Has your electric bill skyrocketed this month due to keeping your tortoises warm?

[Candy]

I was wondering if anyone else has had their electricity rates skyrocket this month due to the cold weather and some of us bringing our tortoises in for the winter? By skyrocket I mean mine went up $100.00 dollars from last month, but the problem is I'm using the same stuff as I was last month. We called SCE out and he thinks that it's the pig blanket although I told him that I've had it on now since November 1st (and only have it set to #3 on the thermostat) and Novembers bill didn't shoot up like this months bill did. I was so upset when I opened it up because 3 weeks ago I changed out all of the lights in my house to the new money saving bulbs and I just knew my bill would go down. Now we have to wait for them to call us back to see what they can do next. The only time I've had my bill go this high was maybe during the summer when we ran our central air, but even then I don't it reached the amount of this months.

 

[PeanutbuttER]

I'm lucky enough to pay a flat rate on my utilities. I never even see the bill. My poor landlord is probably wondering what in the world we're using all the electricity for.

 

[Laura]

mine goes up... but the barn is on a different rate than the house....so it isnt as bad...

 

[CGKeith]

I know mine goes up a bit from all my lights, but if it is that much you could have a refrigerator/freezer going out.

They will cycle a whole lot more kinda like running your AC on your house. Your service tech should be able to check the different areas of the house and tell you where the load is so you can start to narrow it down.

 

[dmmj]

I live in a mobile home park and I suspect the electric bill is spread out among all residents, because I use a lot of electricity, but my bill averages around 35 dollars for the entire month and has been that rate for like 15 years now.

 

[Maggie Cummings]

I live in a mobile home park and I suspect the electric bill is spread out among all residents, because I use a lot of electricity, but my bill averages around 35 dollars for the entire month and has been that rate for like 15 years now.

Do you mind telling me what your space rent is in Calif? Mine was $330 in Fresno then I moved to Oregon and it's $445 including basic cable...is it high in SoCal?

My electric bill was around $300 all last year and for the past few months it's gone down to $250. I have 31 chelonia I am heating and one cat that has to have a basking light...

 

[Isa]

Ahh that is so frustrating! I really hope they will call you back and tell you there was a mistake... 100$ more than last month because of a pig blancket??? Weird...
I did not receive the bill for November/December yet, it is always higher during the winter because it gets very cold outside and we have to put the heater 24/7. I know we pay more because of Hermy (I do not know what it will look like yet with Popcorn and the humidifier) but it is not significant.
Good luck!

 

[Tortuga_terrestre]

My light bill went up 20 bucks..not too bad. I only have a 75W Infrared Bulb and a 18' Flourecent light...

 

[Yvonne G]

If you have a controller on your pig blanket, chances are pretty good that set at 3, the controller didn't cause the pad to come on very often. If the weather got colder from last bill to this one, then the controller would tell the pad to come on more often, causing it to use more electricity.

 

[Candy]

I have 4 tortoises (one which is outside) and my bill went from $276.00 to $376.00 which I think is outrageous! I can't believe that the pig blanket could have drawn that much electricity in one month and even if that was the case why would it not have been as much in November? I actually hate PG&G because the worker from SCE who came out to my house told me that PG&G made them change our meters and had something added on to them. The guy told me that SCE fought them for along time over that decision, but PG&G won. I know they've changed how they charge their customers for electricity and I hate it and think that it's such a monopoly. My electricity bill was never like what it is now. I told the guy that I've had my tortoises for a while now but he still thinks it's the pig blanket, even though I've explained that if it was that I would have seen a jump in last months bill too.

 

[tomn]

Its the new smart meters pg&e are installing in ca. People are having problems with their am radios, baby monitors and cordless phones along with higher bills

 

[Edna]

My electric bill has remained pretty much the same, but then I keep the little torts in all year here. My last electric bill was 40 something. I expect that as the real cold sets in from January to March, my bill will go up to 130 or so as it has the last two years. The forced air heat has a much bigger impact on the bill than a few lights and heat cable.

 

[efciv]

I paid SCE 2100 dollars for all of 2010. That's just my electric bill.

 

[Jacqui]

My electric bill has remained pretty constant. It helps that instead of heating individual enclosures, we heat the three rooms they live in and that's with propane. Our winter usage of propane has only increased a bit in the last couple of years. I am happy with it. Sorry your bill has done such a big jump.

 

[dmmj]

my space rent and my mortgage for my home is just under 1000 every month, like 980 or so that includes all utilities.

 

[Maggie Cummings]

my space rent and my mortgage for my home is just under 1000 every month, like 980 or so that includes all utilities.

Wow thanks...

 

[Angi]

I think the electric is just higher latley because I used heat on my torts all year and I used the A/C during the summer, well my husband did anyway. Now I am not using the A/C and my bill is about the same. I have not used a house heater this year. Only the torts get heat , but my propane bill seems high too.