansberger Refrigeration and Electric Company. We proudly serve Yuma’s HVAC needs.
