Cold Weather Emergencies & Reptile Care

 

On Wednesdays We Wear Scales  A midweek check-in from your favorite pink-haired reptile nurse. Hey! Winter always feels a little louder in a house full of ectotherms. The heat runs more than usual, the weather apps get checked obsessively, and suddenly everyone is thinking about power outages and emergency plans. So this week, I wanted to bring things back to one of my favorites, Pizza the axolotl, and use his calm, cool-water existence as a reminder that cold weather preparedness looks different depending on the species you keep. Feature: Pizza the Axolotl One of the biggest misconceptions about moving with reptiles is that everything needs to be torn down, tossed, or restarted from scratch. Pizza continues to be exactly who he’s always been: unbothered, observant, and absolutely convinced that it is always feeding time. Axolotls like Pizza are uniquely positioned when it comes to winter care. While many reptiles rely on heat, axolotls thrive in cool, stable temperatures, which means cold weather emergencies require a different kind of planning, focused more on avoiding temperature swings than adding heat. Watching Pizza calmly hover in his aquatic forest is a good reminder that good keeping often looks quiet. Stable water parameters, consistent temps, and minimal disruption go a long way. Keeper Note: Axolotls do best with cool, stable water and minimal temperature fluctuation. Sudden changes, warm or cold are more stressful than steady conditions. ************************************************* Pizza, Thriving in His Cool-Water Era Cold Weather Emergencies & Reptile Care Cold snaps, winter storms, and power outages are stressful, but a little preparation can make a big difference. Here are a few cold-weather emergency basics I keep in mind: • Know your species’ priorities. Some animals need heat immediately; others (like axolotls) need protection from sudden swings. • Have insulation ready. Blankets, towels, foam boards, and even coolers can help stabilize temps short-term. • Limit enclosure opening. Heat and humidity escape quickly in emergencies, less peeking is better. • Plan for water. Battery-powered air pumps, extra treated water, and ice packs (for cold-water species) are worth having on hand. • Stress reduction matters. Stable, quiet, and dark environments help animals cope when conditions aren’t ideal. Emergency Keeper Reminder: You don’t need a perfect setup in a crisis, you need stability, monitoring, and calm decision-making. ************************************************* MY WEBSITE Visit Our Socials

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