possible power outages tomorrow

so being that im in tennessee we dont get much bad “winter weather” but the combination of today and tomorrow tend to end up with power outages due to ice on the lines. its been raining for the past few hours and is supposed to continue until 6am and then the temp is supposed to drop below freezing and we’re supposed to get snow for 4-5 hours mid day. i tried reading some older threads on power outages but pretty much all of them recommend heaters and generators which i cant exactly get right now. tomorrow when i wake up im gonna turn my space heater in my room up to 80 to try and get it warm in here before hand but other than that i dont know what else to do. the roads are probably going to be covered with ice and i dont currently have any hand warmers.

Depends on how many snakes. 1-2 small ones, put them in bags and put them down your shirt to keep warm.

3+ - beer coolers and shipping heat packs.

A room full - non-electric heat source such as a kerosene heater.

A house full or you have an incubator - get a generator.

I've looked at those kerosene heaters but they tend to scare me. I can't imagine running them inside the house although I realize that is what they are for.

Anyone has any experience with one??

Anything that burns liquid fuel uses up oxygen and creates water as a byproduct of combustion. You would need to crack a window a little bit when using them and then you'll have to watch to make sure it doesn't get too cold from the open window or too hot from the heat source.

It's difficult to prepare for an emergency if you only have one day. The best bet is to get a generator but if you shop local stores you will pay out of the nose. The cheapest place to get one is e-bay or Amazon.com. You can get a larger one for about $300 shipped if you shop around, but I really love my little 'Earthquake' generator. I paid $311, looks like the newer version is about $400. It always starts in just a couple pulls and you don't have to mix gas and oil. It's very compact and pretty quiet. All you would need are a few extension cords and power strips. Best to be prepared before the storm comes. For a heat source in a small room you could run a halogen lamp to this generator.

https://www.amazon.com/Porta-Source-...b_title_garden


https://ball-pythons.net/forums/cach...L._SL1500_.jpg

If you want more power and a cheaper price you could get this one, less than $300 with free Amazon shipping. It's going to be heavy though and you'll probably need two people to load it in the back of a pickup to move it a distance from your house. I actually have one of each, a big one and a small one. If one won't start I have a backup.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B004918MO2...&pd_rd_w=kwFEB

My next big investment for my house is going to be an all house backup generator. Even with this I would have one or more backup portable generators, especially if you have quite a few valuable reptiles at stake.

https://www.amazon.com/Briggs-Stratt...ouse+generator

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Originally Posted by L.West

I've looked at those kerosene heaters but they tend to scare me. I can't imagine running them inside the house although I realize that is what they are for.

Anyone has any experience with one??

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I used to run one when I lived in a townhouse with no fireplace so I couldn't have a wood stove, and there was no natural gas hookup available. I found it worked surprisingly well, there was minimal odor as long as I kept the wick clean, it was easy to start, and it was fairly easy to refuel. I also put a CO detector in the room where I used it - just in case - and it never showed a reading other than 0.

I have a Generac portable generator but even that confuses me. The instructions say not to run in the rain. Well if it is storming out - rain is a great possibility. I just don't get that.

One word of caution against carbon monoxide detectors. The CO detector you buy at Home Depot will not show low levels of CO. You need to get one that is much more sensitive, usually one designed for a laboratory, they are usually well over $100 for a good one. The cheap ones will only show levels once they reach toxic concentrations. You want a low level CO detector like this one:

https://www.amazon.com/Kidde-KN-COU-...xide+low+level

With a cheap one from Home Depot you will actually feel the effects of toxic CO before the detector goes off, don't be fooled!!

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Originally Posted by L.West

I have a Generac portable generator but even that confuses me. The instructions say not to run in the rain. Well if it is storming out - rain is a great possibility. I just don't get that.

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I think they mean don't get it wet because they use nuts and bolts that will rust LOL.

I was worried about this too. Thankfully it wasn't too bad weather so at least here in the western part of the state we still have power. I really need to get a generator because one more snake and I won't be able to pack them all around me in bed if we loose power

I would run a propane heater like a Mr Buddy Big Buddy. I looked into Kerosene too and it does burn hotter but if you dont get the wick set up right, it can give off a lot of soot. But if you get it right, Kerosene heaters put out some serious heat.

