# My room caught on fire...



## CoolMantid (Jul 16, 2012)

So this afternoon around 4. I came home to find my half of my insectatorium in flames....

I freaked out and dropped everything I was carrying. I got the fire out. With water. but I lost 90% of my Gulf Fritillary population, which I am really upset about  

I also lost an Adult Female Creo, an Adult Female Unicorn, 2 blephs, my anise swallowtail caterpillars, and my buckeye caterpillar.

I am still investigating what caused the fire. But I found that my heat bulb was sligthly unscrewed. I am so upset. I dont even know what to do. If I am lucky I will be able to have a next generation of Gulf frits but idk. I found the net cube the where in half charred.  

Huh.... my rug is also burnt.

This day has been well. frustrating....I dont know what else to say. :'(


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## agent A (Jul 16, 2012)

That must be scary!!  

Is the male creo ok?? Net cages r very flammable


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## CoolMantid (Jul 16, 2012)

Yea. He is fine.


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## angelofdeathzz (Jul 16, 2012)

Stop it your scaring me man  , do you know how many lights I have going for all my mantis, more than you can count on your fingers and toes!  

Bummer x2! Just be glad you found it when you did, could have been much worse if you think about it.


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## ShieldMantid1997 (Jul 16, 2012)

Not the Blephs!


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## CoolMantid (Jul 16, 2012)

It was. It was really scary.....

Uggh. Im so upset


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## agent A (Jul 16, 2012)

Poor animals  

At least it was confined to that area


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## tararawr (Jul 16, 2012)

I am so sorry  

Hang in there!!!


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## patrickfraser (Jul 16, 2012)

Bum deal, guy. Good luck with the cleanup.


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## CoolMantid (Jul 16, 2012)

Thanks. I am still upset that I have to though.


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## sueb4653 (Jul 16, 2012)

wow so sorry to hear glad you got home when you did


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## patrickfraser (Jul 16, 2012)

What did your parents say?


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## CoolMantid (Jul 16, 2012)

That if it happens again I lose everything


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## patrickfraser (Jul 16, 2012)

Better not let it happen again, then. Good luck.


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## CoolMantid (Jul 16, 2012)

Thanks. Great. Now my L2 stagmo just died


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## angelofdeathzz (Jul 16, 2012)

The smoke and fumes won't be good for the rest, you may want to move them for the night, get them some fresh air? sux to learn the hard way but hey at least you and your family are safe.


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## agent A (Jul 16, 2012)

Idk wat I would do if this happened to me

The forum would probably never hear from me again  

Once I misted my gongies and the bulb above them shattered from the cold water and the whole lamp caught fire

Good thing my mom was asleep by this time...


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## agent A (Jul 16, 2012)

angelofdeathzz said:


> The smoke and fumes won't be good for the rest, you may want to move them for the night, get them some fresh air? sux to learn the hard way but hey at least you and your family are safe.


That and the fact the rug may reignite r my biggest concerns for u...


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## MantidDan (Jul 16, 2012)

I suggest you find ways to fire proof that area.


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## twolfe (Jul 16, 2012)

I'm sorry to hear that happened, but I'm glad that you are OK and that it wasn't worse. You're lucky your parents are going to let you continue raising insects.


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## Mvalenz (Jul 16, 2012)

Sorry to hear this.


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## CoolMantid (Jul 16, 2012)

Thanks you guys


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## happy1892 (Jul 16, 2012)

Oh, I am very sorry.  At least the whole house did not burn down.


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## CoolMantid (Jul 16, 2012)

Yea true


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## massaman (Jul 17, 2012)

I would be more worried about the house or room as it can be rebuilt and what not over bugs but thats just me


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## mkayum (Jul 17, 2012)

Sorry to hear that :C

At least you didn't lose your room...


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## angelofdeathzz (Jul 17, 2012)

Or it happens when people are home and no one see a flame till the room leaks smoke and blaze in the hallway!!! I think you were very lucky in a sad sort of way.

I'll donate one cool new mantis to your collection as it stands now, just PM me.  

Nick-  -


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## Rick (Jul 17, 2012)

Better than losing your home.


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## gripen (Jul 17, 2012)

agent A said:


> Idk wat I would do if this happened to me
> 
> The forum would probably never hear from me again
> 
> ...


I did that four times in one day. I am not very smart LOL.I am so sorry to hear this! I really hope you can continue on with your bugs. I am sure if you put out an add in the classified section some of us could help you out.


