Off-shoot of how far would you go...

[Alicewave]

What would you do if your house caught on fire? Being reptile keepers, we increase the risk of fire just because of the heating devices we use. I thought of this the other night when our smoke detectors were going haywire fo no reason. After my dad fixed them i stayed up all night wondering what I would do if there were ever a fire. They say to only save yourself but I don't know that I could do that. So I got to thinking about possible evacuation procedures for my animals. I don't have that many so it is plausible to me. Having heat packs and small rubbermaids on hand and ready to go just in case. I dunno, I had never thought about it up until now. What would you guys do if there was ever a fire?

[Nanashi04]

That's a good thing to think about, really, everyone should develop a good plan. I never keep many, so it's be pretty easy for me, but I'd like to hear some of the larger-scale keeper's plans...

[J_Riley]

Personally, I could shove all my snakes into my largest feeding tote (kept in the snake room) and be out the door, but then I only have 4 snakes. I cannot imagine what I would do if there were say 20+...

[Scotty Allen]

That's a non issue for me. My only concern would be my family's safety, plain and simple. If it was safe to get the animals out great, if not...................

[Pixie]

It's funny that you bring up this topic of conversation as I was thinking of the same thing just a few days ago!

I would definitely try to get all my animals out with me, I'm lucky because one of my best friends live's just a block away from me and I have good acquaintances right across the street from me.

The plan I came up with is, get me and the dogs out first into the yard. If I can make it back in for a second trip (I would think so as step #1 would only take about 20 seconds max!), under one of my BP's tanks is where I keep my pillow cases. I would just run back in, grab one or two of the cases and just throw (gently of course!) my snakes inside and get the hell out A.S.A.P. I calculated that this would take me about 2 to 3 minutes max.

Unfortunately the tarantulas and breeding colonies are on the end of the list. It's much harder just to grab 10gal tanks and run and a whole bunch of mice and rats. Those would take me much more time but I would still try if I felt I had the time, especially for my tarantulas.

Pixie

[Rebecca]

It's REALLY easy for me unless the fire was actually in my room. My room is in the basement so all I have to do is kick out my screen on my window and out I go with all my pets that are already in my room. I'd be screaming the whole time for the rest of my family to get out. Once I got my animals out (because they are closest to me phyicaly) I'd go back in and get everyone else out, but they would most likely be out already.

[Alicewave]

I'm thinking I would only get them out if it was not a horrible fire in another part of the house. I too would get the dog out first but probably hand her off to a family member if I can. It would be nice to have some kind of divided rubbermaid for the geckos since they'd kill each other if I put them in something together, defeating the purpose of saving them, and tossing jose in his snake bag. Not too bad, I think I could do it if it isn't my bedroom that is ablaze.

[Pixie]

The fact that animals might be thrown into close quarters for a short amount of time in an emergency like that does have risks (cannibalism, etc.) but I would think the animals would be pretty stunned to have any time to do much harm to each other and if you can get them somewhere quick and sort them out I think you could avoid something bad happening in the bags or containers.

In my case having people I know so close and my friend also being the one who babysits my zoo when I'm gone. I could have the animals to him in about 5 minutes and he'd be sorting them out right away in different pillow cases or containers. I'm lucky that I have help so close by.

Pixie

[nicola_boulton]

ide would chuck all my snakes and lizards in bags then jump out the window.

[Rebecca]

I never really thought about my dog. Unless I had someone to take her right away, going back in would not happen. My dog has no eyes so she'd be scared and lost. Humm I'm going to have to re-think my plan now.

[unknownclown]

My first concern is my 2 year old daughter and Im sure the dog will follow us out . If I can get her out and go back in cool! I'll grab them all, I only have 3 ball pythons in a light weight cage, then throw the bunny and the cat (if I can catch her) in a carrier. Then if I still have time Im goin in for the computer! It may sound bad but hey I have a whole lot of money put into it not to mention theres my daughters whole 2 years of life in pics there that would be lost and are irreplaceable.

[Alicewave]

I would put all computer valuables on CDs so all you have to do is grab the CDs.

