It is like 93 F right now and the A/c has been broke for acouple days now and it will probably take at least a week to get fixed. Today was the hottest so far, and I am really worried about my babies!

My leo is tring to stay cool in her water and moist hide now! I put a very small ice pace in a zip lock to try to keep her cool...but I am not sure what to do. I have the lamps off..I kept the Under Tank Heater on, but I propably should turn it off. I just don't know what to do. She doesn't look sick and is eating...she actually cam out of her moist hide when I put the ice thing in her tank and she yawned at me...she just looks sleepy and hot.

I also have hermit crabs and I don't the same with the lamps and Under Tank Heater..but I didn't put any ice things in with them cause I was afraid they could pinch open the zip lock and somehow get the ice pack..so I didn't want to risk it.

I think they will be ok, but do you all think this will hurt them? Is there anything I could do? Will the ice pack thing be too cold or risky even when it is in a zip lock?

Thanks, Paige

oh yeah forgot...my newt tank is like 80!!!!! I keep putting ice in to keep her cool too, but I can't do much else for her...I am going to do a partial water change to get cooler water in there...but this is a nightmare!

not to mention I have a 92 year old grandmother who is just a s miserable!

I'm assuming you don't have a basement or a cold storage?

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Mike
"Never worry about numbers. Help one person at a time, and always start with the person nearest you." - Mother Teresa

anywhere you can take them till the heat breaks or the AC gets fixed? And I would turn off the under the tank heater. why on earth would you still have that on when the temps are so high?

I actually turn off my fish tank heater in the summer and it stays at room temp (77 degrees is what our house is at)

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My name is Liz
Do what's best for the animal, not what's best for you.

Evaporative cooling might help. Put wet cloths over the tops of the tanks. Mist your grandma and put her in front of a fan. Take her to the movies! Take her to an indoor pool... If all else fails, find an inexpensive motel and crank up the a/c. Good luck!!

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Amy

Turn off any heat source for both tanks (including all lights). Keep the tanks as open-air as possible without allowing the animals to escape. Keep them in as cool and dark a location as you can. Offer cold water.

Your leopard gecko should be fine, but you'll want to turn off that under-tank heater. It doesn't always stay at ideal temperatures in the wild. If they couldn't tolerate 93 degrees, they wouldn't fair very well in an arid landscape, even if they're nocturnal.

Add a bunch of ice to the newt's water, but do it gradually, or take the newt out first so you don't shock her with the temperature difference. You can probably drain most of the water and add the rest as ice, waiting for most of it to melt before adding the newt. Many newt species can tolerate water as low as 40 degrees, but 80's a bit warm for them. Be sure the water stays very clean so she doesn't get infected, but also don't stress her too much. Make sure she's getting all her nutrition to keep her immune system up. Using a specialized dechlorinating agent, like Reptisafe or Stress Coat, will help too. You should be dechlorinating the water anyway, but these have additional ingredients that can lower stress and provide additional protection against infection.

If you can find these things, it may help keep the water cool as well. Just be sure they don't leak. They're chemical ice packs that you freeze. They stay frozen longer than water ice.
http://www.saturnsurplus.com/miscpage/image/icepack.jpg

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+5 bonus points to whoever finds me a job!

"Eagles may soar, but weasels don't get sucked into jet engines." - John Benfield

I hear that fans can help with cooling things down. Perhaps try using a large block of ice? (Joking)

maybe a repaired AC unit would best help. If your herps are that sensitive, I'd suggest repairing it. A heatwave can infact be deadly.

As regards water tanks, you may use a computer fan (or several, if necessary) and install it on top of the tank (parallel to the tank). I´ve been using that system for years with success. It´s the cheapest cooling system in the market !

That may also be of help with the gecko tank

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Regards,
Joao

Thanks for the help. I did already turn off the Under Tank Heater ... The ice pack I put in Sunshines tank is making it about 50% humid not to mention it is humid. She isn't laying on the ice pack or anything though. I am thinking tomorrow or Friday it should get cooler.

I can move Sunshine and the newt, but my hermies will be impossible!

They seem to be doing ok. It was 93 at the highest and 84 at the lowest last night! So there wasn't much relief. Today seems more stuffy and humid..so it is going to be rough.

I will drain the newts water and refil with colder water and try to keep ice when it needs it. I have been putting ice in, but the temps stay around 80, which is why I am putting fresh water in today.

My hermies half are burried, but the other half were active last night so I suppose it can't be too unbarable if they were roaming?

I will use the ice packs, but I don't feel safe putting them in the newts water..unless the zip lock will keep the ice pack from actually being in the water?

I do have a fan going full speed, but it really isn't doing much. unless I can somehow get it blowing in the tanks. Most of the fans are being used my my grandmotehr..but she went to the library yesterday to beat the heat =) so she is doing ok too! I was just freaking yesterday cause it was in the 80's and then went up fast! yesterday and today are going to be the worst...I am hoping it cools off for them..the A/C people have been here for estimates, but I am sure a new unit needs to be installed..it is like 20 plus years old!

20 years old? Yeah, thats had its day. We just replaced ours and it was 15. Made a world of difference though.

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My name is Liz
Do what's best for the animal, not what's best for you.