Is my Russian tortoise okay without heat lamps during a 70F outage?

Check the temperature in the enclosure. Low temps can affect appetite in reptiles. He could also be a bit stressed by the change in environment. Soak him in a warm 50/50 solution of water and unflavored PediaLyte for 20-30 minutes. This will warm him up while providing hydration. Dice greens and vegetables finely to make eating easier.

Thanks for reaching out about Oj. To prevent hibernation, you must keep the environmental temperature at the preferred optimal temperature zone range of 75-85 degrees. If allowed to cool but not hibernate, you are just shutting off the immune, digestion and other symptoms, allowing bacterial or parasitic diseases to proliferate unhindered. During this period of non-hibernation, Oj should continue to eat and be active, otherwise something is not correct. Photoperiod and exposure to UV radiation is important also. Decreased photoperiod and UV exposure stimulates hibernation patterns, so light periods and UV should be kept higher (like summer) to prevent hibernation. Good Luck.

As long as the house is between 68 F and 80 F, Mikey should be fine. As a reptile, he does need a basking area to warm up and UVB lighting. Nighttime temps can drop to 60-65 F. Soak him in a warm 50/50 solution of water and an unflavored electrolyte replacement beverage for 30 minutes. This will warm him up and provide hydration. If he is kept indoors year round at constant temperature s, he does not "need" to hibernate.

Here are some tips on how to care for pets who require continuous heat, such as reptiles and snakes: - Before a power outage, if possible, buy a generator. This will allow you to keep your reptiles warm during the outage. - Amphibians will do okay without heat for a period of time. Try to limit the number of times you open the habitat. - For a heat source, you can go to your local sporting goods store and purchase the heat packs used to warm feet and hands. These can be placed underneath the habitat (just like you would place an electric heating pad). This will allow your reptile to get heat. Do not put the pack into habitat with the reptile. - Another way to warm cold reptiles is to use a pillowcase. Place the reptile gently in the case and place the pillowcase next to your body under your shirt for warmth. - Pillow cases can also be used to transport reptiles if needed. - Do not feed your reptile as they need heat to digest their food. - You can save plastic milk containers and put warm water in them and place in the habitat for warmth. You can heat water on a BBQ grill or your hot water heater. Be careful not to use hot water, as it could burn your reptile. - Be advised that most reptiles will do fine with cooler temperatures; they go into a body slow down, so the temperature change won't hurt them for a short period of time: 24 - 48 hours. - Contact friends that have power and see if you can move your animals to their homes. - It is important to plan ahead of a power outage and have these items on hand to care for your reptiles. Additionally: Usually, IF a reptile needs to be kept warm during a short outage (few days or less), it is recommended that you place them into a small cooler (those little $5 styro ones can work) in a small container. A plastic shoebox or sandwich container can work, with some air holes. Hand warmers, hot water bottles, etc. can be placed into the cooler as well. This will form a very insulated area with a small amount of volume to heat. Be sure there is ventilation provided, though, as the hand warmers can suck oxygen from the air for the chemical reaction. This is a method that can be carried out for a relatively long period of time if necessary, and a digital thermometer with a probe can be placed in with the reptile and monitored from the outside, so you don't have to open the cooler and let out the warmth to check that the heat packs are still working. In all honesty, though, all but the most tropical reptiles can go a few days with temperatures into the 50's or 60's.

As long as the room temp doesn't drop below 70 F overnight, Lincoln should be fine. A nighttime drop in temps is normal in a beardie's natural environment anyway. Be sure to pick up a spare along with the replacement tomorrow. In a pinch, a hot water bottle wrapped in a hand towel can be used as a heat source.

You can put a warmwater bottle inside the terrarium or one or two coke bottles filled with hot water. Make sure you put a towel around the hot water bottles, so your beardy does not come into direct contact with the bottles and gets burned. This should tide her over until you have power again.

It doesn't appear to be anything to be concerned about, especially if he is behaving normally otherwise. It is possible he is rubbing that area against the rock in the enclosure as he moves about. Wipe it with a moist towel and monitor the area. Watch him to see if he is rubbing against anything in the enclosure. If so, adjust objects or remove them if necessary. Allow a 15-30 minute soak in water 2-3 times weekly to rehydrate and to cleanse.