Emergency Warm Enclosure for Power Outages

[lanswyfte]

Here in Oregon, we've been having the best time ever! </s> Tonight my power went out for the third time since the first ice storm hit last weekend. It was out ~3 hours Saturday night, ~7 hours Monday, and ten minutes after it went out tonight at 2200, our local power company put out an e-mail notice that things are worse than they've ever seen it before ("catastrophic damage, trees and limbs down, landslides, close calls"), and that "all customers currently without power should plan to be without power for a week or more."

I haven't been able to leave my apartment until tonight (solid ice on the ground, no traction). Tomorrow I get to test out how well socks over my shoes work. I don't have many options for keeping my two sneks warm that long (can you say "unprepared?" Yes, I thought you could!), and when I brought them into bed with me Saturday night, Gibbs (BP, in my avatar) was not a happy camper--- kept moving around inside his bag more than I've ever seen before, so I was grateful when the power popped back on in three hours.

I came in here to see if they'd be okay overnight in their regular tanks while the temperature is going down, because somewhere I read, "better too cool than hot," and Gibbs is in (I'm guessing) a state of brumation (every so often he pokes his head out of his favorite log on the cool side of the tank, but he's been really quiet and hasn't eaten since last year--- okay, October 22nd! Just before his 8th birthday), so I wasn't sure how cool was too cool for one night. I'd bagged them Saturday because when the temperatures went down after that outage, Gibbs came out of his log, so I assumed he was too cold. Robin, my albino checkered garter snake, just turned ten yesterday, so I worry a bit about her because of her age, but she tends to tolerate the cold better, and her tank is temporarily here in my room where I can keep an eye on her.

Thank you everyone for your advice. I'm a little scatterbrained right now because I've had to get my sons calmed down despite the outage (both are autistic and anxious) on top of worrying about the snakes. As I told them, I'm more worried about the snakes than us, because I know we'll be fine. I haven't ice chests here at home, except for those soft-sided insulated grocery bags, so I guess I'll have bedmates tonight, and tomorrow I'll see about getting them set up in the insulated bags with hot water bottles and blankets around them (to help insulate). Signing off now to save my phone battery until I can get gas in my car in order to charge the phone.

Stay safe and warm out there, everyone!

[bcr229]

1. Boids don't brumate.

2. If you're going to do the in-the-bed thing, put the snake in a bag and put the bag in a tub. That decreases the likelihood of an escape or you rolling onto the snake in your sleep, and if your snake potties in the bag the mess will be contained in the tub.

[Bogertophis]

... (solid ice on the ground, no traction). Tomorrow I get to test out how well socks over my shoes work. I don't have many options for keeping my two sneks warm that long (can you say "unprepared?" Yes, I thought you could!), and when I brought them into bed with me Saturday night, Gibbs (BP, in my avatar) was not a happy camper--- kept moving around inside his bag more than I've ever seen before, so I was grateful when the power popped back on in three hours.

I came in here to see if they'd be okay overnight in their regular tanks while the temperature is going down, because somewhere I read, "better too cool than hot," and Gibbs is in (I'm guessing) a state of brumation (every so often he pokes his head out of his favorite log on the cool side of the tank, but he's been really quiet and hasn't eaten since last year--- okay, October 22nd! Just before his 8th birthday), so I wasn't sure how cool was too cool for one night. I'd bagged them Saturday because when the temperatures went down after that outage, Gibbs came out of his log, so I assumed he was too cold. Robin, my albino checkered garter snake, just turned ten yesterday, so I worry a bit about her because of her age, but she tends to tolerate the cold better, and her tank is temporarily here in my room where I can keep an eye on her.

Thank you everyone for your advice. I'm a little scatterbrained right now because I've had to get my sons calmed down despite the outage (both are autistic and anxious) on top of worrying about the snakes. As I told them, I'm more worried about the snakes than us, because I know we'll be fine. I haven't ice chests here at home, except for those soft-sided insulated grocery bags, so I guess I'll have bedmates tonight, and tomorrow I'll see about getting them set up in the insulated bags with hot water bottles and blankets around them (to help insulate). Signing off now to save my phone battery until I can get gas in my car in order to charge the phone.

Stay safe and warm out there, everyone!

Sorry to hear about your misery- I know all too well how awful ice storms are. At least your power has been coming back on- mine never did, for 4 days.

Yes, you're very unprepared but after this, & for "next time"- get yourself some "ice traction cleats" because sox over shoes won't cut it- be careful! Don't add injury to your problems.
Here is one example- https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0CH893VTL..._it&th=1&psc=1 I own a pair of these & they're great, but there are others at half the price & simpler design, rubber straps that stretch over shoes with studs to grip the ice. It's a bit late for this time, but get some ice cleats when you can, for the future- along with some ice chests.

If bagging your snakes & putting them in your bed to share your warmth, by all means put them in some sort of vented container or box so you don't accidentally roll over on them. But that is just temporary- you need to set up something more. > > >

Your 2 snakes should not be in the same container- sorry! Your larger BP needs more warmth AND his weight could endanger (kill) your garter snake if the BP manages to slide on top of the garter.

The garter can tolerate cooler temps than the BP- you want to keep your BP at least upper 70's to low 80's. And BPs do not brumate. But for snakes that do brumate- it's best to keep them above 50*, & never brumate a snake that has any food in their system- they can get sick & die from recent meals rotting undigested in their GI tract. Snakes cannot digest without warmth.

As far as your BP not eating since last October- I think you need to re-check the temperatures you're providing (after this emergency) a snake that's not warm enough will refuse food.

By all means, use your insulated grocery bags. Or how about just several cardboard boxes that nest inside each other (preferably with air gaps between- a tight fit is not better). I'm sure you can come up with ways to insulate your snakes from the cold other than inside your shirt or bed, especially if your outage lasts days. I sure hope it doesn't, but you have to assume at this point.

Put towels or extra blanket, pillows, around the "box" too, then heat using hot water bottle as described in my previous post- https://ball-pythons.net/forums/show...=1#post2785413 Leave tiny air gaps for air exchange.

Good luck & hang in there.

[Bogertophis]

@ Ianswyfte: As far as safely walking on ice (without ice cleats)- take an old pair of shoes or boots, & screw in some small screws on the outsoles- at least 10+ per shoe, & the heads will be enough to serve the same purpose on ice. Forget about putting socks over your shoes- they'll get slick very fast, or freeze to the ice & trip you.