Incoming Storm - Advice ASAP

[Crowfingers]

So I am expecting to loose power at some point in the next two days due to ice and snow. I have a pack of 8 "uni-heat 30 hour small pet shipping warmers", an extra digital thermometer, and a small rubbermaid tub with air holes ready for use.

What is the best way to set my snake with this heat pack so that he is warm, but there is no chance of a burn?

[Sauzo]

Wrap them is a hand towel and then put them on the bottom of the tub and then put a full size towel or blanket down on top of that. Also if you haven't done it yet, I would advise going to Home Depot or a hardware store and picking up a sheet of rigid foam insulation. the kind that comes in the 4x8 sheets with reflective coating on 1 side, the stuff used in attics and walls. I score it to the size I need and then break it and put it on the bottom on my tubs as it keeps the heat in and doesn't allow it get sucked up by the floor.

[Crowfingers]

Wrap them is a hand towel and then put them on the bottom of the tub and then put a full size towel or blanket down on top of that. Also if you haven't done it yet, I would advise going to Home Depot or a hardware store and picking up a sheet of rigid foam insulation. the kind that comes in the 4x8 sheets with reflective coating on 1 side, the stuff used in attics and walls. I score it to the size I need and then break it and put it on the bottom on my tubs as it keeps the heat in and doesn't allow it get sucked up by the floor.

I'll try and swing by there in the morning if I can. If not, I can just set the whole tub in his tank, it's raised off the floor on a table and has 2 inches mulch in it. His tank is insulated with some of that back foam craft board on three sides too. Thanks for the quick reply. Hopefully the power will stay on, but I live in a house built in 1912...so I'm trying to be realistic

[Sauzo]

Good luck. You can also check out Mr. Heater. They are propane powered heaters designed for indoor use like camping tents and stuff. You can buy an adapter hose and run them off the big propane bottles for BBQs which last I believe 96 hours. Otherwise they use the small little cook stove propane bottles which last I think 6 hours or so. Good for heating a reptile room.

[Lazulimoon]

I'm expecting this storm as well. I was going to start a thread until I saw yours. Im up in Pennsylvania and were expecting 20+ inches of snow. Unfortunately I don't have anything to heat them with. im not sure how I can heat my 3 snakes. We don't have generators or propane heaters, and hand warmers only last for so long..
The only thing I can offer is body heat but I'd be worried about stressing them out from all the handling.

[bcr229]

If you just have the one snake put him in a pillow case, zip tie it closed, and put him down the front of your shirt to keep him warm.

At night put him in a bin (still in the bag) and put him under your bed covers with you. The bin will ensure you (and any other pets you have like dogs and cats) don't roll onto or step on him.

If you have a BBQ, camping stove, or even candle heater, you can boil water, fill a metal bottle or flask with the hot water, wrap it in a towel, and use it as a warmer. You will just need a way to keep your snake from coming in direct contact with it.

[Crowfingers]

If you just have the one snake put him in a pillow case, zip tie it closed, and put him down the front of your shirt to keep him warm.

At night put him in a bin (still in the bag) and put him under your bed covers with you. The bin will ensure you (and any other pets you have like dogs and cats) don't roll onto or step on him.

I hope that if we have an outage, it won't be for more than a few hours, but if it lasts longer will these methods (or putting him in the small tub with the reptile shipping heat pad) keep the ambient warm enough that he won't get a RI? Or is that not even something to worry about over a short time period? I'm mostly worried since he just ate yesterday, I don't want to cause him to regurgitate and also I want him to be able to digest.

[Sauzo]

When I had nothing to work with, I ended up just putting all my gals in their tubs and moving them into my car and running that with the heater on. Was the most uncomfortable nights sleeping haha but they all stayed warm and they seems fine. Heck my beardie didn't even wake up the whole time lol. Another time I did like bcr229 said and put all the tubs under the blankets with me and threw an acurite in there so I could see the temps. It was around 75F throughout the night and also was a very uncomfortable nights sleep haha. The things we do for our scaley buddies

[Sauzo]

I'm expecting this storm as well. I was going to start a thread until I saw yours. Im up in Pennsylvania and were expecting 20+ inches of snow. Unfortunately I don't have anything to heat them with. im not sure how I can heat my 3 snakes. We don't have generators or propane heaters, and hand warmers only last for so long..
The only thing I can offer is body heat but I'd be worried about stressing them out from all the handling.

Probably kind of late now but check into Mr Heater. They make propane heaters designed for camping use inside tents and houses. NEVER use a regular propane heater as those can kill you indoors. Also check out Ship Your Reptiles. They sell 10 or 30 packs of the 72 hour heat pads which work good if wrapped in a towel and put in a tub. As for stressing them with body heat, none of my gals seem to be phased by it really. I guess it depends how used to handling your snakes are. My gals get to come out usually every 2 days so the boas look forward to it seems where as my BP can care less it seems.

[bcr229]

I hope that if we have an outage, it won't be for more than a few hours, but if it lasts longer will these methods (or putting him in the small tub with the reptile shipping heat pad) keep the ambient warm enough that he won't get a RI? Or is that not even something to worry about over a short time period? I'm mostly worried since he just ate yesterday, I don't want to cause him to regurgitate and also I want him to be able to digest.

You would just need to be able to heat the small space that your snake is in, which is why I suggested bags+tub - the bags to keep your critters insulated from the heat source, the tub because it's a small space to heat, and you can put several bagged critters into one tub if needed, and you can insulate the tub by wrapping it in blankets or towels.

I suggested using a tub because most herpers have spares laying around anyway, but if you don't have a spare then something like a Styrofoam beer cooler would work and is inexpensive. Just make sure you secure the top in case a snake manages to get out of a bag.

Whichever you use, you can take a digital thermometer and put the probe in the container and set it up so you can monitor the temp without opening it up.