[marisa]

Luckily my dog is practically surgerically attached to my legs so she would probably run out with me on her own while I could grab my snakes. The iguanas would definitly be harder and I am not sure I could get them out in time....maybe I should make a plan specifically for them but anyways, and teh tarantulas, feeders, parakeets, and gerbils come last unfortunatly.

Marisa

[fr0glet]

Wow, the implications. This is something I haven't thought of at all. I just bought a house and dedicated one of the top floor bedrooms to herps. My cats and dog are smart, and I know my husband would hurry to help with them as he doesn't care about my herps at all. Assuming he was home to take care of them...

I'd throw my milksnake, corns, and balls all in together in a large rubbermaid tub. I'd throw all my leopard geckos (including those in quarantine) into another rubbermaid. I'd hang my beardie from my shirt (he's good stuck there for hours) and run all those outside.... if I had time for another trip I would just grab my frogs and throw them in the small disposable gladware dishes I use as their waterdishes. All this stuff is already kept in the herp room.

Now then, if the fire actually STARTED in my herp room... sadly I would probably try hardest to save the snakes and the beardie. I just don't know. I've extinguished 3 fires in my homes in the past by myself... I didn't grab my animals and run out the door, I grabbed the fire extinguisher or a bucket of water and doused it. I once scooped 5 huge cupfuls of water out of my fishtank to extinguish a fire! He didn't like it but I did the job. So that's probably more likely for a person like me... I'd be trying to put the fire out.

[KrokadilyanGuy3]

...Every single Reptile I have in my house has nearly 300g of water backing it up. All my other herps are housed outdoors in.. Water, so I really have no problem unless it was serious then we'd have to tote a few medium size crocodilians.. And one of my ally snappers.. Plus my room is right by the Exit..
Xain

[Linds]

From the time I was a kid I have always dreaded this. When I was 4 years old for a while I slept with all my stuff I garbage bags beside my bed just in case there was a fire :eek: I have so many animals, I wouldnt realistically be able to get them all out in one go, but I would do my damdest to do so, by whatever means I could, snakes could hold on to me, I could throw the rest in bags and tubs.......

[Burmies]

If a fire broke out in my home I would be in a **** load of trouble. Getting two kids and a wife out of the house along with all 21 snakes and something to carry them in. I pray to god that I never run into that kind of problem.

Burmies

[ThEmAdHaTtEr]

I would grab both snakes, put them around my neck, Grab my two lizards and put them in my pockets, and run! Hopefully my family could get out with Ginger (Daucshund) safely.

[eyespy]

First of all, there are 2 fire extinguisers in my apartment that I could use to out a fire that started directly in my place. I do have a vague plan should it be too large to put out or it started in another apartment.

I have a drawer in my living room filled with snake bags so I'd start stuffing herps into them like crazy and they would go into a rubbermaid if there is time, otherwise out the window. I'm in a split level and the ground is about nipple high on me when I look out my windows. I didn't choose my place specifically because of that reason but I'm sure glad that I thought of that plan. If the fire prevented me from reaching the snake bags I'd try to get pillowcases, clothing I could knot up to close, or even stuff them in my bra, socks and pockets if I need to do so.

The budgies are in a small aviary and could go out the window just as they are. The cat is trained to come to me at a whistle and I could easily get him out.

Finding and calming my free-roaming ig enough to get her into a bag would probably be the biggest challenge. She'd likely be in one of her 3 high basking areas and smoke would definitely make it hard to see her. I'll have to think about what I could do to make that easier. She means the world to me. If I absolutely had to make a choice, obviously I'd save the animals that were closer and easier to get to first but I pray to God I never have to make that kind of choice.

[Lisa]

Living in an appt building we have the fire alarm go off for no particular reason, so we've had reason to think ahead. we have 2 coolers and a coolatron in the herp room plus handy snake bags for the bitey/canabalistic snakes. Kitty cages at the door for the cats and a length of rope incase the hallway exit is inaccessable. The rodents would probably be abandoned. Do we have everything covered? probably not, but it's better then no plan at all.