Strange but important.

What do I do with Monty in the case of an earthquake? I live in California, and with the dry weather we've been having were bound for a big earthquake soon. What do I do with Monty in the case of a large earthquake? If you've never been in an earthquake, they're pretty crazy. Big ones can knock things off shelves and even knock over refrigerators. They are almost always followed by aftershocks, also known as more earthquakes. If we had a big enough one, it could seriously injure her. Do I grab her and put her in a small box? Any answers will help!!

Not really an expert on Earthquakes but here is a precaution I would take. Make sure that rack/tank/whatever its set up on is secured to a wall or you can be reasonably certain of it's safety. Then just make sure anything in cage is properly secure. Not really much else you can do I wouldn't think.

Well personally I would keep an appropriate sized Sterilite or Rubbermaid tube close to the cage and if the earthquake is big enough to make you want to run outside, grab your snake, throw her in the tub and run outside. I don't have earthquakes here but I have a tub for everyone that I've had to use last winter to keep everyone warm in my car from 3am to 7am when the power went out.

A definite Cali prob, the rack I made is so over kill it will probably be the only thing left standing when we get hit by the "big one". But joking aside keep your lids and get appropriate sized tubs with lids. They make them huge enough to accomidate most snakes. I've kept shipping boxes and the styromoam inserts for insulation, remember we are not gonna have heat for them everywhere. Frozen rats aren't gonna last, water contaminated. man it's gonna suck gloom end of days bla bla Id prefer zombies :)

First and foremost, the important thing is to make sure you stay safe. If that means you have to take cover or leave and leave your animals behind, do it. You can't help them afterward if you're badly hurt (or worse).

Rather than trying to take them with me I'd make their setups as earthquake-proof as possible. This means selecting stronger materials for their enclosure walls than the typical pvc and plastic that are popular - melamine is pretty tough and heavy. Cage furniture should be lightweight so that nothing can crush your snake or break the enclosure from the inside if anything bounces around.

Attaching the enclosure (or rack) to a load-bearing wall is a good idea. I would also attach the thermostat to the enclosure or the wall and make sure not just the probe but the wire leading up to it is attached to something as well, you don't want the probe to shift away from the heat source.

Afterward, electricity and fresh water will be at a premium. Make sure you have source(s) for both that are independent of the local utilities.

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Originally Posted by bcr229

First and foremost, the important thing is to make sure you stay safe. If that means you have to take cover or leave and leave your animals behind, do it. You can't help them afterward if you're badly hurt (or worse).

Rather than trying to take them with me I'd make their setups as earthquake-proof as possible. This means selecting stronger materials for their enclosure walls than the typical pvc and plastic that are popular - melamine is pretty tough and heavy. Cage furniture should be lightweight so that nothing can crush your snake or break the enclosure from the inside if anything bounces around.

Attaching the enclosure (or rack) to a load-bearing wall is a good idea. I would also attach the thermostat to the enclosure or the wall and make sure not just the probe but the wire leading up to it is attached to something as well, you don't want the probe to shift away from the heat source.

Afterward, electricity and fresh water will be at a premium. Make sure you have source(s) for both that are independent of the local utilities.

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As far as fresh water and food we have an emergency supply.

One of my biggest concerns is that we have very tall trees outside my house, that a big earthquake could very well knock over. I keep a rubber made tub next to her tank for when I give it a thorough cleaning, so I'm sure that would work.

I'm about two miles away from Northridge, CA (1996 CA earthquake) and I always think about that. Like BCR already said, the most important thing is to get out unhurt and alive and then assess the situation.

I personally would just throw them in their feeding tubs with UniHeat 72 hour heat packs (if it's cold outside) and go from there. A 30 pack is $45 bucks so that's not really breaking the bank. I have only 5 snakes so that should be more than plenty for me.

This might sounds kinda crappy, but I have a girlfriend and two dogs to take care first before I can get to my snakes.

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Originally Posted by Mr. Misha

I'm about two miles away from Northridge, CA (1996 CA earthquake) and I always think about that. Like BCR already said, the most important thing is to get out unhurt and alive and then assess the situation.

I personally would just throw them in their feeding tubs with UniHeat 72 hour heat packs (if it's cold outside) and go from there. A 30 pack is $45 bucks so that's not really breaking the bank. I have only 5 snakes so that should be more than plenty for me.

This might sounds kinda crappy, but I have a girlfriend and two dogs to take care first before I can get to my snakes.

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I have my boyfriend, but no other pets. My reptiles are my babies.

Luckily we don't tend to have many earthquakes in cold weather. But I will order some in case of a power outage due to one. I live in Gilroy, California. We got hit pretty hard by the 1989 earthquake that rocked the bay.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by bcr229

First and foremost, the important thing is to make sure you stay safe. If that means you have to take cover or leave and leave your animals behind, do it. You can't help them afterward if you're badly hurt (or worse).

Rather than trying to take them with me I'd make their setups as earthquake-proof as possible. This means selecting stronger materials for their enclosure walls than the typical pvc and plastic that are popular - melamine is pretty tough and heavy. Cage furniture should be lightweight so that nothing can crush your snake or break the enclosure from the inside if anything bounces around.

Attaching the enclosure (or rack) to a load-bearing wall is a good idea. I would also attach the thermostat to the enclosure or the wall and make sure not just the probe but the wire leading up to it is attached to something as well, you don't want the probe to shift away from the heat source.

Afterward, electricity and fresh water will be at a premium. Make sure you have source(s) for both that are independent of the local utilities.

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In addition to these suggestions, it may not be a bad idea to install some type of mechanism to keep tubs from sliding forward or out of the rack altogether. An anchored rack won't do much good if you've got free-range snakes. ;)