Securing you light set ups nice and tight tegus can jump!

[BucknerCrestExotics]

2 days ago I went to go check on my reptiles in the reptile room which is my garage. I frequently check on them about every hour or so. I could smell the smoke before I opened the door. One of my tegus had jumped and flipped a lamp that was not zip tied down and I had a cardboard box of heat mats I just got from Amazon catch fire. Luckily it fell on that particular side and not the other where a open bale of dry hay was stored.
Thank god not one animal was harmed or my house catch fire. All that was lost was the box of heat mats but I could careless at that point. Took hours to get the smoke out and check on everyone and over look everything. I was very concerned about my blue tongued skinks that are about to give birth and my crested geckos since they are sensitive to smoke.
Really made me think that 1) I need to have fire precautions and plans in place 2) how to properly secure all heating equipment and to remove fire hazards like the hay away from surrounding areas.
Very thankful that no harm was done. Was a eye opening experience for sure.
Just wanted to share this story to remind others that accidents can happen and to remind others that we should all have precautions and plans in place.

 

[Walter1]

Thank you for sharing this experience. Worth all the time wondering how to stack the deck in our favor.

 

[AlphaAlpha]

We live and learn ....

 

[Debita]

Wow - what a disaster that could have been! Good thing you're a checker! Glad everything's O.K. I'll re-check my set-up - I know they can get active but yours must be young. My male hasn't moved like that for at least a year, and he's 3 now. My year old female still tries to climb the glass, so it wouldn't be hard for me to imagine she could knock something loose. Thx for the info.

 

[Walter1]

My big male behaves as though anything he wants comes to him.

Still, frequent checks are a very good thing.

 

[Godzilla Earth]

I'm just glad your all okay. When my snake escaped I thought he'd be a gonner for sure. Luckily, he didn't mess up the heat or anything like that so that was a good thing.

 

[Dylan koch]

Ya I didnt know tegu could jump until my blues decided to do it every time I open their cage which I mad top opening they jump 2 and half feet from ground substrate to top to hang out with me scared me first time

 

[Godzilla Earth]

You know my snake escaped again yesterday and came back to me at 5 am today!

 

[Guman]

How did you have the lights secured?

 

[BucknerCrestExotics]

How did you have the lights secured?

I didn't I had the lamp hoods resting on the lid wire

 

[Guman]

I didn't I had the lamp hoods resting on the lid wire

You are lucky that it did not burn your house down. My special tegu not jump much. Unless you hold mmouse above his head when feeding! Our lights are hanging inside the enclosure from hooks then we have a space heater hanging on his warm side.