Reptile & Amphibian Forums

I was temporarily housing some odds and ends in my large scale incubator while I am waiting for my new hatchling rack to arrive. I have been keeping the incubator set to 85 degrees 24-7.

Earlier today, while feeding some babies, I inadvertantly hit the probe out, and a half an hour later everything that was left in the incubator had died of overheating. It got to 125. I lost one male baby kenyan, two adult male anery kenyans, a rosy, a garter, a sinaloan, and a baby normal ball python. I am very frustrated with myself for being so careless. But, it proves a point, that no matter how experienced you think you are, you still make very stupid mistakes.

The sinaloan, garter, and rosy were educational animals, and were priceless to me, I am rather heartbroken at the moment.

Just thought I would share my story in hopes that no one will make the same mistake.
-----
Thanks,
Amy
My Boids

Sorry for your loss -- it's always hard to deal with.
-----
~* Jen *~

Pink Lady Constrictors

Amy,

I'm so sorry for your loss. That really sucks! Don't beat yourself up too much.

~Rebecca
-----
1.0.0 Dumeril's Boa '04
1.1.1 Ball Pythons
[1.0.0 '05 Orange Hypo (Specter)]
[0.1.0 '05 Het Orange Hypo (Sylvia)]
[0.0.1 '03 Normal (Sue)]
0.2 American Pit Bull Terriers (40lb darling lap dogs:Brandy&Mara)

sorry for your loss

That sucks Amy! I'm sorry to hear about the accident. Thanks for reminding us to be very careful.
-----
Alice Cobb
Florida Reptile Room

I'm so sorry for your loss

Very sorry to hear that. That just shows how careful we all need to be.

Thanks guys.
-----
Thanks,
Amy
My Boids

Sorry for your loss. We all make mistakes once in a while.

I recommend using thermostats with alarms. I had a probe come loose in a rack of ten juvies. Temps were only high for a moment before the alarm alerted me. If I didn't have the alarm set, those snakes would be dead.

I just bought a Herpstat ND for one of my racks, and I really like having the alarm. Somehow the probe came loose from under the tub, and I caught it right away. I doubt I'll ever go back to thermostats w/out an alarm.

That is a drag but I really don't think anyone should ever use an incubator as housing for anything but eggs. As you have seen, they have no way to get away from the heat. At least in a rack they would have half a chance to get away from it.

Thanks, I will have to look into the alarms, that sounds like a great idea!
-----
Thanks,
Amy
My Boids

just like in shipping, heat is the killer. as you can afford to, back up all your thermostats with a unit that can shut down an overheated incubator [or rack] rancos are my personal choice, fairly inexpensive and just stupidly durable, that's why freedom breeder and boaphile use them on the racks they sell. try to look at the situation in the best light possible. it sucks in every way, but you 'paid the tuition' and can make sure nothing of the sort ever happens to you again. sorry for your losses. kd

I use ranco's and helix currently, and will definetly work on backing them up in the future, that is a great idea. I've always enjoyed the rancos, and I believe also that they are a great buy.

I've always felt rather invincible to heat issues (it won't happen to me...), and now I can really see that that is a very bad way of thinking. A thermostat could break at any time, and even if you are not as stupid as to leave the probe out of place, there are always circumstances to which a probe will be moved by the snake.

Thanks again for all the support, and advice.
-----
Thanks,
Amy
My Boids