# tank almost caught fire



## Guest (Feb 19, 2011)

I have no idea how this happened but somehow a light fixture inside the tank fell and the bulb caught the thermometer on fire and filled the tank with smoke.. It seems really weird to me because the fixture the light was on is still completely intact, everything is how it should and has been, it just dropped...
I can't see any signs of damage on my tegu, no burns or anything but I'm worried that the smoke might have somehow hurt my tegu. My dog came into my room being all weird so I thought she needed to go potty but when I went into the living room I could smell something burning. I looked for my tegu and s/he was on the other side of the enclosure hiding behind its water bin. I thought it might have died at first because it was just laying there but then I noticed it was still breathing. It seems to be alright, I gave it a look over and as I said before there aren't burns or anything like that on it, no visible damage from anything falling on it. How worried to I need to be about the smoke inhalation? This makes me so sad, if no one was home all my little guys would be gone     
I'm going out to get some things to mount a new fixture. I'm just so upset and worried something could still be wrong with my tegu. I feel like such a flipping idiot! :doh


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## Guest (Feb 19, 2011)

Its not good as I guess the thermometer was plastic ??? 

Any way there is nothing you can do and it could of been much worse so be glad it happened when you were home ..

I worry about leaving that light on all the time too ...


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## Guest (Feb 19, 2011)

Yeah it was an indoor/outdoor thermometer I got from target. I feel bad, I know I wouldn't want to breathe smoke.. It seems ok for the time being, I'm just worried that some of its insides could be damaged from breathing in the smoke. It was FILLED with smoke, when I slid the doors open the smoke just came rolling out.. The bark was starting to catch and the thermometer itself is totally charred and melted, the cord with the probe is gone completely.


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## Guest (Feb 19, 2011)

Well lets hope a lot of it was steam wood smoke .. 

Keep an eye for respiratory distress .. 

You may want to give some antibiotics if you notice a problem ..

Gut feeling is you will be ok ...


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## reptastic (Feb 19, 2011)

wow i know how terrified you must be......i recently (past summer) lost my entire collection due to a fire....if you see any signs that are alarming you should have him checked out by a vet asap...i hope he is ok


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## Guest (Feb 19, 2011)

it seemed a little sneezy, if it keeps up tomorrow i might take it in. but it was active for most of the day like it usually is. so scary!


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## Guest (Feb 20, 2011)

Good !!!
I thought about you and your tegu last night ...


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## kurvaface123 (Mar 7, 2011)

a similar thing happened a couple days ago to me. the uvb fixture in my tegus room fell and broke and this weird white vapor came out. i freaked out thinking it was mercury. i took my tegu out, put my shirt over my face and cleaned the whole cage, opened the window and let me my tegu sleep in my bed for 1 night. lol. shes fine though.


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## thomasjg23 (Mar 7, 2011)

I had a similar experience alittle while ago. My cat always lays ontop of reptile tank for the heat and one night he knocked a timed light that was off down to the ground. I woke up at 8:00 when the timer kicked on to a room filled with smoke and fire alarms roaring...i now screw all my fixtures in


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