Nervous about the Storm in Northeast/CT

Hi guys!

Just wanted to share my nervousness for tomorrow's storm set to hit Connecticut hard.

I am very worried about the winds - up to 40mph. I am praying we do not lose power.

I just moved to this house recently and am in the process of having a whole home generator installed (largely because of my pets). Basically, I just need the electrician to do the final hookup and the town to sign off on it. The town came out yesterday to okay the propane hookup. So, I am sitting here with a house full of dogs and reptiles and a generator that literally needs to be connected to the propane tanks and tested and approved.

SO FRUSTRATING!

Anyway, I want to a) wish everyone well and good luck in the storm and b) ask what to do if I lose power?

My plan, if it get's below about 60 in the reptile room is to pack everyone into their travel cases and keep them in bed with me! That doesn't sound like a great plan, but not sure what else to do.

Any thoughts?

I have a BP, 3 Leopard Geckos, a Corn Snake, a Blue Tongue Skink, and a BCI.

Thank you all in advance and again, good luck!

David

Hey, just wanted to say good luck with the storm. I live in pa where it is frigid right now but it looks to be way worse for you guys up there! I was thinking maybe you could buy some hand warmers or grab a kerosene heater from Lowe’s. We used one of them in my house growing up and after the initial start the fumes are non existent. I think if you kept them back a bit that could help. Just some ideas and once again good luck

i am not from your area so i hope you and yours stay safe!!!

ive never had to do this, but in emergencies here's what i've learned over the years: place animals in a pillow case, place pillowcase in a ventilated tub, and keep tub under blankets, comforters, and with you when you sleep. your body heat will be essential in this time, so if you're ever worried keep the animals close to you.

i hope others with lived experiences chime in. i hope you stay safe AND WARM!

I'm in North/Central MA and we're buckling up for a beast of a storm. Fingers crossed power doesn't go out...
Keep warm and safe!!!

Are you able to get to a Walmart? In the hunting section they sell the hand and foot warmers. They last about 10 hours.

These:
https://www.walmart.com/ip/Hot-Hands...-Pack/17808715

I've use those when we have lost power to keep everybody warm.

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Originally Posted by hilabeans

Are you able to get to a Walmart? In the hunting section they sell the hand and foot warmers. They last about 10 hours.

These:
https://www.walmart.com/ip/Hot-Hands...-Pack/17808715

I've use those when we have lost power to keep everybody warm.

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GREAT IDEAS GUYS!

THANK YOU!

I got to the local 24HR Walmart, found a few 3 packs of the hand warmers (for $5 each! nice!) and got a couple 3 packs of the bigger ones also. I did wait in line for 50 minutes to get them, but I would do it again in a heartbeat if means my animals are safe. Apparently we have NEVER had snow in CT?????????

People said it was like Black Friday all over again!

Thank you again and be safe everyone.

I hope you will get through that storm alright and without loss of power !!

Hand warmers are a GREAT idea, but do not use them the same way like the ones meant for reptile shipping. They are different.

The ones for reptile shipping last a lot longer, but also don't get as hot. Hand warmers can get TO hot, so do not put them close to the snakes. You could put the snakes into pillow cases, then put all those into a big tub, put that tub into a bigger tub and tape the hand warmers along the sides of the bigger tub. Keep a thermometer with a probe ready so that you can monitor the temps in the smaller tub.

Well, that is one thing you could do, or something along those lines ;)

Hopefully you won't have to, though !

It's a bit late now but I would have picked up some of the little "Mr. Buddy" heaters to run in the bathrooms and wherever your water lines come into your house. They would help keep the plumbing warm so your pipes don't freeze if the power goes out.

Hopefully the power will stay on and your generator will get hooked up shortly.

Stay safe!

I know this was brought up before, having a “kit” for emergencies. I have an insulated cooler, bags (pillow cases) and reptile shipping heat packs (I think I have a pic or two in my images). Have lost power before, just pack everyone in and good to go. ​;)

Did you drill holes in your insulated cooler? I would hate for my babies to suffocate.

I read somewhere that the biggest cause of death when shipping reptiles is using heat packs in a box that is too small. Be careful with those hot packs when you use them, they can get really hot. Probably best to wrap them in something so the snake doesn't touch them directly.

I've heard that some hand warmers use oxygen during the chemical reaction that makes them hot. Not sure if it's true for yours but might be worth considering when designing your temporary power-loss set up. Also make sure with a potential new generator that your CO detectors are functioning correctly. Pay attention to how your heat sources that use combustion are venting outdoors because poorly functioning ones produce carbon monoxide (deadly in smaller amounts) and efficient ones produce at least exhaust gasses which include carbon dioxide (deadly in larger amounts.) I hope you get at least a day off of your normal obligations!

Sent from my SM-G950U using Tapatalk

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Originally Posted by Tila

I've heard that some hand warmers use oxygen during the chemical reaction that makes them hot. Not sure if it's true for yours but might be worth considering when designing your temporary power-loss set up. Also make sure with a potential new generator that your CO detectors are functioning correctly. Pay attention to how your heat sources that use combustion are venting outdoors because poorly functioning ones produce carbon monoxide (deadly in smaller amounts) and efficient ones produce at least exhaust gasses which include carbon dioxide (deadly in larger amounts.) I hope you get at least a day off of your normal obligations!

