Staying warm without electricity?

I'm new to BPs (and reptiles in general), and with winter coming up I've been wondering how to prepare for possible loss of electricity. I live in southern Maine, and last winter we lost power for several days, it got quite cold in our house. This doesn't happen every winter, but it is possible.

What do you folks do in this situation? I've thought about perhaps heat packs? Warm water bottles? Perhaps something battery operated?

I'd like to come up with something that doesn't need to be checked every few hours, something I could feel confident about while I'm at work. I'd prefer to not have to take days off to watch over my BP, my boss may not find that to be a very good reason for missing work lol.

Easiest way to fix that problem would be a gas powered generator that you can use to power your essential electronics...ie a couple lights refridgerator and freezer and your snake room. I know not necassarily the cheapest way but it is the easiest way.

Thanks for your reply, I was really hoping to come up with something battery operated as I do not have a generator and I don't believe I can afford one.

I do however, have access to the woodstove in the kitchen. With the woodstove running, the kitchen stays at about 85F or higher which I think would be acceptable for a couple days. It would be a pain to move her tank, but with the help from one other person it's do-able.

Thanks again!

The woodstove is the perfect solution. 85 is a perfectly acceptable temperature for ball pythons, and they will be fine without a gradient at that temperature for quite some time. I understand some people keep snakes this way, and do so successfully--choosing a midrange temp, heating the room to that temp, and not bothering to heat the bins. I definitely don't think it's desireable in the long term, but the animals apparently do all right that way.

I have a gas generator, but I have 40 snakes. :) Power outages are one of my fears during two crucial seasons--winter, and incubation. <lol> In an extreme emergency, turn on the car, warm it up, and put the snake in the car.

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Originally Posted by WingedWolfPsion

The woodstove is the perfect solution. 85 is a perfectly acceptable temperature for ball pythons, and they will be fine without a gradient at that temperature for quite some time. I understand some people keep snakes this way, and do so successfully--choosing a midrange temp, heating the room to that temp, and not bothering to heat the bins. I definitely don't think it's desireable in the long term, but the animals apparently do all right that way.

I have a gas generator, but I have 40 snakes. :) Power outages are one of my fears during two crucial seasons--winter, and incubation. <lol> In an extreme emergency, turn on the car, warm it up, and put the snake in the car.

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Awesome! I reeeally don't want to have to buy a generator. I love my BP but I can't send myself to the poor house over her. As for the woodstove scenario, it would only be for a few days- 1 week at most. Considering her previous owners didn't have even so much as a thermometer for her set up, I'm sure she's used to less than perfect temperatures.

Using the car for short term power outages is also a great idea, my car is tiny and the heater will melt your face off if you let it.

Thanks so much!

I bought a bunch of those packaging heat packs that last 40 hours for shipping. I got them on either reptilesupply.com or reptilebasics.com I believe

Here's the 40 hr ones from Reptile Basics. I use these for shipping and keep a box of them in the house at all times in case we lose power during winter weather.

http://www.reptilebasics.com/40-Hr-D...k-p-16383.html

When this has happened in the past during winter storms I would just shake them up, wrap them in small towels/big facecloths and then tuck one into each enclosure right between the warm hide and the enclosure wall (2 if it was a really big enclosure). Worked very well to keep the snake's warm without letting them lay directly on the heat pack.

I just had a power outage last night - what a nightmare - I was sooooo worried about my babies. I had some of those heat packs from Reptile Basics but wasn't impressed with how warm they got - it was the first time I used them.

Maybe I did something wrong but the instructions said to open them/shake them and insert into the cage. I put one in each hide under the kraft paper that I use for bedding but it didn't seem to get very warm when I kept checking things.

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Originally Posted by L.West

I just had a power outage last night - what a nightmare - I was sooooo worried about my babies. I had some of those heat packs from Reptile Basics but wasn't impressed with how warm they got - it was the first time I used them.

Maybe I did something wrong but the instructions said to open them/shake them and insert into the cage. I put one in each hide under the kraft paper that I use for bedding but it didn't seem to get very warm when I kept checking things.

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I believe if you will check the package most of the long term heat packs take a long time to reach max temperature. Your outage may have been over before the pack in the tub got up to full heat.:gj:

Yeah, you may be right - my power outage only lasted 12 hours but I had no way of knowing how long it would last which is why I immediately put the heat packs in.

Like other people said you could use heat packs. Here is an episode of snakebytes and they show how they package there snakes for overnight shipping. You could do something similar to this with a box or tub, some Styrofoam, newspaper, and heat packs as long as it was only for a few days. Providing water and ventilation of course.

edit: forgot the link, lol

also if you want to skip ahead to see the shipping set up its at about 3:20

http://snakebytes.tv/index.php?optio...d=80&Itemid=14

you could go with a hefty UPS... but for one that will last days (depending on how much power your heating elements are using) you might as well buy a little generator...

Here is a pretty good UPS, I have a similar one for my servers and holy crap it weighs ~60lbs (http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16842570017)

but you could get a small Honda generator (they are almost silent... my father wants one soo bad for tailgating) so $1000 or so retail.. but i found one for a good deal less
<http://cgi.ebay.com/HONDA-EU2000I-PO...=p3286.c0.m14>

But yeah, the stove thing should work

see if there is a local harbor freight. you can get a gas generator that can power your whole house for $750.

and if you subscribe to their email list, they'll send you 20 % off coupons.

