Blackout :)

Carla · 03-18-2004, 01:17 PM

I stupidly put my chin room on the corner of my apartment-which gets CONSTANT sunlight

And until now, I've had miniblinds (which collect hair and dust and don't do a very good job keeping light out), and black curtains (which look pretty bad and show every speck of dust in that room, in addition to not keeping the light out)

so today, in honor of Summer coming early- I put tinfoil over all of the windows in the chin room

It's cheap to replace and already I can feel a temperature difference in that room

Maybe this will lower my electricity bill a little bit

The chins seem much happier now

It's all dark and cool-I wish I got to live that that all of the time

How do you block the light out of your chin room?

Denise · 03-18-2004, 01:21 PM

I have mini-blinds in my chinnie room. I agree with you Carla about the amount of dust and fur that colletcts on them. I have to clean them often to provent buildup. I don't like my chinnie room to be completely dark though because they need some type of light filtering through their room. Ranchers almost always have a specific lighting system in their barns. Since I can't have that I opt for natural sunlight.

bunnicula · 03-18-2004, 01:24 PM

Buddy honestly seems to like the light. We do have room darkening blinds in his room, but I swear that he always sleeps in the sunniest spots in his cage.

Denise · 03-18-2004, 01:28 PM

I would like to add direct sunlight is not good for chinnies. But sunlight is beneficial and chins should be able to distinguish between day and night.

bunnicula · 03-18-2004, 01:38 PM

I blinds are always closed in Buddy's room, but in the mid-day when it is at it's sunniest, he sleeps standing up, looking out the window in his cage that faces the outside window.

Carla · 03-18-2004, 01:40 PM

My problem is, that since my apartment is on the corner, their windows have direct sunlight coming in all day long. It's so bright to the point where it really heats the room up. I learned last summer that the light coming in will actually combat what the air conditioner is doing

There's a little light coming in from around the air conditioner in the window, and since I don't keep their door closed, they have light from other areas of the apartment without having any direct sunlight in their little eyes.

pandaxian · 03-18-2004, 01:42 PM

I don't block out the light entirely to the chinnies, but I do drape a thin towel over the front of the cages to soften the sunlight and make it less harsh on them while they're trying to sleep since it shines directly into their cages from about 8am to noon. I've heard that letting them have the sunlight (or at least simulated sunlight) during the day is really important to their bodies and their cycles.

Lixx · 03-18-2004, 07:53 PM

It is important that they get some sun light. I believe it's vitamin C they get from it? Could be wrong...some vitamin though. My guys have a canvas curtain that blocks the direct rays, but allows the light to pass through. And then I just toss it in the washer when it gets bad.