What do I do if and when the electric goes out. I live in Ar where it always seems to go off and stay off for 12 hrs or more. With us using wood heat its ok for us but, what about Heidie? Never even thought about it? I use above lighting to heat her tank. White for days and Red for night.
Leopard Gecko no electricity.....
- Thread starter Scalekat
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thorrshamri
Moderator/The French Viking Moderathorr
If your room temperatures don't go to low, no need to worry. These guys will resist unproblematically the lack of heating for a few days, or even more 
Elizabeth Freer
Well-known member
Happy that you are thinking about power outage preparations :idea:! You mention that you use wood heat, not central heating. I would think it is not a good idea for Heidie to be below 65 F for for any extended time. You could buy some rather large reptile heat packs that are often used for shipping. I know that 40 hour ones and 72 hour ones are available. One source is the Bean Farm.
Leos find bright lights stressful. Better heat sources for Heidie's tank include an under tank heat mat and an overhead dome housing an Exo Terra Night-glo Moonlight bulb, an infrared bullb, or a ceramic heat emitter.
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Elizabeth Freer
Well-known member
Do these heat pads run on electricity ? Also do they come with a temperature guage ? What under tank pad do you recommend? So much to learn here. Dont have to worry about white light , it just went out. The duel light is what pet smart said to buy.
Geckos Unlimited knows leos better than some PetSmart employees do. Trust that. There are seasoned experts here right at your fingertips.
No, the heat packs do not depend upon electricity. Shippers use them for cold-sensitive shipments. No temperature gauge included. You may wish to wrap them in a washcloth or newspaper. But you'll be able to place them right in Heidie's tank.
What size tank have you?
Please check the Leo Guidelines for extremely thorough advice and then get back with us.
I have a twenty gallon tank. I have a digital thermometer on bottom of tank in her hot hide . Temp day 84-85.. Cool side is around 75 or less right now. Also temp gage on wall and one for humidity. Again pet smart. So i will try to order some of those heat packs just incase. Suggest under tank heater please and where to get it. Thanks
Elizabeth Freer
Well-known member
How long is your tank? A 20 gallon LONG tank measures 30 inches. Your current warm side temps are too cool. Your thermometers need to be accurate in order for your leo's temps to be correct.
Click right here for a Leo Setup video and thorough advice. I don't have a particular brand in mind. Some people recommend Zilla brands. The heating pad should be 1/3 the length of the tank and as close to the width as possible. A little larger is better than a little smaller.
http://www.geckosunlimited.com/comm...acularius-6-dec-2012-demo-video-included.html
Check post #26 immediately following the Leo Guidelines for live links to all the products Tony Perkins has used
.
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cassicat4
New member
I always keep heat packs on hand for emergencies. I have both the single use shipping-style heat packs that Elizabeth mentioned, and I also have some snap-pack reusable heat packs. I've used them for everything from transporting my reptiles to the vet, to picking up new acquisitions, to even bringing live food home. Granted, I do live somewhere that gets MUCH colder than where you reside, but random inclement weather can strike anywhere without warning so it's better to be safe than sorry. As for the temp - a digital thermometer with a probe or a temp gun will help you ensure you're not overheating the space. I also always wrap the packs in a towel or layers of paper towel to prevent my animals from getting burned. My Leos love to lay on them.
Elizabeth Freer
Well-known member
Cassi ~
Tell us more about the snap-pack reusable heat packs :idea:
Tell us more about the snap-pack reusable heat packs :idea:
cassicat4
New member
They're great.
They have a little metal disc in them that you snap to heat up the pack. Depending on the size of the pack, they can last anywhere from 30 minutes to several hours. To return them to a non-heat reusable state, simply boil them on the stove for about 10 minutes.The kinds I (and other locals) use are:
Toasterz
ClickHeat - The original Reusable Instant Heat Pack > home at ClickHeat
But I know there are many more manufacturers of these. A Google search turned up:
Amazon.com: HEAT WAVE Instant Reusable Heat Pack - HAND WARMERS (2) = 1 PAIR HEAT WAVE BRAND: Health & Personal Care
Which is the same thing.
If you can, I find the reusable ones a lot more cost-efficient (and multi-purpose) than the disposable ones, but I have both on hand simply because the disposable ones generally last a lot longer (hence why they're often used for shipping/moving/travel) but the reusable are better for short term heat situations.
geckogex
New member
I am so glad someone brought this up! especially at the rate I have been losing power the past two years. I am so glad I didn't have my gecko then, especially because the crazy snow storm last october where I lost power for a week! Other people in the state for even longer! CT has been hit with some pretty bad power outages and now I can be prepared!
