Winter reptile care... [Archive] - sSNAKESs : Reptile Forum

infernalis

10-26-10, 12:12 PM

Like it or not, the winter season is fast approaching for those of us north of the equator.

This presents a whole new set of issues when caring for our reptilian friends.

are you prepared?? know what to expect??

Here is how we handle the winter season at our house.

I picked up a nice propane heater that kicks out some serious heat without any electricity at all and keep it handy for those winter power failures that happen more often than we like to think. Wires ice up, branches fall out of trees or drivers slide out on the ice and strike utility poles.

Prudence mandates that every household has a backup heater just in case the furnace gives up when it's minus ten out. Otherwise your whole collection could get wiped out in a day.

another thing to keep in mind is winter air strips humidity away and that is compounded by our furnaces. The furnaces that blow hot air are the absolute worse for drying out all the air in your home.

what do you do for winter reptile care??

presspirate

10-26-10, 12:25 PM

Humidifier and ceramic heater. Though I should consider something in case the power goes out. (Unlikely because all of our power lines are buried. But still a possibility if one of the big trunk lines went down.)

marvelfreak

10-26-10, 02:49 PM

I stock up on 48 hour heat packs. A couple years ago when i just had my big jungle and a ball python. The power went out so i took both snakes put them each in their own pillow case tie them and stuck them in the tub with a couple of heat packs. When the power didn't come after three hour we loaded up the kids and snakes and headed to grandmas. The snake stayed nice and toasted.

DeesBalls

10-26-10, 04:09 PM

This is my 1st winter with all 4 snakes... sort of nervous... last year it was just my sand boa and a corn, just kept the heat on nice for them...

jamesb

10-26-10, 04:24 PM

percey39

10-26-10, 04:28 PM

I have a big generator at my house, that will run everything i own. It was expensive as it had to be quite as i live in the center of town. It is good though as when i come home from work at night the rest of the neighbourhood is black and then theres our house which stands out like a chritmas tree.

infernalis

10-26-10, 04:37 PM

Any ideas for a backup generator type of thing that I can keep in my bedroom. Maybe like a battery powered backup or something that I can plug a surge protector in and plug in around 4 or 5 cords. I don't think my parents would like a propane heater in my room.

For just over $100 you can buy a deep cycle RV battery and a power inverter.

This will provide several hours of household power silently.

http://www.smartmarine.co.nz/images/large/MDC27-cyclemaster-web-lrg%5B1%5D.jpg

http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/51ZBYNRQCQL.JP30%20300%20Watt%20Power%20Inverter%2 037%20customer%20reviews.jpg

Will0W783

10-26-10, 05:57 PM

This year I think I'm going to have to invest in a generator. Last winter my snake room was on the top floor of the house, and if the power went out the heat of the rest of the house kept it warm as long as you didn't open the door. Other than that, every snake could be placed in a pillowcase on top of a heat pack. I just moved my snake room down to a semi-finished basement laundry room, as it provides more space and eliminates the top floor being a tropical sauna year-round. This thread made me nervous though...if the power were to go out here, that room down the basement would get cold much faster.

infernalis

10-26-10, 07:09 PM

Not really Kim.

Basements hold the temps better than any room above ground ever could.

Solid earth is the best all natural insulation ever discovered.

That's why there is a "frost line" (the depth that freezing is able to reach down)

In fact underground homes are super efficient to heat in the winter and cool in the summer.

Will0W783

10-26-10, 07:25 PM

Cool, thanks Wayne. I still intend to make sure I have a bunch of 48-hour heat packs and a generator if possible, just in case.

Xanafein

11-04-10, 04:03 PM

i live in cali not to worried, but i have an inverter and some juice if the ice age comes early (left over from bad sience project btw)

infernalis

10-27-11, 09:55 PM

Good time to bring this one back out for another run....

I just noticed, this thread was started one year ago exactly yesterday.

stephanbakir

10-27-11, 10:07 PM

Great post :) I've stocked up on 48 hour packs :)

millertime89

10-27-11, 10:32 PM

Its my first year with herps, and unfortunately I have to move in the middle of december, hoping I can get a nice day or two to do that. I'm definitely a little nervious about potential power loss, but most of our lines are also underground, and at the new complex as well which has its own backup generators. I found out my space heater is broken so I'll need to get that fixed (still under warranty) and I'm probably gonna get a humidifier.

edit: wayne, how do you hook up the power inverter like the one you have pictured to a car battery? I've got one like that that would be perfect for the use.

infernalis

10-27-11, 11:19 PM

I hacked the cigarette plug off and stripped the wire ends, then just wrapped them under the wing nuts.

