TLDR: Make sure everyone in your living space knows the basics of your pet's needs, especially how your pet's enclosure works.
Our power was out for 5 hours the other night. At first, it was not so bad for Mario. Just a little earlier bedtime, and no CHE for the night. (Another week or two and it'll be off for the summer anyway...)
The next morning while I was at work, at 7am, I got a call from home: "Mario's lights didn't come on at 6:30 like they usually do." Again, no big deal. Just a little bit of a sunrise delay.
I figured the battery in our light timer was dead, so I told those at home to plug the UV bulb and the basking bulb into the wall socket without the timer. I'll just replace the battery and reset the lights when I get home.
But there's a third plug. The CHE. :shock:
I never mentioned it, because it doesn't need to be plugged in during the day. Silly me.
I got a call that afternoon: "Mario is hiding a lot today."
That is unusual for him. I think, maybe it's because he's shedding? It's probably fine. Sometime dragons are weird.
When I got home, the wall thermometer on the hot side of the the enclosure was at 98.6f, a solid 8-10 degrees higher than normal. I looked at the wall. Three of the four sockets had something plugged into them. There should have only been two. Someone had plugged in the CHE.
Mario's beard was the blackest I've ever seen it. He was hiding in the shade under his favorite tree, which unfortunately sits right under the basking bulb and the CHE, both of which had been on all day. The cool side was 88f, still hotter than normal, but he rarely *hangs out* over there anyway. Apparently, not even when he's trying to escape a brutal heatwave. Why, little buddie? Why?
I immediately unplugged the lights, opened both doors, and gave him a drink from our spray bottle. (He loves to lick the droplets.) I put him on the cool side, under his hammock, and let the enclosure cool down for a bit.
Even after a crazy minute of dealing wit that, and the doors open, his basking spot still read 112-118f when I shot it with the temp gun. It usually sits between 103f and 110f. No wonder he was hiding.
An hour or so later he ate his normal dinner, basked, and went to bed. No big deal. Just a hot day.
But it could have been worse. Much worse. Please, take the time to clearly provide instructions for anyone caring for your pet. The people in my home live with Mario every day. They helped me build his enclosure and research his lighting. They heard me curse from the hallway while I tried to program his lights. They feed him and clean his poops!
But the lights (and the CHE) are automated, and nicely hidden. It's May, 2020. They haven't thought about those things since February! It was my fault for ignoring that third plug. I didn't pass on vital information because I thought it was irrelevant. I might have plugged it in too, if I didn't know any better. :mrgreen:
-Ian
Our power was out for 5 hours the other night. At first, it was not so bad for Mario. Just a little earlier bedtime, and no CHE for the night. (Another week or two and it'll be off for the summer anyway...)
The next morning while I was at work, at 7am, I got a call from home: "Mario's lights didn't come on at 6:30 like they usually do." Again, no big deal. Just a little bit of a sunrise delay.
I figured the battery in our light timer was dead, so I told those at home to plug the UV bulb and the basking bulb into the wall socket without the timer. I'll just replace the battery and reset the lights when I get home.
But there's a third plug. The CHE. :shock:
I never mentioned it, because it doesn't need to be plugged in during the day. Silly me.
I got a call that afternoon: "Mario is hiding a lot today."
That is unusual for him. I think, maybe it's because he's shedding? It's probably fine. Sometime dragons are weird.
When I got home, the wall thermometer on the hot side of the the enclosure was at 98.6f, a solid 8-10 degrees higher than normal. I looked at the wall. Three of the four sockets had something plugged into them. There should have only been two. Someone had plugged in the CHE.
Mario's beard was the blackest I've ever seen it. He was hiding in the shade under his favorite tree, which unfortunately sits right under the basking bulb and the CHE, both of which had been on all day. The cool side was 88f, still hotter than normal, but he rarely *hangs out* over there anyway. Apparently, not even when he's trying to escape a brutal heatwave. Why, little buddie? Why?
I immediately unplugged the lights, opened both doors, and gave him a drink from our spray bottle. (He loves to lick the droplets.) I put him on the cool side, under his hammock, and let the enclosure cool down for a bit.
Even after a crazy minute of dealing wit that, and the doors open, his basking spot still read 112-118f when I shot it with the temp gun. It usually sits between 103f and 110f. No wonder he was hiding.
An hour or so later he ate his normal dinner, basked, and went to bed. No big deal. Just a hot day.
But it could have been worse. Much worse. Please, take the time to clearly provide instructions for anyone caring for your pet. The people in my home live with Mario every day. They helped me build his enclosure and research his lighting. They heard me curse from the hallway while I tried to program his lights. They feed him and clean his poops!
But the lights (and the CHE) are automated, and nicely hidden. It's May, 2020. They haven't thought about those things since February! It was my fault for ignoring that third plug. I didn't pass on vital information because I thought it was irrelevant. I might have plugged it in too, if I didn't know any better. :mrgreen:
-Ian
