Non electric heat sources for litters? - Page 1

As per usual, my fabulous luck in breeding continues and I have puppies due in the middle of this GD blizzard. I'm sleeping on the couch last night (to be near her, of course) and a thought it hits me- what if we lose power?

My whelping box/pen is in my heated garage, but if electricity goes out I don't think it will be warm enough without my lamps. And delievering a litter by candlelight doesn't sound real appealing, either.

What can I use for warmth? I'm going to grab a few hot water bottles, any other ideas?

Second, any other emergency use whelping boxes other than a swimming pool, which you CANNOT find in January in the midwest.  I figure I can move them inside to my living room where I have a fireplace, but my whelping box is huge and not exactly portable.

Unfortunately, I do not have a generator.

You guys are a resourceful crew, any ideas for me?

How ridiculous am I, we might get 2' of snow and I'm running out for rickrack, hot water bottles, and oxytocin instead of groceries.

Lucky breeder, In as much as wouldn't want you to "bake" your bitch n pups in the guise of providing warmth/heat, i'll suggest you get two "hurricane lamps", regulated to say 1/4(one quarter, depending on the space). Or you can get a gas-powered lamp. Remember, lamp temperature: very important. . . Continue in your "goodluck".( that's the first name of my President)

Hi,

I would prepare to have to move them by your fireplace. Maybe you can pick up a box from an appliance store and cut it down as a fast solution. Lay it sideways if it's a washer box and use duct tape to tape it up as you may need it to look.  Also if you have a hunting/sporting goods store nearby they may have the handwarmer/toe warmer packs that expand I think and give off some heat. A feed coop may have something like that too as they are used by hatcheries to ship baby chicks, ducks etc via the USPS.

It appears as though momma dog doesn't want to wait for the blizzard, fine by me. Temp is down and she didn't touch breakfast. It's more the whelping I'm concerned about. I do have a camping lamp for light, worst case scenario.

1GSD1, they sell those little warmers everywhere around here, gas stations, grocery stores. I'll grab a few and see hwo warm they get.

Hopefully we don't lose power and I'l worrying for nothing. (Me? Nooooo)

 Have a quiet talk with your bitch and stress the importance of whelping during daylight hours, lol.  Can you set up an ex-pen near the fireplace?  The appliance box is also an excellent idea, will keep drafts away from the pups.  And a portable kero heater isn't a bad idea to keep on hand as well, if you had that you might be able to keep her in her box in the garage.  

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Propane, kerosene, wood, generator, etc.

 I have a pool, but I think you're probably too far from me to warrant a trip. If you want it though, it's yours. 

You may be surprised how warm they stay near mom. I have never used any kind of heaters at all. 

I had a round kero heater that would heat a large living/dining/kitchen area on about 2-3 gal a day (24 hrs). The room I was using it in was drafty, definitely not energy efficient, or I would have had to crack a couple of windows for safe ventilation (according to the manual)  The thing cost me about $139. at Tractor Supply.