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No electricity- emergency fixes?

Kels88

Kels88

New member
I know a lot of you are in Florida and Texas, but here in the Midwest, winter is rearing its ugly head.
I live in town, so if power goes out it's usually not for long- but the storm that's coming this week is supposed to be a biggie.

So what do you do for heat if you are without power? I'll take theoretical ideas and advice from experience.
What I found on google:

*Heat up the house with the woodstove/generator/fireplace (I live in a little apt and this isn't an option)

*Use hot water packs for heat (I have an electric water heater, so no)

*"Hot Hands" chemical heat packs, under tanks and wrapped in something because they get waaaay too hot (I don't have any and I don't know how I would use this in my snake set-up: 3-tier bookshelf with plexi doors attached and heat tape run in each).

*Body heat (not very long term- plus, we have 2 humans and 3 snakes)

They haven't eaten in a week, and we are going to wait until this passes to feed again, so at least their bellies aren't full.
 
And even if you've tried something that might not work for me, go ahead and post it because there's no way I'm the only one that will be snowed/iced in and it might help somebody else! :)
 
We are also preparing for that massive storm to come through Michigan. I have portable kerosene and propane heaters as back up if we lose power. I can get my snake room up to 85 degrees with the kerosene heater. I had to go buy the special clean-burning fuel so there is as little soot as possible - $11.00 a gallon! Yikes!

I also have 40-hour heat packs that are used for shipping. I will probably only use those for my chondros as a makeshift basking area.

Hopefully, we won't lose power, but you never know.

Kathy
 
I stole this idea from OkeeteeMom. She ordered these a while back and I just ordered some, too. I like the fact that they are specifically for reptiles, although they are probably too hot for corns so they'll have to be wrapped or something. This is what the description says:

40 HOURS HEAT PACK ACTIVATE IN APPROX. 40-50 MINUTES. IT IS THE MOST POPULAR TYPE FOR REPTILES, AMPHIBIANS, AND INSECT SHIPPING. THE SURFACE TEMPERATURE IS APPROX. 110 DEGREES AT ITS PEAK. IT RELEASES STEADY TEMPERATURE AND PEAK OUT BETWEEN 17 TO 19 HOURS.
 
Those 40 hour heat packs will heat a cubic foot space 10-12F over the ambient temp. I would wrap it in newspaper, or put it in a deli cup (with holes) and put it right in with the snake.

If your power is out long enough that you have to leave, take the snakes with. Put them in pillow cases or snake bags, in a Sterilite, and just go. They won't need heat in a hotel room or at a friend's house for a few days.
 
Oh wow I just fed Tang. Oh well...I'll believe it when I see it. :eatpointe

Anyway these heat packs mentioned..I have one that I was going to use for shipping but ended up canceling.. I am kinda glad it hasn't been used. This "winter storm" is suppose to hit me too and I have never experienced any kind of power outtage here yet...because I moved here last year around this time.

I however think I am going to use some of my check to purchase a few extra 40 hour heat packs. I just realized that I hadn't thought about a back up heat source for any of my reptiles. Thank you for catching my eye :duck:

I am sure those styrofoam coolers you find would be a perfect source to use for something like a beardie or snake. My room gets too cold for my beardie in the winter so I am thinking I might go find a styrofoam cooler big enough to hold him and keep 100+ degrees while power is out.

All this makes me want to make a list of emergency items :bird:
Let us hope this storm doesn't seriously take out power for a few days.
 
I have a sterilite container that I put air holes in. I use it for a feeding bin, plus I'll use it if i ever need transport. I can't remember the size, but it's somewhere between 7 and 12 quarts I think. If I loose heat and don't have another option, Snakey will go into the bin and it will go under the covers in bed with me. People are great heaters, and with him in the bin, I can't hurt him. I imagine that as long as I'm not freezing my butt off in bed, he'll be fine. Three bins and your snakes could do the same.
 
You know, you could pack them like you were going to ship. Double boxes, both insulated, hold heat better. You could put a probe in to watch the temp. That's what I do in the summer to and from Daytona, only cold.
 
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