Sent from my SM-G950U using Tapatalk

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Thank you on both counts. I had no intention of exposing the reptiles to the heat packs directly, and was a) going to check temps of the packs if I had to use them and b) are a total last resort. I had thought about potential chemical issues.

So FAR, So GOOD! Power still on.

RE the generator, it's 20KW whole house and is outside, and is vented outside away from the house. Nothing should come in.

The propane guy came this morning to hook everything up.........now if I can get the electrician out, we are in business. I may try to sweet talk him. He is literally a mile from the house and doubt he wants to go far today.

I'll keep everyone updated.

Glad this thread has been popular. I imagine other people have similar concerns.

Thank you again!

The storm is just starting to pick up here in North/Central MA, but nothing crazy yet...here we go....

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Originally Posted by Sunnieskys

Did you drill holes in your insulated cooler? I would hate for my babies to suffocate.

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Did you look at the picture? I would hate if you didn’t look at the picture?

You are very fortunate to be getting a whole house generator system - that would be my dream. Those units are wonderful but very expensive. I hope your power stays on - I can only imagine how worried you must be. I tend to panic when I think my power may go out - it is very unsettling to say the least.

I actually have spare setups complete with heat tape and thermostats at the ready at a family members house just in case we would have to evacuate.

Thoughts and prayers are with you!!

Battery power packs with built in inverters work real well in conjunction with a cooler. I created a post some time back on my emergency kit. Also Kero Sun heaters burning #1 Kerosene will operate for 10 hours on 2 gallons of fuel. Don't cheap out and buy #2 for burning in them. They are safe to run indoors and the quality ones come with built in O2 sensors. Fire them off outdoors and shut them down outdoors and there is little if any smell that comes from them. Is it advisable to run them with a window cracked open? Yes it is not only to avoid a fuel rich burn on them but more importantly to keep yourself cooled off inside of the house when they are running. Here in the Midwest where blizzards/ice storms can have you without power for days living out in the country, whole house generators and kerosene heaters can make for a lot of piece of mind. Good luck!

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Originally Posted by dakski

...now if I can get the electrician out, we are in business.

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My plumbing, HVAC, electrician, mechanic, etc. go the extra mile for beer...

Hope you all stay toasty warm and safe! In central Texas if it gets below 40 we shut the city down and start crying. ;)

Know that it's a bit late now for my reply- but if someone reads this in the future hopefully it will help.

My emergency kit is a locking 41 qt watertight storage box that I soldered holes into (used mainly for the locking mechanism and the water tight seal leaves a kink if foam cushion in case of nose rubbing). It fits a cereal box nicely as a temporary hide (his are too tall to fit) and I usually have several in the pantry if needed. I layer the bottom with an absorbent puppy pad under some reptile carpet. If I'm not able to just lay in bed all day I set the container on reptile heat shipping pads (usually two to three to cover half the boxes length) that are warped in a towel. This has consistently brought the internal temp of the cereal box to about 83-85*F and the ambient into the low 70's - its not perfect but I figure if needed it would keep him alive. The rest of the time the box would either me in bed or on the couch with me under blankets. I also have a small butter dish with tons of holes in the top and sides that I fill with wet moss and set on the warm side to help boost humidity.

Luckily I have not had to use it yet for any long term emergency...but I have tested it out and use it when I have to deep clean his cage in the winter (my house is about 67*). I deep clean once a month and it takes about 2-3 hours to removed everything, vacuum all the dust, clean with chlorhexidine, then rinse, dry and put everything back.

As we dig out on Long Island, I suspect many of us will be adding to our emergency kits for our legless loved ones in the days ahead.

Although Amazon sells Uni-Heat packs, this site is the best price I've found so far (even with shipping charges): https://shipyourreptiles.com/shop/he...cks-_10_count/

They also have a nice chart on their webpage which would indicate that the 72 hour heat packs are the safest ones that we could use.

GREAT NEWS! I am really touched.

First, we haven't lost power!

Secondly, my electrician called today and said he didn't want to do the generator startup in the storm because they couldn't really see what they were doing if there was a problem.

HOWEVER - he, and his assistant (who has a Beardie), both understand how important the animals are to me (I even introduced them when they did the initial wiring). They have a standby generator standing by and if we lose power at any point today/tonight I have a direct line and they will come out and hookup the backup to the reptile tanks and furnace!

Tomorrow morning, once they dig out their trucks, they are coming over to do the final hookup!!!! I will, hopefully, not have to worry so much anymore! I will grab some reptile heat packs as a backup to the backup - cause you never know.

Anyway, I wanted to share my relief and joy and that are good people in the world!

Hope everyone is safe and sound and critters are doing ok!

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Originally Posted by dakski

Hope everyone is safe and sound and critters are doing ok!

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great to hear!!! that's awesome the handymen are so understanding of your situation.

it's never a bad thing to have a backup plan. better to have it and not need it, than to need it and not have it. ;)

Final Update:

The generator was hooked up today and we are good to go.

I am going to get some reptile shipping/heating pads as a backup, but my mind is at ease.

Of course, we did not lose power in the storm.

Again, I hope this helps other people problem solve before there is a problem.

Thank you to everyone for the replies and support!