Urgent - Keeping birds warm

[Kiryon]

Hello! There s a major power outage where I live and we ve been without power for almost 6 hours. The temperature has started dropping faster now that the sun has set and the temperature tonight is announced to be -31celsius.

Ive covered the cage in blankets but was hoping for further advice on keeping the birds warm (and alive) if power doesnt come back soon. Im kind of panicking over here.

 

[mgarvie]

Your water heater will still have hot water in it. Fill the tub with hot water and move the cage in there.

 

[noodles123]

You might also consider placing them in a smaller cage and wrapping that up (while still allowing air flow) if things get really bad. People generate body heat too, so you could hang out in a small room with the door shut maybe---just don't suffocate them by mistake. Your car (if you have one) has heat too, so I guess if things got really bad, you could wrap them up and take them out to the car (pre-heated and not unsupervised) but that seems extreme and maybe risky for other reasoning--just saying, worst case scenario.


I like the bathtub idea. OHH---and consider taping plastic bags over your windows and using draft stops/towels under doors if you can---this will look tacky, but it will help keep the heat in.


Now I'm getting all "Survivor Man", so this last one is super weird....LOL:
old houses used to use a pile of hot rocks to warm them overnight (after the fire died)---so it would take some innovation lol but it could possibly be accomplished with some creativity (obviously don't light any fires indoors lol---birds and fumes don't mix AND a melting floor would be very bad as well)...So this one is less of a gem and more of a random thought! ha

 

[SailBoat]

At this point it is all about safety for everyone. Not knowing how wide spread and how long the Power will be off, I will speak to worst case:
You need to find a place that has heat! Family, Friends, the people next door that have a generator, etc... Also, hotel or motel with electrical service and heat. Toughing it out is just plan dangerous for not only your bird, but also you!
If you have a coat on, sit-down and open it a bit and place your bird in so that its head faces out.

Start acting now, the longer you wait, the few choices you will have.


FYI: Temperatures of -31 C ( a bit under 0 F ) will cause inside temperatures to drop rapidly once the inside Temperatures get below 20 C (50 F).

 

[Kiryon]

The apartment is out of hot water and I have no car. The website says power should be on in 20 minutes, but its been pushed back twice in the last 6 hours.

Right now ive plasered myself around a side of the cage and wrapped my bed blanket around me and 3 sides of the cage in hopes this ll give them some body heat.

If they delay again, Ill see if I cant get someone to come get us, but I live away from my family because of studies

 

[Laurasea]

Candels in a tin can put off a lot of heat. Though candle that are scented have risk. I like the idea of going to the smallest room in the house, even a closet, and putting the birds in a small wrapped up cage with you. Or even on you with you all wrapped up together. If you have friends in the building that come over and share the room, the people to share a space the more body heat. Sorry to hear , hope you have power soon, very scary!

 

[noodles123]

Even non-scented candles are risky due to the chemicals/contents of the wick (plus, wax is put into the air by any candle, as well as smoke).

 

[gracebowen]

I like the idea of heating up rocks on an outdoor fire and or hot water to bring in for heat.

 

[ParrotGenie]

Good to have in emergency a MR buddy catalytic propane heater Walmart usually sell them and keep a window cracked a little, open to vent so CO2 Carbon Dioxide PPM don't get to low as still burn oxygen and keep heater by that window. Propane heaters don't put out monoxide, so not harmful if used correctly and burns very clean. I used them when I had power outage for a couple of days last winter. Also running heat in a car and putting bird in a carrier will work if temperature is critically low.

 

[noodles123]

did everything work out for you?