Recommendation on Kerosene Space Heater, Please!

[Mashizi]

Greetings Arachnoboards,

I have a 2 year old Brachypelma hamorii and we have lost power for at least a couple of days each winter.

In the past I have relied on Hothands hand warmers to get us through but I’ve moved the sling to a larger enclosure and want to find a more reliable way to survive a power outage.

I’ve heard that heating a room with a kerosene space heater is a good solution but am a bit overwhelmed by all the options out there.

My goal is to keep a medium to large sized room, at about 65 degrees or so, for a few days.

Are there any specific brands or models that you suggest?

Thanks for your support!

Mashizi

 

[viper69]

Med to large room - so yeah we are all mind readers here

 

[me and my Ts]

We use a kerosene space heater in our garage gym over the winter and honestly I think it’d be a bad idea, the fumes can get pretty bad pretty quick, so unless you’re going to have an easy way to air out the room every thirty minutes or so I wouldn’t do that

 

[Mashizi]

Med to large room - so yeah we are all mind readers here

My apologies.

I measured the room I will most likely use and it is approximately 12 feet by 12 feet.

Hope this helps!

We use a kerosene space heater in our garage gym over the winter and honestly I think it’d be a bad idea, the fumes can get pretty bad pretty quick, so unless you’re going to have an easy way to air out the room every thirty minutes or so I wouldn’t do that

Oh no!

Maybe I'll just buy some bigger hot packs then.

 

[me and my Ts]

Oh no!

Maybe I'll just buy some bigger hot packs then.

That seems like a good idea, I’ve also seen that you can put a candle under a terra-cotta pot to make a temporary space heater

 

[The Snark]

With all combustion heaters their efficiency in producing heat is compromised by the required ventilation they MUST have. Air exchange, which is cold air, must be supplied to the combustion so unless two vents are used, intake air and exhaust air, you will always be bringing in additional cold air which must be heated in addition to the heating requirements of the room.
In other words, rapid heating but additional steps or stages must be taken as well as assuring the exhaust is properly vented out.
In the emergency services we always have a few 'woke up dead' during cold season from either pooling carbon monoxide or the heaters hogging the available oxygen in the room for themselves.

 

[l4nsky]

With just the one to worry about, heating a room is pretty overkill for just the tarantula. You'd be much better off with a styrofoam cooler and some heat packs specifically used to ship animals (NO HOT HANDS, they get too hot too fast). Place the whole enclosure inside, activate the 40+ hour heat pack, check sparingly, and replace the heat pack if needed. Now, when you have a room full of tarantulas, then it becomes worth looking into a room based solution .

 

[viper69]

My apologies.

I measured the room I will most likely use and it is approximately 12 feet by 12 feet.

Hope this helps!

I’ve used kerosene heaters but never for Ts- fumes is my concern.

There are other types of sealed space heaters- why not those?

 

[Shinn]

Anything that combusts is going to be a health hazard as mentioned above. Hooking up an electric heater to a generator or some ridiculously large capacity battery is probably a better idea.

 

[Mashizi]

I’ve used kerosene heaters but never for Ts- fumes is my concern.

There are other types of sealed space heaters- why not those?

Hi Viper69,

I am not aware of the other types of sealed space heaters that do not need to be plugged in.

What non-kerosene and non-plug in options are our there?

Thanks!

With just the one to worry about, heating a room is pretty overkill for just the tarantula. You'd be much better off with a styrofoam cooler and some heat packs specifically used to ship animals (NO HOT HANDS, they get too hot too fast). Place the whole enclosure inside, activate the 40+ hour heat pack, check sparingly, and replace the heat pack if needed. Now, when you have a room full of tarantulas, then it becomes worth looking into a room based solution .

Thanks! This is very helpful advice.

I've narrowed down my heat packs to two options:

Uniheat 10 Pack 72 Hour Heat Pack - for Baby Chicks, Plants, Fish and Retiles: https://www.amazon.com/Uniheat-10-P...sprefix=heat+pack+for+shiping,aps,207&sr=8-21

and

Uniheat Shipping Warmer 40+ Hours (4pack): https://www.amazon.com/Uniheat-Ship...&sprefix=heat+pack+for+shiping,aps,207&sr=8-2

Which do you suggest out of these two?

Is there another heat pack you trust even more?

Thanks again for your support!

 

[l4nsky]

Thanks! This is very helpful advice.

I've narrowed down my heat packs to two options:

Uniheat 10 Pack 72 Hour Heat Pack - for Baby Chicks, Plants, Fish and Retiles: https://www.amazon.com/Uniheat-10-Pack-Hour-Heat/dp/B07J3WTQYC/ref=sr_1_21?keywords=heat+pack+for+shipping+animals&qid=1669120250&sprefix=heat+pack+for+shiping,aps,207&sr=8-21

and

Uniheat Shipping Warmer 40+ Hours (4pack): https://www.amazon.com/Uniheat-Shipping-Warmer-hours-4pack/dp/B006YEX6MA/ref=sr_1_2?keywords=heat+pack+for+shipping+animals&qid=1669120616&sprefix=heat+pack+for+shiping,aps,207&sr=8-2

Which do you suggest out of these two?

Is there another heat pack you trust even more?

Thanks again for your support!

Those are made by the same company, just one is larger and lasts longer. Ultimately, the choice depends on the size of the cooler/box. You don't want to put a large one in a small box, or a small one in a very large box etc.

 

[viper69]

Hi Viper69,

I am not aware of the other types of sealed space heaters that do not need to be plugged in.

What non-kerosene and non-plug in options are our there?

Thanks!



Thanks! This is very helpful advice.

I've narrowed down my heat packs to two options:

Uniheat 10 Pack 72 Hour Heat Pack - for Baby Chicks, Plants, Fish and Retiles: https://www.amazon.com/Uniheat-10-Pack-Hour-Heat/dp/B07J3WTQYC/ref=sr_1_21?keywords=heat+pack+for+shipping+animals&qid=1669120250&sprefix=heat+pack+for+shiping,aps,207&sr=8-21

and

Uniheat Shipping Warmer 40+ Hours (4pack): https://www.amazon.com/Uniheat-Shipping-Warmer-hours-4pack/dp/B006YEX6MA/ref=sr_1_2?keywords=heat+pack+for+shipping+animals&qid=1669120616&sprefix=heat+pack+for+shiping,aps,207&sr=8-2

Which do you suggest out of these two?

Is there another heat pack you trust even more?

Thanks again for your support!

Non plug ? No idea

 

[marsdex]

I use the Mr. Buddy propane heater (the 9000 btu) in these situations. One pound of propane gets you 3-6 hours of heating. You can use it inside *fairly* safely - it is designed for workshops, tents, etc. That doesn't mean you can leave it unattended though, and it does still produce carbon monoxide. There is a low-oxygen sensor that shuts it off in the event of CO buildup.
That being said, do not set your house on fire or suffocate. Take all precautions stated in the manual. It's a great little heater for camping when you're not using it to cook tarantulas

 

[cold blood]

Went camping this fall, it got cold...my brother had a space heater that is marketed for use in tents, it uses propane.

 

[Mashizi]

Thanks l4nsky!

In that case, I think I'll go with the smaller option as the box I plan on using is on the smaller side.

Went camping this fall, it got cold...my brother had a space heater that is marketed for use in tents, it uses propane.

That sounds promising! Might you be able to find out the brand or model?

Thanks again!