Reptile & Amphibian Forums

I live in northern Michigan and I was wondering what I should do to keep my snakes alive if the power were to go out during a winter storm. I live in an appartment complex on the third floor, so I don't believe a generator would be an option. Also, I don't know anyone in the area that has a house with a generator or a stove. What could I do to keep my snakes warm if the power were to go out in this situation? Thanks.

You can try using heat packs - depending on how many snakes you have, your set up and how long your power is out - it may be better than nothing.
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Tosha

"Nihil facimus sed id bene facimus"

7.33.0 Ball Python (Harry and Fluffy and gang)
1.0.0 Angolan Python (Anakin Skywalker)
0.0.1 Green Tree Python (Verdi - yeah I know but my kids love the book)
0.2.0 Feline (Pippen and Pandora)
0.0.1 Desert Tortoise (Pope John Paul aka JP )
2.2.1 Fish (1,2,3,4)
0.0.2 frogs rescued from pool skimmer

I met someone that put all of his herps near his fireplace during the blizzard of '78. Not that it is the ideal solution, but I don't believe there were any losses.

Our Lessons learned from the ice storm.

You have to be prepared to move your kids into smaller spaces that are more easily heated, and that will retain heat easier. And you don’t have to buy special kit of any sort, but you should know where everything is before the emergency hits.

First option: For temperate animals … pop them into pillow slips/canvas snake bags, depending on their size and slip them into the water bed under the coverlet … the heat there is good for a day or two. You … you sleep on the floor.

2nd. You have a days worth of hot water in your hot-water tank in the basement or your home or apartment complex. Fill various plastic food jars with good seals or hot water bottles with hot/warm water of the appropriate temperature, wrap the bottles in a towel (not too thick or the heat won’t get out), and tuck them into a small box along side your herp. You can pack the box with extra clothes (preferably your spouses or kid sisters’ in case of an ‘accident’) to give appropriate padding and insulation. We actually stuck the smaller, bagged snakes into the shirt drawer in the bureau, covered them lightly and changed the water bottles as required. Change the bottles as necessary as hot water is available. (If you have gas/propane-heated water tanks, you’ll be fine for days).

3rd. If the outage goes on for any length of time, use your outdoor BBQ/camp stove/indoor wood/hibachi stove to heat water while you’re cooking lunch/supper on the back deck ... or on your apartment patio … use this water in your herp bottles. If you have an indoor fireplace, you should think now of what metal pot you’re going to sacrifice to heat water in …. It will probably end up sooty and charred for a while (Don’t waste water trying to wash it between heatings)

4th. In a real extreme … tuck the kids into smaller boxes, again padded, and set them next to the car heater (inside the car) … this is more difficult to monitor temperature-wise, but if you’re desperate, it’ll keep the kids warm for at least a while. This is the only recommendation that I have not tried personally, but the theory is good.

5th. A workable and exploitable solution for one or two smaller snakes is for you to wear a thick, preferably long sweater (and a B-Python is probably at the maximum limit of what a sweater can hold … you may have to try a jacket that you can tuck in or tie … a fashion statement it won’t be! )… put the slithery one into the pillow slip/canvas bag … tuck in your sweater … and then drop the pillowslip down your front! Your herp will slither about for a while, but will settle down for hours at a time warm against your belly. Your only problem is to remember that they’re there after a couple of hours. For the ladies in the crowd, go for the ‘very’ pregnant look and play the sympathy card – let people feel your little one ‘kick’! Then ask for food, hot food … or better yet, sheets … and hot water!

The main thing is, get your herps into smaller, more easily heated/or heat-retentive containers, and keep those containers in the warmest room in the house. Remember, you’re heating your ‘herp’ during this emergency, not the herp‘s room or environment. Last, don’t keep opening the containers to check on the kids … you’re losing heat every time you do. Even if they ‘mess’, it’s only for a (hopefully) short while … and it will be a warm ‘mess’. For small collections …. ‘you’ can be the source of heat … not quite tropical, but at least liveable for a day or so. And besides, it could be a real bonding process between you and your snake!

I encourage you to get up right now … walk around your place and identify the box you’ll need (it can be full of other stuff, you’re just looking for options right now), the padding/insulation, possible hot water bottles and pots that will be needed and where you put that horrible thick purple sweater that Aunt Bethula knit you four years ago. You don’t have to set anything aside right now, just know where everything is … remember, you might not be home when the emergency hits, and you’ll have to talk someone else in the house through the ‘save Snuffy the snake’ process.

I hope this may prove to be of some modest help or at least give you some ideas.
Respects
Wes
(In ontario, to the North and East of you)

when the Ice Storm came through and caused widespread power-outages in Ontario and Quebec. I was only without power for 3 days, but it was a miserable, boring 3 days. LOL

The Tragically Hip have a song ( "Something's On" ) off of their 1998 album 'Phantom Power' written about the Ice Storm.....

"Picture a century of water
Bury the pipeline guy right here
Kill the dream of possible vacations
With the sweep of a mapping pioneer
Outside there's hectic action
The ice is covering the trees
And one of em's interconnecting
With my chevrolet caprice"

Gotta love some of Gord Downey's wacky lyrics.

BB
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"Have you hugged your drummer today?" --- Me

Go to one of the major home supply stores & purchase a propane space heater. Preferibly one with a thermstat or at least a low/med/high setting. Purchase a tank of propane when necessary.
I would probably set it up in your bathroom (less flamable items
in there after you remove any spray cans). Set it for low & bring your animals in there. Place the containers on towels, rugs, etc. You can swing the door open/close to do an air exchange should you smell propane. This may not be the best method but it may keep your critters alive.
Bruce Delles c/o Twin Cities Reptiles

They put a heater in the snake room... while he was at work the power kicked on, and the extra heat got his entire collection. I sapose thats why the thermostat is a preferance... but I would say its a must.

If its in the winter and usually in winter all windows and doors are shut bu running a propane heater indoors the Co2 buildup could cause really bad results to anybody in the apartment.

I live in an apartment also and I use a computer ups as a backup for my freedom breeder rack. Im not home now so I couldnt tell you what wattage it is but it has held me for more than 12 hours on more than 1 occasion.

My setup is 6 levels of freedom breeder racks all with the 3 in. heat tape. All controlled by a Helix control dbs1000.

If your electrically savvy you could hook up a relay in series with your night drop timer. the relay is plugged into the wall, when a power loss happens it automatically sends the controller into night drop temps which cut back on the wattage consumption of the UPS.

It holds me over till i get a house and install a generator with automatic switchover.
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Stupidity should be Painful!

Will power heat tape for quite a long time (depends on how many cages you have of course). After hurricane Katrina hit us, I used a similar setup to power my incubator (which runs on heat tape). I had ~2 feet of heat tape running at 90 degree's for 3 days and the battery was less than 1/4 drained.

Insulate it with blankets first though.