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## agent A (Jul 17, 2012)

gripen said:


> I did that four times in one day. I am not very smart LOL.
> 
> I am so sorry to hear this! I really hope you can continue on with your bugs. I am sure if you put out an add in the classified section some of us could help you out.


Deffo, I sent him the bleph pair that died so when my remaining pair breeds he can have an ooth...


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## gripen (Jul 17, 2012)

I may have some extra brunners.


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## agent A (Jul 17, 2012)

No pun intended but this has become a hot topic :lol:


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## brancsikia339 (Jul 17, 2012)

That's horrible!! I feel so bad for you.  If i have my black swallowtails hatch I'll ask my parents if i can send you some  

I know that if this happened to me i would never be able to talk about it like you could. I would basically be off the form for over a month.

You are extremely lucky that your parents let you continue keeping insects.


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## hibiscusmile (Jul 17, 2012)

sorry to hear that, thank God u knew what to do when u saw it! glad you and yours are ok man!


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## CoolMantid (Jul 17, 2012)

Huh..... thanks you guys. I decided to move everything alive in my room outside for today because it isnt supposed to rain. But this morning I woke up to find my 2 chinese mantises dead.  Is it the smoke thats killing them? I opened a window all last night.

I dont even think my brunner ooths were gonna hatch. Im really upset. My mom told me to continue my insectatorium else where. She is really angry with me.


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## happy1892 (Jul 17, 2012)

Hertarem45 said:


> Huh..... thanks you guys. I decided to move everything alive in my room outside for today because it isnt supposed to rain. But this morning I woke up to find my 2 chinese mantises dead.  Is it the smoke thats killing them? I opened a window all last night.
> 
> I dont even think my brunner ooths were gonna hatch. Im really upset. My mom told me to continue my insectatorium else where. She is really angry with me.


They were in a place without sun right?!


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## CoolMantid (Jul 17, 2012)

In my living room.


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## Bug Trader (Jul 17, 2012)

Maybe before you rebuild a collection you should rethink your setups.....the heating issues arent too hard to advance to a more fireproof setup such as pro heat radiant heat panels or if you must use bulbs try mounting ceramic fixtures to prevent setups or dome lights and such getting knocked over or even to close to cages. Fewer nicer setups are always better.


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## rs4guy (Jul 17, 2012)

Well at least your house didn't burn down.... Sorry to hear though, always sucky. Try using CFL bulbs, they dont get very hot. GL with salvaging what you have left...


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## Crazy4mantis (Jul 17, 2012)

Once I left my chameleon's heat bulb on and accidently left it on a table. When I came home my entire house smelled like burning wood! I had to give away my cham. I thought that was bad, but this is so much worse! I'm glad you, your family, and your house is ok.


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## Crazy4mantis (Jul 17, 2012)

Did the dead little guys get a proper burial? I always make a "coffin" out of a sauce container, fill it with salt, and bury them. My friends think I'm loosing it.  I still can't believe this awful thing happened.


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## agent A (Jul 17, 2012)

Crazy4mantis said:


> Once I left my chameleon's heat bulb on and accidently left it on a table. When I came home my entire house smelled like burning wood! I had to give away my cham. I thought that was bad, but this is so much worse! I'm glad you, your family, and your house is ok.


Once my father helped me clean a cage but he set a hot heat lamp on my pillow and within minutes it was browned and gross

I also melted an alarm clock under a heat lamp by using the thermometer feature of it to test how hot my gongies were

Just a heads up gongylus is wat I call the unsafe genus since I tend to do unsafe things with heat lamps when I have them

Most of my animals r on my porch now...


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## brancsikia339 (Jul 19, 2012)

I keep my insectatorium and other animals in my basement because my room wouldn't work like that. It's also safer in the basement because i dont have to worry about turning the AC down during the summer


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## brancsikia339 (Jul 19, 2012)

Crazy4mantis said:


> Did the dead little guys get a proper burial? I always make a "coffin" out of a sauce container, fill it with salt, and bury them. My friends think I'm loosing it.  I still can't believe this awful thing happened.


I do that too.


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## mutrok4040 (Jul 19, 2012)

Sorry to hear this!

I have almost done this many times, good thing my dad wakes up early! I really hope you get your next gen of Gulf frits!


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## CoolMantid (Jul 19, 2012)

mutrok4040 said:


> Sorry to hear this!
> 
> I have almost done this many times, good thing my dad wakes up early! I really hope you get your next gen of Gulf frits!


Thanks. Gulf Frits mean alot to me. I really hope my bloodline doesnt stop now


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## nebrakacinese (Jul 19, 2012)

Sorry for your loss


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