I'm lucky I have gas & electric in this home. I put a dedicated vent free gas heater in my snake room, so no worries. You can work with that wood stove or see about a free standing gas or kerosene heater rated for indoor use too.

I actually bought a small gas generator when I used to have fish tanks but never had a need to use it. I attempted to get that out last night during the power outage - I got it started and all but it just didn't seem to run very smoothly sort of like surges would happen and I was afraid if I used it it would damage my RHP's in my enclosures.

It's a shame - I have a nice little generator but am afraid to use it. I may have to have someone with some knowledge about generators show me how to properly use the darn thing - I was reading the instructions in the dark trying to get the thing up and running - I had to mix oil with the gas and such.

Also, I was told that once you use a generator - you have to start it and let it run every month after that - what a pain that would be - is this true.

Thanks so much for all the replies folks!

At the prices that have been mentioned (750$-1000$) there is NO way I can afford to get a generator. I am (as a lot of people) finding myself suffering with our current economy. I lost all the over-time I used to be offered AS WELL as taking a pay cut. I won't continue on with my sob story, but I definitely can't spend money on a generator lol

Looks like I'll be using the wood stove/heat pack method :P Hell, if I lost power for long enough, I'll just bring my baby girl to work with me. Wouldn't my co-workers love me :rolleyes:

Also, thank you hermeticcharm for the video link!

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Originally Posted by L.West

I actually bought a small gas generator when I used to have fish tanks but never had a need to use it. I attempted to get that out last night during the power outage - I got it started and all but it just didn't seem to run very smoothly sort of like surges would happen and I was afraid if I used it it would damage my RHP's in my enclosures.

It's a shame - I have a nice little generator but am afraid to use it. I may have to have someone with some knowledge about generators show me how to properly use the darn thing - I was reading the instructions in the dark trying to get the thing up and running - I had to mix oil with the gas and such.

Also, I was told that once you use a generator - you have to start it and let it run every month after that - what a pain that would be - is this true.

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While I was in the Air Force, we had & used gas generators allot. We also had million in sensitive weather equipment we were running, so we used UPS to regulate the power & prevent surges.

We did "ops-check" the generators either once a quarter or twice a year, but that was as much for us to have practice as anything.

DO MAKE a NOTE that if you leave gas in it for long periods, you should use a fuel stabilizer or keep it empty & have fresh gas at hand for it.

What about the hand warmers at walmart?

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Originally Posted by L.West

I actually bought a small gas generator when I used to have fish tanks but never had a need to use it. I attempted to get that out last night during the power outage - I got it started and all but it just didn't seem to run very smoothly sort of like surges would happen and I was afraid if I used it it would damage my RHP's in my enclosures.

It's a shame - I have a nice little generator but am afraid to use it. I may have to have someone with some knowledge about generators show me how to properly use the darn thing - I was reading the instructions in the dark trying to get the thing up and running - I had to mix oil with the gas and such.

Also, I was told that once you use a generator - you have to start it and let it run every month after that - what a pain that would be - is this true.

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You were either a) trying to run it too hard and the rev limiter was kicking in (aka trying to get too much juice)
Or b) had bad gas.

This is the easiest question ever!!! just move to FLORIDA!!!

you could get a couple of car batteries and an inverter rated to however much you need... 250w inverters are only about 50-75 bucks, and if i'm not mistaken you can get a car battery for under 100... I am not sure how long it will last but I may be able to figure that out in a few hours

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Originally Posted by Mike Cavanaugh

This is the easiest question ever!!! just move to FLORIDA!!!

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lol why didn't i think of that, best suggestion yet :rofl:

You can buy a battery pack from any hardware store that allows you to plug stuff into it! You get them for like $60 here in Canada and you can charge them on you car if you don't have power. They last about 6 to 12 hours depending on the load and the size of battery pack you buy. Mine also has an alarm that sounds when its getting low.

ok I found out that my idea will only last between 3 and 8 hours so unless you keep a bunch of batteries charged it wont work for the lenght of time you will need

I had this very problem this winter, but as I have a gas hot water heater so I went a very low tech solution. I just used hot water bottles to keep them warm. This does require more monitoring but definitely worked in a pinch.

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Originally Posted by JUNKyardHOE

you could get a couple of car batteries and an inverter rated to however much you need... 250w inverters are only about 50-75 bucks, and if i'm not mistaken you can get a car battery for under 100... I am not sure how long it will last but I may be able to figure that out in a few hours

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they also have battery maintainers at walmart for 20 bucks. you just plug it in and put the clamps on the battery posts and it slowly charges the battery so when you need it you dont have to worry about it not having a charge

They also have power strips with battery back up. Most people use them for computers, because of the surge protection. I think they are about $60, and last for something like 8 hours.

The car inverter idea is a good one. I live in North Carolina where its not really too common to lose power that much or if we do its only for a mintue. Also i have a power inverter and 2 car batteries, so i would be fine for the night. That might be a good idea if you have some friends with some car batteries laying down. A 400 watt power inverter is only like $40 anyway.