Emergency Set Up

[Garnet]

Hello all. It's been a long time since I've been here. My normal ball, Skull the Python, is now three years old and thriving. I have been through some tough times personally but this isn't the place to talk about that. I came back to share a set up I've figured out for an emergency situation. I live in Lansing, MI and we had a helluva wind storm yesterday. Knocked the power out and it's not likely to be back on for a few days. When I got home yesterday (after have two teeth filled to make the situation even more joyous) the first thing I did was head to the snake habitat and grab Skull. The temp on the hot side had dropped to 65. So, I put him around my neck and zipped up my hoodie. He warmed up fairly quickly.

In the meantime, I decided that it was time to go to a hotel. The temp was going to drop last night to 27 and I didn't want to fight with keeping us both warm. I popped him and his favorite hide into a portable plastic tub that I use to keep him secure when I'm cleaning his habitat. Before I did that, I lined the bottom of the tub with three layers of clean kitchen towels. Packed my stuff and got the hell out of dodge. Nearest available hotel room was about 50 miles away. I was able to keep him warm in my car by putting him in the passenger seat, which is heated, and turning the heat down to it's lowest setting.

Got into the hotel room late last night. Was exhausted! So cranked the room heat up enough to keep him viable and not cause me to sweat to death. This morning, I went over to Meijer (which is a big box store like Walmart). Roamed around a while trying to figure out what-in-hell to do. There's no herp shop nearby, I was on my own. Here's what I did.

I bough a meat thermometer with a remote read out that is used for BBQ. I bought a heating pad with four heat settings. I bought a small tupperware container to use as a water dish. I put the temp probe underneath the first layer of towels beneath his hide. I set the remote to alarm at 85. Then I set the tub on the heating pad and turned it on the highest setting until the temp reached 80. Once it reached 80, I turned the heating pad down to the lowest setting and then put the water dish (filled with bottled drinking water) in the tub. For the last half hour, the temp has remained steady at 81 degrees.

I realize that the humidity is borked but I can't think of anyway to deal with that right now. Just want to keep my boy as healthy and as warm as possible for the next few days until we can go home.

When I can figure out how to take a pic of the setup and upload it, I will. Right now, I'm going to go get some lunch.

Thought maybe this post might help someone in a similar situation.

[ladywhipple02]

Another good option is to set them up as if they are being shipped: grab a pillow case or snake bag, some foam board, and some hand or footwarmers. Put the snake in the bag and put the bag in a box with the foam board on all sides, and a warmer on one of the sides. This does in a tight pinch when you don't have any electricity - I've learned first hand on that count. Also helps when you're moving

[Kaorte]

hand or footwarmers.

Just an FYI those are not the same heat packs that get shipped with your snake, those are meant for people and will get hot enough to cook your snake.



OP, if you were at a hotel, why not just go home and grab a thermometer and buy a heat mat and a dimmer? Just seems like a lot of jerry rigging to do something that can easily be done with products made for reptiles.

[ladywhipple02]

Just an FYI those are not the same heat packs that get shipped with your snake, those are meant for people and will get hot enough to cook your snake.

That's why you use them in a pinch. And I should've clarified not to put the snake directly on the warmer.

[Garnet]

The nearest herp shop is 55 miles away from where I'm staying. They weren't open last night when I had to pack up to leave.

Allow me to clarify. The closest hotel I could get into last night because of multiple power outages all over Michigan is 50 miles from my house and 55 miles from the nearest herp shop. Called the herp shop this morning, they are closed because their power is out too.

[Kaorte]

The nearest herp shop is 55 miles away from where I'm staying. They weren't open last night when I had to pack up to leave.

Allow me to clarify. The closest hotel I could get into last night because of multiple power outages all over Michigan is 50 miles from my house and 55 miles from the nearest herp shop. Called the herp shop this morning, they are closed because their power is out too.

Ah gotcha. Yeah that is a bit of a trek just to get to a hotel! I'm surprised they don't have a petco or petsmart or something where you are. I guess I am spoiled by the city life

[Garnet]

I get that. Where I am actually is a small city but power outages are widespread. I'm in a small pocket that has power. Even so, the hotel I'm staying has been running off a big-arse generator intermittently. There are a few pet stores close to where I'm staying. They don't have power. At least they didn't when I checked this morning. Doing a jury rig was the best I could do.

ETA: Just to give an idea about the magnitude of the power outages, news reports have said that there are over 800,000 people without power. Where I live, in Lansing, there are more places without power than with.

[Lizardlicks]

I keep a spare tub, UTH and jumpstart thermostat with me when I go to reptile shows out of town juuuust in case there's something I can't come home without, but that's not really viable for handling my whole collection in the case of a power outage. So I have those shipping warmers that you mail the babies with for emergency situations.

[Garnet]

That's a big lesson learned for me out of this. I need to put together a bug out bag for Skull the Python with all the equipment I need so I'm not in this situation again.

That and get a whole house generator. But those puppies are expensive. It may be worth taking out a loan to do. Severe weather is only going to get more frequent.

[Lizardlicks]

Yeah, always best to be prepared before an emergency happens. We haven't lost power in years, not even when that crazy windstorm came through the November before last that knocked out almost the whole city a week before Thanksgiving, but I still keep supplies on hand for a just in case situation!