Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Last winter my area lost power for 5 days. I took my snakes to my parent's house last year and I don't think that's gonna fly this year. I was thinking about using a kerosene heater in the event of another emergency(knock on wood) this winter. Does anyone know if kerosene heater vapors are harmful to snakes if the room is well ventilated? Thank you much for any knowledge in advance.
Drew

I've been using mostly kerosene heaters for my snakes for the last two years & haven't seen any ill effects. I also us them fairly often in my house.

I use the large, round ones. Convection heaters, I think they're called. They put out aprox. 25,000 BTUs, which can heat a decent size room, easily.

Today's heaters have come a long way from the ones of several years ago. They are pretty much fume-free if the wick is good and adjusted right. The only time you can smell fumes is if you let them run out of kerosene, which also damages the wick if done very often.

Its important to put a pan full of water on them so they don't dry the air out too much, causing humidity problems within the cages.

Another thing to remember is to burn regular kerosene and not the slightly cheaper farm/untaxed/undyed kero. The cheaper kero gives off more fumes.

As with anything/everything else, there's always bound to be an opposing view. I'm just speaking from experience, not theory. But then again, the fumes could have made me crazy.

Take care!
Mike
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It is said that 1 out of every 4 people are mentally unbalanced. Think of your 3 closest friends, if they're normal, then it's you.

Here's my opposite opinion. Whenever combustables are used, there are going to be products. Complete compustion results in CO2 and water, which in itself can be hazardous in an enclosed room. Ventilation however beneficial, also lets in/out hot and cold air. With incomplete combustion, (which is more plausable and less textbook) involves alot of different carbon vapors which may or may not reach toxic levels in your snake room. Toxic levels may not be noticeable unless long term studies of organ function are done (ie, did my snake die of old age or kidney failure?).

All in all, my impression is that electric heaters, while not as burning hot, will work well in the average bedroom/snakeroom. This is what I use, again with the pan of water for humidity, and cannot see, nor theorize any problems.

Ian

"Toxic levels may not be noticeable unless long term studies of organ function are done (ie, did my snake die of old age or kidney failure?)."

Absolutely true! This is the reason I won't use a lot of the mite products on the market. But yet I'll use a kerosene heater? Yes. My view is that kero heaters have been around a lot longer than most, if not all, mite products. Some people will do just the opposite. They will put mite chemicals on their snakes or in their cages but won't use kero heaters. And I can respect that.

You did a good job expressing your opposing view, Ian, and I respect your opinion and see where you're coming from.

Take care!
Mike
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It is said that 1 out of every 4 people are mentally unbalanced. Think of your 3 closest friends, if they're normal, then it's you.