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Originally Posted by SDA

I was worried about this too. Thankfully it wasn't too bad weather so at least here in the western part of the state we still have power. I really need to get a generator because one more snake and I won't be able to pack them all around me in bed if we loose power

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What i used to do if it got below 70F in the snake cages, was pack them all in their sterilite tubs and put them in the car and go to sleep in my car with the engine running and heater set on mid. Made for an uncomfortable night but at least the snakes were warm. Snakes are not going to be hurt by 70-75F temps for a few hours. Heck i believe in the mountains in Peru where BCL come from, it can get down to 50s or 60s at night and they live there fine. You might be surprised how cool of temps snakes can tolerate. It's the high temps that will kill them fast or scramble their little brains.

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Originally Posted by SDA

I was worried about this too. Thankfully it wasn't too bad weather so at least here in the western part of the state we still have power. I really need to get a generator because one more snake and I won't be able to pack them all around me in bed if we loose power

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typically southerners overreacted lol schools were closing last night, now theres barely even a dusting of anything. melting the instant it touches the ground


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Originally Posted by Sauzo

What i used to do if it got below 70F in the snake cages, was pack them all in their sterilite tubs and put them in the car and go to sleep in my car with the engine running and heater set on mid. Made for an uncomfortable night but at least the snakes were warm. Snakes are not going to be hurt by 70-75F temps for a few hours. Heck i believe in the mountains in Peru where BCL come from, it can get down to 50s or 60s at night and they live there fine. You might be surprised how cool of temps snakes can tolerate. It's the high temps that will kill them fast or scramble their little brains.

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when it gets cold dont they just slow down their metabolism and use their energy more efficiently?


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Originally Posted by baldegale

typically southerners overreacted lol schools were closing last night, now theres barely even a dusting of anything. melting the instant it touches the ground

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WHO YOU CALLING SOUTHERNER!? I am a proud Californian transplanted into the middle of another planet! :P

We got almost few inches actually here, it's pretty but omg sooo cold.

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Originally Posted by SDA

I was worried about this too. Thankfully it wasn't too bad weather so at least here in the western part of the state we still have power. I really need to get a generator because one more snake and I won't be able to pack them all around me in bed if we loose power

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What? Who the heck would do something that crazy as pack snakes in bed around them in a power outage?
[emoji6]


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Originally Posted by SDA

WHO YOU CALLING SOUTHERNER!? I am a proud Californian transplanted into the middle of another planet! :P

We got almost few inches actually here, it's pretty but omg sooo cold.

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im talking about 90% of tennessee ;) im from cleveland ohio, i know allllllll about snow.


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I was going to invest in a generator, but decided to wait until I can afford a better one.
This thread has me reconsidering a kerosene heater as great energy heat backup!


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https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/201...0069923c4c.jpg this is all weve gotten so far hahaha. its mainly all ice cause of how much its rained. (yes that is a makeshift cat house, we take care of the strays)


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Originally Posted by baldegale

when it gets cold dont they just slow down their metabolism and use their energy more efficiently?


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Kind of. It's like hibernation but they dont normally hibernate. So long term, its not good as it lowers their immune system but short term, it doesnt hurt assuming you dont have a cold AND wet cage. That can trigger a RI just like hot AND dry can too.

As far as energy efficiency, i dont think they can be more efficient than they already are. My snakes tend to not do much unless they smell dinner or have taken a poop or piss and are trying to get away from it lol.

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Originally Posted by Godzilla78

I was going to invest in a generator, but decided to wait until I can afford a better one.
This thread has me reconsidering a kerosene heater as great energy heat backup!


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Look into these too if you just have to heat a room. http://www.mrheater.com/big-buddy-portable-heater.html You can even hook them up to a 20 lb LP tank like for BBQs if you expect days without power. Otherwise can just pick up the 1 lb propane bottles.

If you have a gas stove hot water bottles are a decent thing to have around for power outages. I have used them on a few occasions.

I would bag my snakes put them in 1 or two Boaphiles and play rotate the water bottle.

Just be sure to get good temps so it isn't too hot. I would make it 95, put the snakes around it. When it got down to 80 I would switch bags.

It sucks but its cheap and has saved me more than once in frozen tundra of Chicago.


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