Winter reptile care...

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

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.

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

Quote:

Originally Posted by jamesb

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.

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