Asking about heat control inside the home -- not for me, for small susceptible animals (real estate, appliances)

[jeff2023]

@KurtAZ, you mean it's harder to sell a home that has solar panels installed?

Really glad to hear you haven't had power outages for 17 years. Nice to hear. Have you ever switched off the ac on purpose on a hotter day? What temp you think your place (or the average decent home) would get up to with an outage or no ac?

[rodentraiser]

When I raised mice, we used to get some very hot days down in South San Jose. Small animals can "take" the heat, but I think they get uncomfortable and I've found that heat stresses them. If the temps they're exposed to stay consistently within a range of 20 or so degrees, I actually believe they live longer, too.

If I couldn't leave the air conditioner on, I'd do one of two other things.

I had a 2' x 3' cage on a table with a screened top and two screened sides. I would place a wet towel over one of the screen sides and turn on a fan on it just a foot or so away. This could drop the temp from 100 to 80 degrees in the cage. Of course, the towel would dry and then I'd have to soak it down again.

The other way I dealt with the heat was to get about 6 or 8 blue ice blocks and have them frozen. Then I'd make a U with them in the cage in a small square. I think this worked better because the mice had a way into the square and if they got too cold, they could leave. But it was cute the way they would all go into the "square" and stretch out sleeping.

It usually cooled down at night, but in a hotter area, I'd have a bunch of blue ice blocks ready to go when the ones I'd be using started to warm up. And you have to make sure the blocks are securely set. You don't want one falling down on a mouse or hamster.

Lots of rats like water, so if you have rats, a shallow bowl of water they can wade in would be welcome when it's hot. Likewise for birds like parakeets.

[jeff2023]

"Rodentraiser" hey now there's a name that will catch my eye. Glad to see someone else.

It happens that mice are my biggest category. Once I can get to AZ, I will extremely likely adopt a few dogs, maybe a cat, some guinea pigs, maybe a rabbit or two, and such. Oh yah and Syrian hamsters (I had in the past). Just whatever I can do and whatever I can take on. I already browsed some AZ shelters, so sad to see they are so filled up.

Really nice advice there. Yes I should consider building some extra "emergency" containers with, as you said, wire mesh on the sides (have never done that one yet, I just do the tops / lids), and use wet towels and a light fan or two. I have plenty of wire mesh remaining (1/4") and can always get more at Home Depot.

And keep ice cube packs in the freezer for such events. Will definitely make note of your ideas.

I've never had a rat yet, but every single time I've read or watched youtube videos on them, it seems people across the board love their "ratties". No joke.

I just happen to be in the SF / DalyC area, but as a semi-retired veteran am getting badly, badly priced out of the market.

[KurtAZ]

Originally Posted by jeff2023

@KurtAZ, you mean it's harder to sell a home that has solar panels installed?

Really glad to hear you haven't had power outages for 17 years. Nice to hear. Have you ever switched off the ac on purpose on a hotter day? What temp you think your place (or the average decent home) would get up to with an outage or no ac?

Depends on if you bought them outright (~$30k or so depending on the array) or if they are a lease. If they are a lease, you have to go through all the problems of the new owner assuming the lease etc. Then, depending on your Insurance carrier, you get to go through trying to get them covered or not.

No, I have not purposely shut off my A/C. on a 110°+ day the home would heat up to around 90° within a couple of hours. We just keep up on A/C maintenance, live in an area without overhead power lines and hope for the best.

[jeff2023]

Ah, gotcha. That all makes a lot of sense. Thanks a lot.

[Threestep2]

Get a place with a decent a/c.

[rodentraiser]

Originally Posted by jeff2023

"Rodentraiser" hey now there's a name that will catch my eye. Glad to see someone else.

It happens that mice are my biggest category. Once I can get to AZ, I will extremely likely adopt a few dogs, maybe a cat, some guinea pigs, maybe a rabbit or two, and such. Oh yah and Syrian hamsters (I had in the past). Just whatever I can do and whatever I can take on. I already browsed some AZ shelters, so sad to see they are so filled up.

Really nice advice there. Yes I should consider building some extra "emergency" containers with, as you said, wire mesh on the sides (have never done that one yet, I just do the tops / lids), and use wet towels and a light fan or two. I have plenty of wire mesh remaining (1/4") and can always get more at Home Depot.

And keep ice cube packs in the freezer for such events. Will definitely make note of your ideas.

I've never had a rat yet, but every single time I've read or watched youtube videos on them, it seems people across the board love their "ratties". No joke.

I just happen to be in the SF / DalyC area, but as a semi-retired veteran am getting badly, badly priced out of the market.

There used to be a Rat, Mouse and Hamster Club in the Bay Area many decades ago. I looked and all I could find now is this: https://www.facebook.com/groups/BARMCA/

I got priced out of the Bay Area in 2001 when my rent (for a trailer with holes in the floor) went from $400 a month to $850 a month, just like that. Now, of course, $850 a month would be awesome. I lived on horse boarding stable then but I'm just as glad I moved. The stable was sold and closed down years ago.

I quit raising mice because we had rats come in on a load of hay after a couple years and they were constantly breaking into my trailer and trying to attack my mice, plus they carried Rate Bite Fever. Now I have a cat that adopted me. LOL I'd like to have mice again, but I get so attached to them and they only live a year or so. The one that lived the longest was Missy and she was a year and 9 months when she died. The rats don't seem to live long enough either but what am I saying? My dog was 11 when I had to put him down and 11 years wasn't long enough. *sigh*

[wit-nit]

Our AC unit, a Trane 19 seer, is set at 74 degrees all year around in a Phoenix suburb. Costs $144.00 monthly on APS savings plan. Good insulation and house direction helps tremendously.

[jeff2023]

@rodentraiser .. Oh goodness, rats broke in and tried to attack your mice? Oh wow. It really shows that the very small animals need especially close attention to detail and extra security.

On that note, I read that it's not uncommon / or somewhat common that houses and residences in AZ can develop scorpion problems? Even infestations? And often homeowners don't even know? I feel extremely concerned about that, I mean I would hate for even a dog or a cat to get stung, but for small animals that would be beyond devastating. When I stayed at a motel in Nevada a couple years ago, I found a Black Widow spider (legitimate, real deal). I was very thankful to spot it because in those days I wasn't using wire mesh lids. (I allowed it to live, took it out to a field and set it free). So if this stuff happens in AZ, I'm going to have to really go on the defensive about such problems.

@nit-wit is that a/c unit more of standalone type, or one that installed internally all through the house?

[wit-nit]

Originally Posted by jeff2023

@rodentraiser ..

@nit-wit is that a/c unit more of standalone type, or one that installed internally all through the house?

It's a standard central air conditioning system. The main cooling unit is outside on a pedestal and the heating unit is inside the house and all are connected by ductwork to each room.
From this web site is exactly how our unit is installed. https://www.bing.com/search?pglt=41&...ANNTA1&PC=U531

A typical air conditioning system, often referred to as “central air” or “split-system air conditioning”, normally includes the following:
a thermostat that controls system operation
an outdoor unit that houses a fan, condenser coil and compressor
an indoor unit (typically either a furnace or fan coil) that houses the evaporator coil and fan to circulate the cooled air
copper tubing that allows refrigerant to flow between the indoor and outdoor units