Disaster at Wolfys

I had a disaster in the snake room today. A heater malfunctioned and overheated the room to the tune of 105F plus.
So I lost a gravid pastel ball python and a radiated ratsnake. So far. I'll have to wait and see how many more die from damage.
Since I was worried about chills, I had the high value animals in the top racks, which of course heated up worst.
I'm kicking the poop out of things right now and being really angry.
It seems that something happens to me every year, some horrid disaster. I'm so ready to just send every snake out the door!! The pastel girl was my first morph and this was the first clutch she would have thrown, out of my spider. The radiated ratsnake was a little bitey bugger I got from Neil Golli at the last show I went to.
Grrrrrrrrrrrrrrr

Sorry to hear about that, Theresa. Hang in there, and here's hoping the rest of your collection will be ok.

Was the heater on a T-Stat? Do you know how the malfunction happened?

I am so sorry to hear that. :(

I cannot imagine how frustrated you must be right now.

Bruce

I'm so sorry! Like Slim said, hang in there. Don't give up yet.

Really sorry to hear that. I hope no other animals suffer :(

The heater WAS on a thermostat. It kept tripping the circuit, so when we had a spate of really low temps I plugged the heater directly into the wall instead, to be certain the heater wouldn't get tripped and not have heat in the room.
So it didn't stop heating... and just heated the room really super hot. It should have gotten to about.. oh.. 90? But for whatever reason.. it just kept heating.
It's my own fault, I should not have plugged it in, but I DID run it that way all LAST winter, with no issues. I'm just so mad and upset with myself.

I am so sorry to read about what happened! I hope that everyone else ends up being okay and I'm very sorry for your loss. :tears:

Quote:

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Originally Posted by wolfy-hound

The heater WAS on a thermostat. It kept tripping the circuit, so when we had a spate of really low temps I plugged the heater directly into the wall instead, to be certain the heater wouldn't get tripped and not have heat in the room.
So it didn't stop heating... and just heated the room really super hot. It should have gotten to about.. oh.. 90? But for whatever reason.. it just kept heating.
It's my own fault, I should not have plugged it in, but I DID run it that way all LAST winter, with no issues. I'm just so mad and upset with myself.

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Don't beat yourself up over it. It's not something you could have predicted.

I know my words don't mean much right now. But everything will get better. I had lost 2 het albinos last year to a heat tape malfunction/thermostat issue. I will pray for all your other little guys and girls to be ok. Again im so sorry for your loss.

My condolences.

How can 105 degrees kill the snake tho? it is definatley hotter then healthy... but I wouldn't think it would be enough to kill a snake, especially in just a few hours.

Really sorry for your loss.

My snake room heater recently started tripping the breaker of the Ranco power strip that it was on too. Fortunately, it slightly burned the plug-in spot on power strip so I was afraid to plug it straight in the wall. I guess they just wear out and run too hot. So that brings your unfortunate incident pretty close to home for me. Sorry about your loss.

I know it was a minimum of 105F. That was a low spot in the room, pretty far from the heater. The upper level racks felt hot to touch.
Thanks for the thoughts guys. I'm just hoping that nothing else passes.

Bummer Wolfy.

I know exactly how it feels.

Sorry for you loss.

Sorry for your losses. I would be pretty upset myself if this happened to me. :(

That really stinks. Im sorry.

Wow! That really sucks. These things happen but it still stinks. I hope the rest make it:(

Wofly, so sorry for your loss. I hope the rest pull through okay. Keep us posted.

Oh no!!

Theresa, I am so sorry to hear about this..

You know you have my sympathies, and I am hoping that you don't quit. There are always bumps in the road.

As Heather says, there are always bumps in the road. Maybe you're just getting all of yours out of the way early, Theresa! :hug: I'm VERY sorry for your loss and your frustrations.

oh wolfy, I'm so sorry. I do hope no more have problems. ((((big hug))))

My condolences, I'm so sorry to hear about this.

:tears::tears::tears:

I am sorry to hear about your loss.

oh jeez.. that sux. sorry about your loss and fingers are crossed that everyone else makes it.

Theresa, as everyone else has said, so sorry for your loss, hope the rest of your collection is ok.

Rich

Oh wolfy, that is terrible. I'm so sorry for you. I hope all the others pull through.:tears::please:

Honey, I'm soooo sorry. :hug:

As stated, this was nothing that you could have foreseen... another hug :hug:

oh my! I'm so sorry that happened! I hope the rest of your collection pulls through.

Oh my goodness!!!

I'm so sorry to hear that. It's never easy to have something go wrong with your snakes, especially with one you obviously treasured. My condolences.

Sending best wishes your way that that the rest of your collection will be fine.

sorry to hear man that got to be a real bummer for you.. what this flexwat or a space heater type ? if the space heater I really think you should contact the maker and see if it was a macutacter flaw or just wore out .

My Pastel was my first morph too. I would be devestated to lose him, let alone a gravid version. I'm so sorry.

Don't be too hard on yourself. You had no way of knowing.

Good luck with the others. Sorry again.

Sorry to hear about this.

Were you using an oil filled heater? Those things MUST be plugged into a thermostat. You just need to set the heaters power consumption to the middle. Most of them are between 700 and 900 watts, and not enough to trip a breaker on a good thermostat like a Ranco which can handle 1500 watts. Now if you set the heater to high, it most certainly will trip the thermostat.

Also with heaters like that in my room, I set them up on Double Rancos. Better safe than sorry.

Again, sorry to hear this. Best of luck with the remaining animals.

It was a oil filled heater, set on the low switch, hooked to a johnson control. Then it kept tripping the thermostat, so I plugged it into the wall directly. Like I said.. it worked that way fine last year.. but it was a huge mistake for me to do that. I should have risked chill temps, rather than risking super high ones.
It will be used only on a thermostat, no matter what.

I just saw this. I'm so sorry! I can't imagine you pain you must be feeling over the loss. There isn't anything I can say to make it better, but know that I am thinking of you all the time, even if there isn't always time to drop you a line.

Ouch, :(

I am so sorry you had to go through this. :(

I hope all the rest of them show no ill effects. **crosses everything**

I know it's hard but don't give up. :hug:


dr del

I am so very sorry for the loss of your snakes. It breaks my heart when a beloved pet dies :tears:

Robbin