# Questions on heat setups for multiple cages in an open room



## Desperodo (Dec 12, 2010)

I'm getting more hedgehogs, but they don't come with heat setups. I thought they did but the friend I am getting them from just kept his house at 74. I don't, so I'll need more heat setups. I keep my house at 73 and the cages will be in the living room.

The cages are stacked in two groups. Each cage is 2'W x 6'L x 2'H. Because they are stacked, each group is 7' tall. So I'll be heating two units that are 2'W x 6'L x 7'H. The way the are built, there is room for CHE's. The CHE's will be on the inside of the cage, about 18" from the bottom of the cage. I stuff going 13" up all of the sides to keep heat in and I'm using fleece.

So how many CHE's will I need per cage to get the cage from 73 to 74-75? I was thinking 2-4. I have enough outlets for up to 4 CHE's per cage.

I was calculating how much it would cost for 3 CHE's per cage. Over $1200... I have that, but would rather not spend that. But I don't trust space heaters. Plus, I don't know how I'd heat two 7' tall cages with space heaters, in an open room.

I did consider space heaters, but I just don't know how I'd heat all of the cages. Here's a floor plan I made of my living room. The red squares are where I thought I might put space heaters. 
[attachment=0:21j1p8wg]Floor Plan.jpg[/attachment:21j1p8wg]
I don't want them to heat the whole room though, only that part of the room. I was thinking I might buy a room divider, like this http://www.roomdividerstore.com/6.6-ft. ... 233455.htm and put it up to separate the cage area from where the couches are. The grey blobs are couches. I could also find something to put across the archway that goes from the living room to the hallway.

But I still don't know how I'd heat all of the cages, because of the height. If I put the space heaters on the floor, would enough heat get to all the cages? Heat rises, but still, I'm not sure. There is a 14" storage space under each cage. So I I put the space heaters on something 14" tall, wouldn't more heat get to the bottom cage, and maybe make it too hot?

Opinions or thoughts would be amazing.


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## Desperodo (Dec 12, 2010)

Also, I'm going to be putting fabric or something else along the back of the cages, to keep more heat in. This is a basic diagram, I wish I had a picture:
[attachment=0:r9xq26re]Cage.jpg[/attachment:r9xq26re]

The sides have coroplast going 13" up. 
The back will be fully covered. 
The front has plexiglass going 13" up.

Will coroplast 13" up the sides prevent heat from getting in, if I use space heater(s)?


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## Guest (Jun 8, 2012)

i dont know if youd need 3 space heaters, if you get a space heater that heats oil or watter and works using radiant heat not a fan youll be able to keep the room warmer alot easier.


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## Desperodo (Dec 12, 2010)

I don't want the far side of the cages to be colder than the sides closest to the space heater.


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## Guest (Jun 9, 2012)

If your going to do 3 invest in good energy efficient ones that use oil or water to produce radiant heat, otherwise you power bill could be horrendous and it would cost you as much as the CHEs


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