Loadshedding?!

[Celeste]

I finaly figured out that there is a SA area for me to post this!!
I have a 4 month old bearded dragon named Levi. Its my first BD and I haven't gone through a winter caring for one, not that it should be a problem....but I just heard that we will be experiencing loadshedding again this year...during winter (I'm from the Gauteng area) and Im very worried about keeping his viv temps high.... Im sure there are many ways to keep your reptiles warm when the power goes out. And if anyone has any suggestions, please share!
Im pretty sure Levi wont die if his temperatures dip very low for 24 hours, or if he has to go a winters night without a heat-pad, but Id rather not put him through all that.
Any suggestions are welcome! I have heard that hot water bottles work...but then you need electricity to boil the water.
I also take Levi with me when I go camping. He doesn't have a problem as long as I take his viv along. At this weekends camp the power went out and I was sitting with my hands in my hair and a bearded dragon cage that is only 18 degrees.
Even though I handle him a lot, Levi doesn't like blankets or being wrapped in anything, so that doesn't help either....
Maybe Im being a little paranoid, but I don't just want to make sure he survives, I obviously want him to be as happy and comfortable as possible.

 

[wckdbtch]

Hi Celeste

I am only about an hour north from you and our temperatures are around 2 deg Celcius higher than yours. We also experience loadshedding, and I am also a bit concerned. We are fortunate to have milder winters than in Europe, though! I don't know if you are working or a student and what time you have available to spend with your beardie, but I do have a few ideas. I would suggest moving his viv into the warmest room in your house. If you do have time during the day to take him outside into the sun (and if he will allow you), but keep him close to your body so he doesn't get cold. If you have camping gear, you probably also have a gas bottle to make hot water from. Just be careful not to put him directly onto the hot water bottle so he doesn't burn. I normally try to find a place in town that does have electricity or a generator and move mine into temporary homes until the power goes back on.

I will keep thinking, because I know it will happen here as well!

Karin

 

[Celeste]

Thanks for the reply!
I handle him ALOT, and hes very tame, and when we camp he does sometimes alow me to keep him in my jacket, or against my body. Problem is I do work during the day and wont know when the power is out, because I stay in Pretoria and work in Joburg. I am also still thinking of alternatives, because Im going camping again in April, and ive got a feeling its going to be a cold winter!!

 

[wckdbtch]

I agree with your weather forecast! If we're having this much rain now, it will probably be cold. Maybe you should try to get a small inverter and battery kit to keep his cage going when the power goes out... Loadshedding is one of the joys of living out in the wild R of SA! Seems like you're traveling quite a bit - personally I would never be able to handle the Jozi traffic again :roll:

As I said, I don't yet have any fail-proof solutions for you yet, but I do need to come up with a plan for when it happens here as well! I'll keep thinking and you'll be the first to know when I figured something out!