40c 104f plus ++ predicted for the uk next week unprecedented temperatures. what do I do?

Thanks for all the advice, it did hit over 40c today where I am- (105f+) in the uk today.

Managed to keep my animals below 34 thanks for the advice

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Another heat wave for the UK this week…
This years heat is serious in the UK and un natural, Remember the temperatures advertised are for the shade. not for full sun and not for our homes temperatures that are designed for a usually cold climate so to greenhouse any heat and so increase the house heat even more to warm us, and so your house and snake rooms may get much mush hotter than advertised temperatures.
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Its coming again NOW, but not necessarily not the history record braking temperatures like the first one of well over 40c or 104f, that did happen as I predicted, despite the doubters in this discussion, But still the second wave is un naturaly hot for the UK if not the record braking temperature’s of a few weeks ago. And this time the prolonged heat will heat out houses even more.
But too high for eggs, most of our animal pets or human safety. We need to protect our animals, (non reptiles too)
I suggest that we study and implement all precautions others have advised in this thread,

Also this is happening in many other countries…

No climate change politics, I am not trying to make a political point, , It doesn’t matter if its climate change or a fluke, lets just not argue about that and just face what is fact – and what we have to do to deal with the extreme heat this year to protect our selves, our human loved ones and our loved pets.

https://gov.wales/sites/default/files/publications/2021-02/welfare-of-animals-hot-weather-guidance.pdf

Pity there is no national guidance for reptiles…
If anyone has any other advice or inks for any organism please post.

How much does it cool off at night? Assuming your air is much thicker and more humid than where I am so unfortunately maybe not much. One strategy if your average temperature is still ok is to try to minimize the daily swing and keep as close to average as possible. Insulation to keep your snake room or incubator lagging behind/below the outside spikes. If you have access and space for large water containers (oil drums?) or even rocks/gravel that can be a heat sink to absorb heat as the room heats up. Of course you then need a cool night to give that heat back up to be ready for the next day. If you can pump outside air through at night that would be great. I have a 1971 V8 engine in my garage that is an excellent heat sink. And of course eliminate any heat sources. My snake room is very well insulated but I’ve found that even my florescent light will heat it up from the inside so on 100 deg F days I only turn it on long enough to clean rather than the usual timer. I worry a bit about disrupting light cycles but it’s better than too hot.

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In years past I’ve reversed the light cycle to turn the lights on at night. Also, bricks might make a convenient heat sink if you have access to a bunch. Stack up a wall or make a false floor of them. But that whole strategy depends on it being much cooler at night which I know isn’t the case everywhere.

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It is absolutely vital for even people in formerly cool climates to plan for their families’ and their pets’ safety in Heat Waves, as well as power outages, floods, storms, quakes and major fires.

If you think your area can’t possibly flood/burn/earthquake, it is time to accept that this is no longer the case. Our community has had devastating losses in this way the last few years.
As a teen, I nearly lost my home myself to massive firestorms, so I can tell you it’s worth taking seriously. These things can strike quite suddenly.

Evacuation plans are a good minimum measure to take in case any of you have to grab as much of your Menagerie as you can and run for it. Obviously escaping with your own lives is priority but if you have time to take other measures I know we all would do our utmost for our animals.

Each of my snakes is currently in a very small bin setup that could be grabbed and brought along, but as they get older and into bigger enclosures, I will be keeping Grab And Go emergency bins for each of them close to their enclosures. Snake Discovery actually did a great video on how to Evacuate with your reptiles.

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One fun positive of the United Kingdom heat wave—
My second clutch just hatched well earlier than expected today due to the abnormal hotter temperatures recently.
I incubate a bit cooler than most at 29c / 84.F .But the background temperatures have been well hotter recently, high tropical temperatures for a normally Temperate climate cool summer country with strange high tropical temperatures of 43c or 104f , that’s record temperatures by many degrees in all history in the United Kingdom. And now we have sustained temperatures this week just a few degrees lower would have been a record if not for the hotter ones a few weeks ago. Summer Temperature expectations here have changed so much this year.
Luckily I kept the eggs and my snakes a bit cooler and not too high thanks to the advice in this discussion, so I cant see any abnormalities in the hatchlings and they all slit the egg independently and naturally.
Still, earlier than expected hatching is a very nice surprise :slight_smile:

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Guess they decided it’s too hot to stay in their warm little eggs! Time to get fresh air!

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Yes they all seem healthy and maybe happier now they are out , they have more air flow, cooling from evaporation of the substrate and have access to water.

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