# Almost lost my baby today.



## MochiAndMe (Jul 13, 2013)

My mom went in my room to see that CHE lamp had fallen off and landed on her wheel, and burning the PVC pipe stand. It smelled awful so I grabbed my baby and put her in a travel cage, took my pigs too and moved them to a better smelling room. Now the lamp is almost cool and the PVC is cool.

I am so lucky that my mom found it before my girl was killed by a fire starting or just being burned to death.  

We're going to Petco soon to pick up a new heat lamp. (the other one is brown now from burning the PVC.)


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## MochiAndMe (Jul 13, 2013)

I have two quick questions:

1. Should I be worried about her nose/lungs? It smelled awful, as you can imagine, and our little hedgie's noses are so sensitive. 

2. Any ideas on how to prevent it? Before it was clamped on the side of her bin cage, tilted at an angle to get the whole cage heated. It's been like this for several weeks, I don't know why it randomly fell today.


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## Nancy (Aug 22, 2008)

Those clamps alone are not secure. They loosen off over time or with any movement. I always recommend the fixture needs to be wired to the top of the cage to prevent it from falling. 

The cage should also have a top on it so there is no way the emitter could fall into the cage. A secure top with the fixture wired securely to the top will prevent accidents. 

Glad it wasn't worse.


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## Lilysmommy (Jan 7, 2009)

Oh jeeze...that was a close call! :? I'm glad it was caught relatively quickly and your girl wasn't hurt. I know this is one of the reasons some people have been leery about the idea of using CHEs with bins - I know I've seen Nancy recommend that if they're being clamped to the bin, to zip-tie them as well for extra security. Perhaps if you put another up the same way, you could try that? I think my personal preference would be getting a wire shelf to lay over the bin & zip-tie the lamp to that.

I'm not sure on the lungs thing - maybe someone else will know if there's dangerous byproducts from burning PVC or anything like that.


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## MochiAndMe (Jul 13, 2013)

I'll probably zip tie them, or get a top for my cage with a hole cut out for the wheel. (it's too tall with a top on)

Thanks for all the advice.


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## MochiAndMe (Jul 13, 2013)

Also, I just re-read my post. By "pigs" I mean guinea pigs.  I don't have actual pigs living in my room.


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## alexvdl (Dec 19, 2012)

Where else would you keep your actual pigs? 

I'm glad your pets are okay.


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## MochiAndMe (Jul 13, 2013)

Haha, and thanks. I'm still curious about the smell affecting them. It's gone now but Mochi must have been under her fleece liner near it for at least 5 minutes, and if it bothers us humans it's definitely going to bother my little baby. The guineas should be fine, they were on the other side of the room.


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