Thanks for the idea of the click heat packs! I own some but never would have thought about using them for my gecko! how many layers of cloth or paper towel or w.e should I put over the heat packs though?? I read that they can get up to 130 degrees and I just don't want to burn her!!
Thanks
Thanks for the idea of the click heat packs! I own some but never would have thought about using them for my gecko! how many layers of cloth or paper towel or w.e should I put over the heat packs though?? I read that they can get up to 130 degrees and I just don't want to burn her!!
Thanks
cassicat4
New member
I've found that a simple hand towel is enough to prevent the heat packs from getting too hot to the touch for a gecko (i.e. it feels lukewarm to me). Give it a try, and use a digital thermometer with a probe or temp gun to measure the heat that's coming through the towel. For me, I found the temp was about 90F when I wrapped the pack twice with the towel, but of course it depends on what kind of towel you use, how thick it is, etc. Find out what will be required to cover the heat packs now, so you don't have to worry about that during an emergency or otherwise.
HeatMax HotHands Hand Warmers, 40 pairs:
•Hand warmers give off up to 10 hours of heat
•Ready to use
•HeatMax hand warmers are Air-Activated
•Safe, Natural Heat
•One pair per package
•Product packaging may vary
..This is from a discreption at wal-mart. I just typed in hand warmers for hunters.
•Hand warmers give off up to 10 hours of heat
•Ready to use
•HeatMax hand warmers are Air-Activated
•Safe, Natural Heat
•One pair per package
•Product packaging may vary
..This is from a discreption at wal-mart. I just typed in hand warmers for hunters.
Elizabeth Freer
Well-known member
Google "heat mats for shipping". They will be significantly larger than either the hand or foot warmers which are designed to be used inside pockets or boots.
geckogex
New member
Thanks! I will have to text it out it also probably can't hurt to have her get used to it by introducing it once I get it....thanks again!
I am so glad I joined this forum I am learning so much! I researched so much but its different learning from people that have experience:lol:
geckogex
New member
need help for tmrw!
Sooooo basically here in CT tomorrow we are going to get about 2 feet of snow and the likelihood of losing power is sounding very high. I already bought reusable heat packs, but with no power I have no way to boil it to have it ready to reuse.
So I bought a carrier (the plastic bins for hamsters only its a long one for reptiles and decent sized) because I am going to a friends house that doesn't lose power as easy as I do and I also bought a bunch of hot hands (bigger sizes, but thats what they are.)
So my questions are:
-Should I put the hot hands in the carrier or under it? (if in it is there a certain recommended # of layers for the paper towel?)
-I have Styrofoam from when I made the background, should I cover the carrier with it to insulate it a little?
I know putting her in the carrier will most likely stress her out beyond belief but I do not know what else to do! I just want to keep her warm!
Any other suggestions are welcome PLEASE lol
Thanks!
Sorry to be so last min!
Briana
Sooooo basically here in CT tomorrow we are going to get about 2 feet of snow and the likelihood of losing power is sounding very high. I already bought reusable heat packs, but with no power I have no way to boil it to have it ready to reuse.
So I bought a carrier (the plastic bins for hamsters only its a long one for reptiles and decent sized) because I am going to a friends house that doesn't lose power as easy as I do and I also bought a bunch of hot hands (bigger sizes, but thats what they are.)
So my questions are:
-Should I put the hot hands in the carrier or under it? (if in it is there a certain recommended # of layers for the paper towel?)
-I have Styrofoam from when I made the background, should I cover the carrier with it to insulate it a little?
I know putting her in the carrier will most likely stress her out beyond belief but I do not know what else to do! I just want to keep her warm!
Any other suggestions are welcome PLEASE lol
Thanks!
Sorry to be so last min!
Briana
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XoVictoryXo
New member
Good to know! Nj has been getting hit with bad hurricanes lately and we have gone days without power too ...I'm going to get some for emergencies too.
Elizabeth Freer
Well-known member
Briana ~
Quickly get one of those styrofoam picnic coolers as a carrier. Wrap your hot hands in a small towel or washcloth to moderate the output. Use a thermometer in the styro box to monitor heat.
:idea:: Google heatpacks for shipping. There are much longer acting heat packs available. I have ones which last for 72 hours in case of emergencies and for shipping.
At least you'll be ready for the next power outage. Good that you have a friend to visit in case that storm becomes a reality.
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