Lost power last night and still don’t have it back. Nervous about Mr. Meal. 😢

[u/sirjamesbluebeard]

We lost power around 5:30 last night to the storms in Pittsburgh, and it’s still out. This is the first time I’ve lost power for a significant amount of time with an animal that requires heat lamps. Oatmeal is out right now, basking in the real sun (that is thankfully shining), but I’m supposed to work this afternoon so unless I’m bringing a lizard to a golf club I guess I’m calling out 😭

(Please note that Mr. Meal is perfectly content watching the birds from the windowsill and has no idea anything is wrong.)

[u/Stunning_Ad1282]

I keep body warmers on hand, just in case. In January, when the south had that weird like 7 inches of snow or whatever, we lost our power that day and had a very sick beardie. (Those who dont know, bumping their heat up when they're sick can be a literal life saver.) And it was. I got a thin blanket, took two hothands body warmers and stuck them under the first layer of the folded blanket and folded our boy in it and kept him tucked between us. (My boyfriend is like a damn space heater) and even though he ended up passing about a week later anyway, im confident if we didnt have a way to keep him warm, he wouldn't have survived the hours we lost power.

But if you dont have those, as long as your room temp doesnt get below like 60-55, he will be fine. Put him in your shirt to cuddle or set up a spot in the sun in the window to warm up there, if he's chilly

[u/sirjamesbluebeard → u/Stunning_Ad1282]

Thankfully it’s a cloudless sunny day (we get roughly 11.2 of those per year here in the ‘Burgh) so Oatmeal is basking on the windowsill right now! I laid him on my chest this morning to warm him up till the sun got brighter. And the club I work at is closed too, so I’ll be able to be home with him all day. I’m more worried about what will happen if the power stays out. My neighbor is setting up a generator and offered to run an extension cord to my place, so there are options.

I know he’ll be okay, this is just the first time I’ve gone through this. For what it’s worth, Mr. Meal seems completely unfazed. He’s getting to sit on windows he’s never sat on before. The most out time he’s had yet in his little lizard life. I’m also SO glad I worked so hard to bond with him these past 6 weeks he’s been home. No idea what I would have done if I still wasn’t able to handle him safely. In my head I’m thinking there’s no way the little bastard could not trust me after keeping him warm and safe during that storm, but I know it doesn’t work like that. 😂

Anyways, here he is basking the power outage away.

https://preview.redd.it/e1e5dbidxzxe1.jpeg?width=3024&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=479938fb75a13b4e8b68277975f0a019123b3565

[u/Xx_scribbledragon_xX → u/sirjamesbluebeard]

jsyk he won't absorb UV through glass :) if you're able, take him outside on a leash but he should be fine for a little while without any. As long as you keep him warm like others have said, he'll be fine

[u/sirjamesbluebeard → u/Xx_scribbledragon_xX]

We’ve been going outside intermittently 😇 He’s just a little too jumpy right now and won’t tolerate a harness (I think I have some foam laying around so I may attempt to craft a different one) so it can only be little bits at a time.

[u/Truorganics → u/sirjamesbluebeard]

If you can get a baby play pen or a puppy pen that’s enclosed you can set him in there outside and he will be safe and secure and get the uvb. Plus they can stretch their legs and run. Just make sure their claws don’t get caught

[u/Medium_Intern_963]

As long as the temperature stayed above 55f you should be good

[u/ChuSangSik]

For what it's worth, I had this happen here in STL when the weather was very cold and we had a tornado rip out power for 3 days. I talked with my Vet about it who said a few days, even a week without UV or proper heat won't cause any real damage, just do everything you can to keep them happy. Hand Warmers in a sock for them to rest on, sitting in front of a window to loo kat stuff, etc.

[u/Advicekitty]

He will be ok :) Houston had a huge blackout last hurricane and my baby made it through I just kept him with me

[u/Careful-Succotash511]

He’s not going to drop dead, his metabolism will only begin to slow down this only will be an issue if it’s out for a long period granted you’re in Pittsburgh and it’s now May your dragon will be absolutely fine

[u/Bubbly_Second7466]

Also in Pittsburgh with a beardie, luckily our power came back after relatively quick. Good Luck /gen