The Cold Blooded News

The Newsletter of the Colorado Herpetological Society

Volume 28, Number 6; June, 2001

Best Laid Plans

Reprinted from Herp Beat, the newsletter of the Upstate Herpetological Association, Vol.12, No.5, May 2001.

As a keeper of rattlesnakes, a Nile Monitor, and an alligator, one of our illustrious members has developed a regular routine he follows to care for his animals. This routine is important to maintaining safety for himself and others as well as avoiding undue stress on his charges. It has been a successful routine.

Alligators like their water warm. In New York this is most readily accomplished with a submersible heater. Since the alligator likes to eat things in the water, the heater is encased in PVC pipe, which allows the water to circulate through while protecting it from the crushing chomps of the brute. When it comes time to clean the pond, a pump is utilized as the drain is above water level. The water is pumped out taking care to make sure the heater remains under water. Then fresh water is used to fill the pond. This all makes for a happy 'gator. Often he remains in the water as his caregiver works around him.

The same kind of care is given to all his animals. The work is approached methodically and calmly. There is no need to stress any of the animals, and anyway the sound of a roomful of startled rattlesnakes is rather unnerving.

So what happens when the phone rings and the pump is running. You first unplug the pump, and then answer the phone, right? Right! And that's exactly what our subject did. The heater was still under water and the alligator was just lazing in the pond.

The phone call grew lengthy. As he hung up he decided to relax in a bath before return to his duties in the basement- He had gone winter camping the night before and wanted to clean up before his wife and daughter returned from shopping. But he began to feel uneasy as he filled the tub. Was that smoke he smelled?

Rushing down the steps, he arrived to a basement filled with smoke. Grabbing the nearby fire extinguisher, he search for the fire but could find none. So he checked the snake room, first feeling the door for heat. Nothing. Believing it might be electrical; he dutifully turned off the main breaker in the panel box and called 911 before things got out of hand.

The volunteer fire department chief arrived promptly and was met in the driveway by the beleaguered homeowner. "The fire is somewhere downstairs, but I can't find it. Just don't go in the room with the closed door."

"We must check all the rooms," the chief curtly replied.

"It is full of venomous snakes."

Everyone stopped in their tracks. The chief stepped back and asked for clarification.

"What did you say?"

"It is full of venomous snakes."

"How many?"

"About forty."

Then the fire chief radioed to the arriving engines.

As the rest of the fire department arrived, many of the firefighters stayed in the trucks. It seems that the last call warned of "hazardous materials, approach with caution".

Our harried homeowner was asked to enter the house with the firefighters, something usually not allowed. So the tentative crew walked into the house, went down the steps and began to search for the cause of all the smoke. Turning the electricity off seemed to have alleviated the problem as smoke was no longer filling the room. "Don't worry about the Nile monitor, he's friendly", didn't seem to have the comforting effect desired. King Tut did not take well to the company of strangers near her enclosure and repeatedly whipped her tail and hissed. (Tut was thought to be a male until she laid slugs a couple of years ago, but the name stuck anyway.)

The firefighters who came into the house (some chose not to) were again surprised when the homeowner announced that he had found the source of the smoke. "It's the heater in the alligators pool". Again most everybody stopped what they were doing and looked toward the alligator enclosure.

Did you ever wonder how much water an alligator actually displaces? I know. Just enough to keep a water heater under water. While our friend was talking on the telephone, the big guy decided that he might as well bask on shore since the water was so shallow. Leaving the water had caused the water level to lower just enough to "fry" the heater burning the PVC. Turning the electricity off had averted a major tragedy.

After looking at the gator and while the fire department’s fan was blowing the smoke from the house the firefighters lined up for a look at the snakes. Most are rattlesnakes who sounded vigorously at the flashlights illuminating the darkened herp room. After the smoke cleared and the event was pronounced over, the firefighters left. His family wasn't home yet and he briefly considered not mentioning the event. However, there was still the smell of smoke, truck and footprints around the house and the thought was dismissed. This turned out to be prudent as there were a number of phone calls throughout the week asking about the "fire".

This fellow member briefly became the talk of the fire department. He has also joined, if for no other reason than to guarantee that at least one firefighter arrives the next time they are called to his house.