The white stripe is positive (+) terminal (normally the red wire)

Or if wiring escapes you, just buy an adapter in the camping/outdoor/auto section of wal mart

ZARADOZIA

10-28-11, 04:30 AM

We invested in a 7500 watt generator. When the hurricane came through a while back it knocked out electric in various parts of the area. School was dismissed for a week because of it. I can already feel the NE winds. A wee bit chilly outside this morning.

BlindOne

10-28-11, 07:25 AM

Reading all this stuff makes me glad I live in Tampa. The snakes that will be bred next year go into the garage, where I hope the temperature is low enough to 'cool' them

Neonates and species I don't plan on breeding stay on their normal schedule

lady_bug87

10-28-11, 07:32 AM

We're lucky where I live though it gets super cold all of our power lines are underground so I havent had to worry much because as far as I can remember the only severe power outage we had was in the summer it lasted for 3 days

I suppose I will probably get heat packs

infernalis

10-28-11, 07:35 AM

Out here there is a ten mile line to the power grid.

anything at all happens on that 10 miles, we lose power.

One pole is on a sharp turn. it gets broke off by a car sometimes as often as 3 times a year.

One tree falls on it... outage.... Ice storm.... outage, you get the idea.

alessia55

10-28-11, 08:14 AM

I have a ceramic space heater that I use in the winter because I hate the cold as much as my snakes do. It keeps my apartment nice and warm all through the winter (warm enough that you can wear shorts in the winter inside my apartment!). I love it. Also, I'm glad this is my last summer here since after I graduate I'm going back to Miami, FL.

Coffee Black

10-28-11, 08:15 AM

Gungirl

10-28-11, 08:39 AM

****'s Sporting Goods has lots of heat packs in the hunting section, just a reminder. We are going to get more tonight possibly and shipyourreptiles.com has much better ones. going to place an order this week.

LOL It took me a second to think of the name of the store seeing as it blocked it...

I hope my next house has a wood stove and we are getting a generator once we move. We are planning on living out in the woods in the middle of almost no where. I would hate to not have all the preparation for power loss not only for my snakes but for my family and I. From what I understand its not uncommon for the area to go without power during any storm bad or mild.

infernalis

10-28-11, 09:38 AM

Coffee Black

10-28-11, 09:45 AM

I didn't even think about that haha.

millertime89

10-28-11, 06:26 PM

wiring escape me wayne? c'mon, that hurts.
I just don't really want to strip away the wires cuz I still use mine on road trips, but that's what I figured it would take.

marvelfreak

10-28-11, 06:46 PM

With winter coming i decided to down size my snake room. Not really just moved it to a smaller room. To save on my heat bill. No cents in heating a room so big that the cages barley take up 10% of the space in there. Plus in the smaller room i won't have to run the heater as high.

As for preparation for winter i buy a box of 48 hour heat packs ever year from work. I am thinking about getting a propane or kerosene heater as a back up this year. Just in case it goes out for a while.

Gungirl

10-29-11, 06:38 AM

I am thinking about getting a propane or kerosene heater as a back up this year. Just in case it goes out for a while.

Just a question.. I know that I am very sensitive to Kerosene, is that safe to use around the snakes? I know propane burns very clean but IDK about Kerosene....

marvelfreak

10-29-11, 06:59 AM

Just a question.. I know that I am very sensitive to Kerosene, is that safe to use around the snakes? I know propane burns very clean but IDK about Kerosene....
As far as i know. My aunt and uncle use to use one to heat their house when the power went out. I am not really sure. That's a good question it been so long since i even seen anyone use one. Actually i think i'll just stay away from a kerosene heater. I just need to pick up a propane heater.

infernalis

10-29-11, 07:56 AM

I threw away my kero heaters.

Black soot all over the wallpaper.. bad smell. Hydrocarbons in the air.

Propane wins!!

http://www.reptard.info/minge/strikla.gif

shaunyboy

10-29-11, 10:09 AM

i keep a few heat packs just in case

that said its very rare for power to go out over here

i think 6 hours without power was the longest power cut we've had in the last 20 years

cheers shaun

Gungirl

10-29-11, 02:31 PM

As far as i know. My aunt and uncle use to use one to heat their house when the power went out. I am not really sure. That's a good question it been so long since i even seen anyone use one. Actually i think i'll just stay away from a kerosene heater. I just need to pick up a propane heater.

Better safe than sorry. I just remember that smell was horrid! lol